MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Our coverage continues here on MSNBC. If you‘re just joining us, at the Army Post in Ft. Hood, in Texas, there has been a horrific event, a shooting; 12 people are dead; 31 people are injured.

Joining me now is Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota. He‘s the highest ranking enlisted soldier ever to serve in the United States Congress. Congressman, your thoughts in the wake of this horrific event this afternoon?

REP TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: Well, Ed, I‘m not sure words will come to any of us. It‘s just an incredible tragedy, the unthinkable. We‘ve got these brave warriors do their duty, put themselves at risk for us, and they‘re back on their home post with their families, and we see something like this happen.

So my heart goes out to all of them. I know this is a tragedy that is going to affect families for their lifetimes. So it‘s a sad day.

SCHULTZ: I think this is going to give lawmakers pause, in many respects, to ask the tough questions about are we servicing our military personnel properly? Are we doing enough? This is the most unusual story that I think I‘ve ever come across, that an Army major psychiatrist was shot and killed today, Malik Hasan. He is a mental professional, a psychiatrist, who deals in post traumatic stress disorder with military personnel.

He was shot by a civilian police officer, after taking the lives of 12 other people and wounding 31. Congressman Walz, are we doing enough or is this an isolated incident? Your thoughts?

WALZ: I can‘t speak for the specifics of this one. Unfortunately, I don‘t believe they‘re isolated incidents. This is a very demanding job on the families and on the warriors. I don‘t think we‘ll ever be able to do enough. One of the things, and the most important job I have here in Congress, is sitting on the VA Committee. We are trying to do and we continue to try and do everything possible to make sure these warriors not only have the equipment necessary and the training necessary to do their jobs, but that we understand when they return from battle, our job is far from done.

And I think we‘re making progress. We‘re addressing the needs, whether it‘s PTSD, the jobs stress, the family stress, and those things. But I don‘t think we can ever do enough. And I think we‘re working it, but these tragedies--again, I think it‘s too easy for Americans because of these warriors do this--they do it in silence. They do it without asking for praise. And it‘s all too easy to forget how much incredible stress and pressure they‘re under protecting our freedoms.

There‘s always more to do.

SCHULTZ: There is always more to do.

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