it. but i really believe i would run in even if i didn t have a weapon. and most of the people in this room would have done that too. i know most of you. but the way they performed was really a disgrace. brave. now we get to new reporting that the president does appear to be moving away. jim acosta joins us with that. reporter: talking to sources tonight, the president appears to be backing away from this idea that you mentioned just a few moments ago that he supported last week that the age limit should be raised to 21 for purchasing assault weapons. the president tweeted about it, and you notice on friday in a c pac speech. and that lead to questions about this issue.
about this idea late last week, there was concern in the gun rights community that the president is going soft on this issue. that is why i think you heard the president say he is going to do away with bump stocks. not to mention a lot of conservative lawmakers on the hill. you asked sarah sanders about the president s comments what was her response. reporter: that he would have rushed in and tried to save the students and here is what she had to say. i think he was stating that as a leader, you would have stepped in and hopefully been able to help as a number of the individuals that were in the schools, the coach and other adults and even a lot of the students stepped up and helped protect other students. i think the point he was making is that he would have wanted to play a role on that as well.
even as he goes silent on the thing he promised on wednesday to quote go strongly on, he is still pushing what seems to be his and the nra s preferred response arming teachers. not all teachers, he says, just some. i want highly trained people who have a talent. and some people under pressure can t take their club back. you can take issue with how the president put it, however he phrased, it sounds like he is done listening on that subject. in other words, be brave like me or just like i would have been unlike the broward county deputy outside that day. you don t know until you test
democrats in the senate, that is a nonstarter. so as long as that still has to be paired with even the small bore fix nix background bill, there are problems there. it has put a point on this. speaking to a democratic snore who is very strong on the gun rights issue very strong on trying to push forward some type of gun restrictions and i asked him plainly, do you think anything is going to happen right now. he looked at me and shook his head. he said no. he understands where things are right now and not a lot of optimism. thanks very much. the question of regulating firearms, arming teachers and what if anything can pass the congress. joining us now is florida republican congressman. congressman, thanks for being
soldiers are able to use handguns. an 18-year-old cannot buy. you have to be 21. reporter: i am not rationalizing. i am saying this what this source is saying. but it is clear that the president had this meeting with the national rifle association over the weekend. they had lunch at the white house on sunday and ever since the president started talking about this idea late last week, there was concern in the gun rights community that the president is going soft on this issue. that is why i think you heard the president say he is going to do away with bump stocks. that is something he feels on safe ground on. when it comes to the issue of raising the age for purchasing assault weapons. not to mention a lot of conservative lawmakers on the hill. you asked sarah sanders about the president s comments what was her response. reporter: that he would have rushed in and tried to save the students and here is what she had to say. i think he was stating that as a leader, you would have