Right off the bat, the CNN anchor commanded the Florida Republican to respond to the teen activists.

“What do you say” to these kids “who don’t understand why you don't even want to consider a serious debate on this matter?” Blitzer demanded.

As Latvala was explaining that this was a political “stunt” pulled by the Democratic minority leader on unwitting Republicans who didn’t have the opportunity to hear the bill, and that ongoing discussions on solutions were already occurring, Blitzer cut him off.

“So let me, Congress---Representative, representative, when do you want to begin a debate in the Florida state legislature to ban assault weapons?” the CNN anchor rudely interrupted. He asked the question again three times in a row in various ways:

BLITZER: [W]hen will there be an up and down roll call, a vote on what to do?

BLITZER: So when will the debate begin on banning assault weapons , on stricter gun control in the state of Florida in the aftermath of the massacre that happened last week?

BLITZER: Representative, when--- first of all, do you want to ban assault weapons in the state of Florida?

After that Blitzer went down the slippery slope, pressing the representative to tell him “when” his party was going to ban other types of guns as well.

“How about a rifle? How old should someone be to buy a rifle?” Blitzer asked.

Even as Latvala admitted proudly that he wasn’t a strong gun rights advocate, had received a “D” rating from the NRA, and thought conservatives who attacked these kids as “actors” were “idiots,” Blitzer couldn’t be swayed from his dogmatic accusations against what the representative supposedly stood for.

“You say you met with them. You say you were moved by them. Will your colleagues be moved by them as well?” Blitzer demanded to know.

To read the full transcript, click "expand."

Wolf

2/21/2018

1:06pm

WOLF BLITZER: Joining us now, Republican Florida state representative Chris Latvala. He's among those who voted against debate considering the ban on assault weapons. Thank you for joining us. What do you say to those students, those surviving students who are there in the state capitol of Tallahassee who don't understand why you don't even want to consider a serious debate on this matter?

REP. CHRIS LATVALA (R-FL): Yes, sir. I had the privilege this morning of meeting with a couple groups of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school. They're meetings that I will not soon forget. It was a very sad time, and it's a very sad time in Florida. I didn't have the words to say to them. I tried to listen to them more than I spoke. But the vote yesterday was a procedural vote. The gentleman, representative Mcgee, who's a friend of mine, is the incoming democratic leader. His procedural thing that he did yesterday, there are many Democrats that weren't aware he was doing that. None of the Republicans that I spoke to knew that he was doing that. You know, his job as the incoming minority leader is to win seats for his caucus. He's a good man. He's a friend of mine. But there are discussions being had with Republicans and Democrats to try to come up with some ideas and some solutions. And I would point out that the democratic representative Jared Moskowitz, who graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, who's been very outspoken the last week, he's a Democrat and spoke out this morning at the antics of what representative --

BLITZER: So let me--Congress--Representative, representative, when do you want to begin a debate in the Florida state legislature to ban assault weapons?

LATVALA: I think that, you know, there are other discussions that we're having. And I serve on the criminal justice subcommittee. Frankly, I would liked to have heard that bill, have the opportunity to make amendments to it, make some changes, but just to do a stunt, you know, like was done yesterday, I think is a completely different thing. I'd like to point out, I'm the only Republican co-sponsor to some gun control legislation. I co-sponsor the red flag bill that would allow family members and law enforcement personnel to do risk protective orders. Representative Berman as a Democrat from South Florida,I think that's a great bill---

BLITZER: Representative, when--- first of all, do you want to ban assault weapons in the state of Florida?

LATVALA: That's something that we certainly can look at. I think that for instance, in Florida, to buy a pistol, you have to be 21. To buy an ar-15, you have to be 18. I think something like that should be changed immediately, to raise that age to 21. I think there needs to be more background screenings, more background checks. I think once somebody starts to lose their mental capacity or they make violent threats, you know, their weapons need to be taken from them.

BLITZER: So when will the debate begin on banning assault weapons, on stricter gun control in the state of Florida in the aftermath of the massacre that happened last week? Realistically, you're a representative. When will that serious debate actually begin, and assuming the debate is not going to go on forever, when will there be an up and down roll call, a vote on what to do?

LATVALA: I think that there's going to be legislation that will be released this week that will be bipartisan in nature, both Republicans and Democrats coming together for some common sense gun control measures. I think you'll see that as early as tomorrow.

BLITZER: So you want to ban the sale of any guns for anyone in the state of Florida until that person reaches the age of 21. You have to be at least 21. Because it's been well pointed out in Florida you can buy an ar-15 style rifle at the age of 18 with very limited background check. You got to be 21 to buy a pistol or a handgun. You got to be 21 to buy a can of beer.

LATVALA: Yes, sir. I think there's a big difference between a rifle that you have to put a bullet in each time. The age for that is 18. There's a big difference between that and an ar-15. I believe someone should have to be 21 years old.

BLITZER: How about a rifle? How old should someone be to buy a rifle?

LATVALA: Currently that's 18 years old. I'm not sure whether that will be changed. I'm certainly open to looking at that. I think that especially in northern Florida, in rural areas, there's a hunting tradition that people 18, 19, 20 years old, responsible gun owners, you know, that use rifles for hunting and other purposes, but to me, there's a big difference between a traditional long gun, a rifle, and an ar-15.

BLITZER: How many of your fellow Republicans -- I know on this issue you're considered a moderate Republican, representative, but how many of your fellow Republicans in Tallahassee are with you on this?

LATVALA: I think there's quite a few, actually. I'm proud to be the lowest rated Republican by the NRA. I have a "D" rating. I think there are numerous, you know, conservatives, numerous Republicans that see these common sense gun measures, and they certainly will support them. I think the bills that you will see introduced this week will be bipartisan in nature.

BLITZER: The student survivors say that you and other representatives, they've danced around the questions that they're asking. So many of them, we just heard powerful words from them, saying they're discouraged by the meetings they've had over the past few hours in Tallahassee. You say you met with them. You say you were moved by them. Will your colleagues be moved by them as well?

LATVALA: I would believe so. I serve with honorable people, both Republicans and Democrats. You know, one of the things I told the students that I met with this morning was that the Vietnam protests were led by students. The civil rights protests were led by students. Now they're leading their own movement for gun safety and gun control and school safety. I applaud them for that. They're an absolute inspiration. It was an honor to meet them this morning.

BLITZER: Some of the right wing websites, far-right wing websites have been publishing these crazy conspiracy theories about what happened at that high school, alleging that some of the students aren't really students but they're actors, which is of course untrue. Others have said they're being coached by various liberal groups. What's your reaction to those conspiracy theories?

LATVALA: I think the people peddling the conspiracy theories are absolute idiots. They should be ashamed of themselves. You know, these students -- you know I have no question of their motives. And the people that would attack these students should be ashamed of themselves. These are 14, 15, 16, 17-year-old kids that are trying to make a difference. I frankly am inspired by them. I think that anybody that would question their motives should look in the mirror.

BLITZER: It's a fair point you’re making. Well said.