| 00:00:00 | JOHN. |
| 00:00:02 | HE WAS 13. JOHN WAS OUTSIDE PLAYING WITH HIS FRIENDS. |
| 00:00:05 | WHEN HE ASKED TO COME INTO THE HOUSE TO GO TO A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES AND PERMISSION, I LET HIM GO. |
| 00:00:12 | WHILE JOHN WAS PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, A 9-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN THE HOUSE WENT TO A BEDROOM AND OPENED A DRESSER DRAWER AND PULLED OUT A . |
| 00:00:25 | 9 MM RUGER HANDGUN. HE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO SHOW THE CHILDREN. |
| 00:00:28 | THE CHILD FACED TO HIS FACE AND SAID, LOOK, JOHN, IT'S NOT LOADED. |
| 00:00:34 | AT 4:21 ON AUGUST 20, 1998, MY SON JOHN LOST HIS LIFE TO A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS HEAD. |
| 00:00:41 | WITH MY CHILD'S DEATH I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO DO ANY STEP POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER MOTHERS OUT IN THIS COUNTRY DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL THE HORRIBLE PAIN THAT I FEEL EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. |
| 00:00:53 | I GOT INVOLVED WITH MY MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATION, AND I LATER BECAME THE MARYLAND COORDINATOR FOR THE MILLION MOM MARCH. |
| 00:01:00 | AND I'M CURRENTLY THE CHAIRPERSON FOR A CAMPAIGN WHICH ENCOURAGES ALL PARENTS TO ASK IF THERE ARE GUNS IN THE HOME BEFORE THEIR KIDS GO TO PLAY. |
| 00:01:19 | [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] |
| 00:01:20 | WHAT I DECIDED TO DO WAS TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND THAT'S WHEN I WROTE TWO LETTERS. |
| 00:01:25 | I WROTE ONE TO THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS AND I WROTE ONE TO OUR VICE PRESIDENT. |
| 00:01:29 | AND I ASKED THESE TWO MEN IF THEY BECAME PRESIDENT WHAT MEASURES WERE THEY GOING TO TAKE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM GUN VIOLENCE. |
| 00:01:36 | THE TWO RESPONSES WERE VERY DIFFERENT. |
| 00:01:39 | I GOT VERY LITTLE HOPE FROM GOVERNOR BUSH'S RESPONSE. |
| 00:01:42 | BUT THE VICE PRESIDENT, HE SPOKE OF COMPASSION AND COMMITMENT AND HE GAVE ME THE HOPE THAT ONE DAY OUR CHILDREN CAN GO TO THE ZOO OR TO THE CHURCH OR THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF BEING GUNNED DOWN. |
| 00:01:57 | IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A MOTHER TO TAKE CARE OF MY CHILDREN. |
| 00:02:01 | BUT IT'S ALSO MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY TO ELECT A LEADER THAT IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM. |
| 00:02:09 | AL GORE IS PART OF THE SOLUTION. |
| 00:02:12 | >> THANK YOU. |
| 00:02:13 | THANK YOU SO MUCH. |
| 00:02:21 | [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] |
| 00:02:24 | >> SKIP ME. |
| 00:02:27 | >> JODIE, YOU HAVE SUFFERED UNIMAGINABLE TERROR. |
| 00:02:30 | WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE LIVES OF CRIME VICTIMS? |
| 00:02:40 | >> GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN |
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