Week In Review: Senate Candidates Speak Out On Gun Control

21:59

July 27, 2012

Gun control has become a hot topic in the Mass. senate race in the wake of the Aurora tragedy. (AP)

This week, the country continued to react to the shooting in a Colorado movie theater that left 12 dead and scores injured. Gun control has resurfaced as a major issue campaign issue, including in the U.S. Senate race here in Massachusetts.

Sen. Scott Brown has continued to say that gun control is a state issue. He says he supports Massachusetts' ban on assault weapons, but not a federal ban on them — which Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren supports.

Also, Gov. Patrick remains torn on whether to sign the Legislature's so-called "three-strikes" bill, which would eliminate the possibility of parole for three-time violent offenders. He calls it a good bill, but not a great one.

Plus, Boston Public School Superintendent Carol Johnson and the Boston Teachers Union continue to butt heads. This week, Johnson retreated from a proposal to extend the school day at elementary and middle schools by 45 minutes, and instead announced a plan to extend the school day by two hours at the city's lowest performing schools under an existing contract provision.

And Mayor Menino is in the national spotlight after speaking out against Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy's open disapproval of same-sex marriage.

Guests:

Renée Loth, columnist for The Boston Globe
John Carroll, assistant professor of mass communications at Boston University and blogger for Campaign Outsider

More:

This segment aired on July 27, 2012.