CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Michael Bennet

Interview

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BLITZER: Kaitlan Collins over at the White House, thanks very much.

Let's get some more on all of this.

Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado is joining us. He's a member of the Intelligence Committee. He's also a Democratic presidential candidate.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

And I know you have been following this latest school shooting in your home state of Colorado in Highlands Ranch. And our hearts certainly go out to the community there, everyone affected. You also have a lot of experience as the former superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

First of all, I know you're monitoring this. What can you tell us on the very latest?

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think, Wolf, that you have got the same information we do, which is that, so far, we know there are eight people wounded to varying degrees, and that they have two suspects in custody.

It's a K-12 STEM school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, which is in Douglas County, just south of Denver, the school district that I used to be superintendent of. And, as we are talking, my understanding is that parents are still waiting to be reunited with their children.

So, obviously, this is a very terrible situation for all of them.

BLITZER: It is an awful, awful situation. And it's awful every time we hear about a school shooting.

Do law enforcement agencies where you are, not right now, but in Colorado, have the resources they need to respond? Because, unfortunately, it's happening all too often.

BENNET: Well, I think it's not just a matter of law enforcement. We have got to have the resources in our schools to prevent this kind of thing from happening to begin with. And I don't want to really talk about policy today. But I will say that I talked to my daughter on the way over here tonight, who is 14 years old and is at home.

And she said, "Yes, I heard it was two kids."

And I said, "Well, I think the number is eight."

And she said: "Oh, I thought it was a small shooting. Now it's a big one."

I mean, our kids are having to worry about this when they go to school and that -- every day, when something like this happens. It's not right. They shouldn't have to do that. And I just hope that all the parents tonight that are there to find their children find their children, are reunited, and that law enforcement and others that need to be first-responders here, including the doctors and nurses, get the support they need from our community, which I know they will.

Unfortunately, Wolf, as you know, in Colorado, like so many other places around the country, we have faced more than our share of this. Columbine was now 20 years ago, when 12 children were killed and one teacher was shot.

And then we had the Aurora school -- the Aurora movie theater shooting that wasn't that long ago either. So, it's obviously a terrible day for everybody.

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BLITZER: I have spoken to so many parents, Senator, who are also upset that it's almost become a regular, routine matter that these young little kids in elementary schools and middle schools and high schools, they now on a regular basis have to have these so-called shooting drills...

BENNET: Yes.

BLITZER: ... to practice, God forbid, if something were to happen at their schools.

And these kids come home and they say, we had to do X, Y and Z.

How does a community deal, on a regular basis, especially in Colorado, where you're from?

BENNET: Yes.

I mean, that's it. That's it, Wolf. The kids -- my kids -- every time one of these things happen, we sit in my living room. We have a conversation with our daughters about this. And they do drill for it regularly.

In fact, you can see in the photos of the school today that there are kids who know exactly how to line up, kids who know exactly what they're supposed to do when something that happens.

And, obviously, tonight is not the night to talk about what to do about it. But I do think -- say, as a former school superintendent, and as a parent, that it's just deeply unfair that our children are having to endure this in our country. Children in other countries don't have to endure it. Other generations of American children haven't had to endure it.

This is a burden that we have placed uniquely on the next generation of Americans. And it's deeply unfair.

BLITZER: It certainly is.

And it's, unfortunately, a sign of the times that these little kids have to go through a drill like that and come home and tell their moms and dads, you know, they were practicing in case a killer, a shooter comes into our school.

BENNET: Yes.

BLITZER: It's a really sad commentary on what's going on.

Senator Bennet, I know you have got a lot going on. We're grateful to you for joining us. Thanks. We will have a substantive policy discussion on many issues down the road.

BENNET: Yes. I appreciate your having me, Wolf. Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, appreciate it very much.

We're going to have a lot more on all breaking news right after this.

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