Original subtitles

[BELL DINGING]

[DOOR BUZZER BUZZING]

Hey, hey.

Hey, that's not cool.

[EXHALING]

I like this one.

I'm in a hurry.

Yeah, well, show me your license and you can be on your way.

License?

Oh, boy.

Hey.

Hey, hey! What are you doing? I want to buy one.

Yeah? Well, then, find yourself a different state,

'cause in New York, no license, no gun. Got it?

[SALESMAN GRUNTING]

Alec!

Let's go.

Don't you rough me, man.

I will not be persecuted.

I know my rights.

I am allowed to protect myself

-just like anybody else! -Get this crazy out of here.

-Let's go. Break it up. -I'm smart!

I know what you're trying to do.

-I know what this is all about. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You! You-you'll hear from my lawyer.

I will not be persecuted.

Slime!

[BELL DINGING]

-Remember to water the plants this time, Kevin. -All right.

-Okay? I mean it. -All right.

-I--I... especially the ferns. -All right.

And make sure you bring in the mail

and, uh, take the garbage out on Monday.

You need to be writing this down?

-No, it's-- -Come on, people. Let's go. Look at the time.

And mail the bills from the city this time so they're not late.

-Dad, is my knot okay? -It's perfect!

Are you gonna stand around pestering him all day?

-We're on vacation. -He's not.

KEVIN: Oh, thanks for reminding me.

[DENNIS LAUGHING]

Yeah, you can't wait for us to go.

Party!

Do you have to encourage him? Kev?

Kev, if the guys come over, no hard stuff, all right?

-All right, all right. -CAROLYN: Okay? Just beer.

-Ma, all right. -All right?

And that I am serious about.

Oh, you mean, the rest you're not?

[DENNIS LAUGHING]

DENNIS: Come on. We'll give you a lift to the station.

-KEVIN: Thank you. -That is, unless you'd rather pester him all week

instead of going skiing.

-[LAUGHING] -Oh, you!

[AIRPLANE APPROACHING]

MAN: How long will you be staying in L.A., sir?

I prefer to think that that's my business.

MAN: It's for the record.

-Fifteen-day waiting period. -Excuse me?

Is this a hearing problem, or is English not your first language?

You have a problem here, lots of motels down the road.

Fifteen days.

And I'll need to know the address of my new residence.

[TRUCK HORN BLARING]

Glad to have you.

Jerkhead.

DENNIS: No fair peeking. Keep 'em closed.

CAROLYN: I'm not peeking.

DENNIS: Ready? Open.

[CAROLYN EXCLAIMS]

Happy anniversary.

You didn't buy it?

What already?

It's that piece of land we saw at the top of the hill near the ski lift.

CAROLYN: Tell me you didn't actually put money down on that.

Well, not for this address.

Oh, my God!

-WOMAN: Excuse me. -MAN: Excuse us!

-WOMAN: Coming through. -Taj Mahal.

A booby trap. That's what he almost gave me for our anniversary.

But next year we'll buy it.

We'll ski all winter, and when we're old farts, we'll retire there.

You're already an old fart, Den. I hate to break it to you.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Look, we can build a cabin right here, facing west.

Just like this. Overlooking all of Vermont.

And that view is the last thing we'll see every night until we're ancient.

-He's a dreamer. -Yeah.

-I dreamt of marrying you, didn't I? -Aww.

-We can do this. -This is so romantic.

-Yeah-- -Now don't go spoiling it by making a joke.

-We need a toast. -Yes, yes!

-Okay. To my best friend. -Oh.

-My harshest critic. My better half. -That's true.

My pillow when we're camping.

The mother of my boy.

My sun, my moon, my wife.

-Happy anniversary, Carolyn. -Thank you.

-Aww. -Yeah.

I'm gonna cry. How come you never say nice things like that about me?

-You're the mother of Dennis' kid? -[LAUGHING]

Speech, Carolyn.

Well, okay. Listen, uh, Den,

since we're going to be together for our long lives,

um, I just wanted to tell you on our anniversary that, uh,

you gotta do something about that snoring

-'cause I'm going deaf in one ear. -[ALL LAUGHING]

She got you. She got you.

-DENNIS: Good. -I love you.

-Good one. -I love you.

I love you.

MAN: Yeah, yeah. The one you got in your hand there.

That's one of L.A.'s bestsellers.

Or, uh, we got the Glock 19 here,

which is no doubt best of the line.

I mean, you know, if you want to do some serious damage.

No.

No, this is the one I came here for.

[IMITATING GUNFIRE]

Excellent.

She's a sweetheart.

So I guess you're gonna want some ammo for that, right?

'Cause, I mean, you know, once you pick her up

you don't wanna just be waving her around.

What? Do I look stupid to you?

Hey, trust me, huh? [CHUCKLING]

I mean, a guy holding a Ruger nine-millimeter semi-automatic never looked stupid.

Ha.

[LAUGHING]

Yes.

[CHUCKLING] Hey, come here.

Come on.

You ever hear of something called the "Black Talons"?

Huh?

This ammo here, this'll mess up your day.

[DENNIS GRUNTING] It's good to be back.

Two weeks of skiing is enough for these old bones.

[CAROLYN WHISPERING]: Den.

Come here a minute.

CAROLYN: He laid his clothes out the same way you do.

Two months ago, you two were at each other's throats and now look.

Just the idea of you two working together

and riding the train home at night...

[CRYING] ...it just makes me wanna cry.

[CHUCKLING]

You're Irish. You cry at anything.

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

-[AIRPLANES FLYING OVERHEAD] -Yes, I am still in California.

And he still hasn't called me back yet.

Yeah, well, he'd better take my call. Because I--

Well, that sounds like a threat.

So be it.

But he is my lawyer, and he hasn't called me back in two--

I am not raising my voice to you. I am--

Look, I am tired of this runaround.

I do not have to take this anymore!

Now you tell him,

you tell him that Colin Ferguson himself is on the phone

and that I demand their attention.

No.

I am being persecuted

by that university's racist policies.

Exactly.

A bad grade. That is exactly what I am talking about.

And that Asian swine professor is not gonna get away with it.

Now, I am going to--

Are you lecturing me?

No, I do not want to discuss it with--

You tell my lawyer to get on the phone right now!

'Cause I am tired of being...

Do not put me on hold.

Do not put me on hold!

[LINE DISCONNECTS]

CAROLYN: I'm a terrible singer.

Doesn't matter how many years I do the caroling, I never get better.

-Ma, is this still good? -Check the date.

I gotta go. All right. I'll see you tonight.

Don't forget to bring the lyrics to the Bethlehem song.

You know, the one that's:

♪♪ Oh, little town of Bethlehem ♪♪

You--you thought I was kidding?

My voice should be illegal.

All right. I'll see you tonight.

-Bye-bye. -Dad, smell this.

Not me. When in doubt, toss it out.

Oh, that's economical.

Want to check out some great quads?

You'd better go, you know, you're gonna be late.

-Come on, feel this. -Get out of here.

-Go. You're crazy. -You'll be sorry.

I should be back from rehearsal at around 7:00.

-So we could do the tree then, okay? -You're on.

-I'll pick up some eggnog and-- -Did you lock the front door?

You two, if that tree's not inside by the time I get back

-and I have to do it like I did it last time... -[KEVIN LAUGHING]

You.

-Love you. -Love you, too.

COLIN: I know it when I see it.

And that's what your university's policies are, racist.

And you're going to pay for it.

No, don't tell me to calm down.

[SIREN WAILING]

Would you give a white student that kind of grief?

No. No, no. I am talking here.

I am talking!

Do I look stupid to you?

WOMAN: Ah. Isn't that like me?

I remember the Bethlehem song and forget my watch.

-What time is it, anyway? -CAROLYN: I don't know.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

MAN: One dollar. Thank you.

-[CASH REGISTER RINGS] -MAN [ON P.A.]: Now boarding...

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[MAN ON P.A. CONTINUES, INDISTINCT]

Bang.

Dad, come on.

I've been here 10 minutes. We're gonna miss the train.

Relax. Miss the 5:33?

You kidding? I've been taking that train my whole life.

Hey. Forget about it. I could catch the 5:33 in my sleep.

[CAR HORN BLARING]

Hey, let's grab a beer.

[BELL RINGING]

SANTA: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

-MAN: Taxi! -That's funny.

Dad, stop fooling around. We're gonna miss the train.

SANTA: Merry Christmas. Thank you.

KEVIN: What took you so long up there?

Hey, what do you want? It's the holidays. We're busy.

-MAN: Roasted chestnuts. -Hey, wait, chestnuts.

MAN: One bag, sir?

-DENNIS: Yeah, just one. -Dad.

You mother loves these.

Great, let's go.

What's the rush?

We're gonna--we're gonna miss the train. I'm hungry for God's sake.

Yeah? So, eat.

Dad, if we miss the train...

-Come on. -We'll get the next one.

That's nice. Hey, look around. Drink it in.

♪♪ Joy to the world ♪♪

♪♪ The lord is come ♪♪

♪♪ Let earth receive her king ♪♪

♪♪ Let every heart ♪♪

♪♪ Prepare him room ♪♪

♪♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪♪

[LAUGHING]

[PLAYING PIANO]

MAN: Okay. Okay, good.

-WOMAN: You did a wonderful job. -Two, three, four.

♪♪ Joy to the world ♪♪

♪♪ The lord is come ♪♪

♪♪ Let earth receive her king ♪♪

♪♪ Let every heart ♪♪

♪♪ Prepare him room ♪♪

♪♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪♪

♪♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪♪

♪♪ And heaven, and heaven... ♪♪

MAN [ON P.A.]: 5:33 departing from track two.

Making station stops.

Wait, hang on a second.

Dad!

Come on. What, are you kidding?

What? My shoe.

[MAN ON P.A. CONTINUES, INDISTINCT]

Final boarding.

Dad.

-MAN: Board! All aboard! -Did you hear that? Come on.

All right. I'm coming already.

[TRAIN HISSING]

♪♪ Joy to the world ♪♪

♪♪ The savior reigns ♪♪

♪♪ Let men their songs employ ♪♪

♪♪ While fields and floods ♪♪

♪♪ Rocks, hills and plains ♪♪

♪♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪♪

♪♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪♪

♪♪ Repeat, repeat the sounding joy ♪♪

♪♪ He rules the world with truth and grace ♪♪

♪♪ And makes the nations prove ♪♪

♪♪ The glories of ♪♪

♪♪ His righteousness ♪♪

♪♪ And wonders of his love ♪♪

[LOUD POPPING SOUND]

-[CHILDREN LAUGHING] -WOMAN: Oh, God.

Anyway, well done, carolers.

Music, please.

REPORTER [ON TV]: ...on this commuter train just a few minutes ago.

Police and emergency crews are rushing to the scene,

local hospitals are on full alert.

No word yet on the number of casualties,

but reports indicate...

Okay. Good night.

Learn those harmonies.

Oh, yeah. Okay, right.

[CAROLYN SIGHING]

[WOMEN CHATTERING]

MAN [ON RADIO]: And traffic is backed up on the interstate for three miles.

Ambulances and emergency crews

are making their way to the scene.

We have reports that vehicles are being rerouted

on surrounding residential streets.

[CHANGES RADIO STATION TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC]

WOMAN #1: As the train left the city limits,

eyewitnesses report that a man in car number three stood up and opened fire.

MAN: All of a sudden, I--I heard this pop, pop, pop and, uh,

and when I turned around, I saw him shooting people, just point black.

WOMAN #2: He just emptied his gun out, just randomly shooting people all over the place.

He--he didn't even care.

WOMAN #3: Listed as dead so far are Mikyung Kim, Jim Gorycki and Dennis McCarthy,

whose son was also critically wounded.

Police sources at this time have indicated the shooting took place

on the Long Island railroad's 5:33 commuter train.

[CHRISTMAS MUSIC CONTINUES ON RADIO]

[CAROLYN EXCLAIMING]

They didn't bring in the tree.

God.

I can't believe it.

They were supposed to bring in the tree.

Um, just a minute.

[INAUDIBLE]

Oh, my God! Oh, my God, no!

[WAILING] Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

I gotta get... What hospital?!

Oh, my God, Tommy!

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

Oh, my God!

MAN: All right. We need an intubator right now.

Where are the relatives of Kevin McCarthy?

Over here.

My sister Carolyn's his mother.

I'm sorry, but it's not good.

Your son was shot in the frontal lobe of his brain.

There was almost no neurological functioning when he arrived,

but we're trying everything.

We've debrided the wound and we're trying to minimize the edema,

but the bullet exploded and I've had to cut out a lot of brain tissue which is causing...

Are you understanding this?

I was a nurse for a long time.

What you're saying is that my son is going to die, too.

Oh, Carolyn.

I'm so sorry about Dennis.

Carolyn.

Mrs. McCarthy.

For what it's worth, the city is grieving with you.

In a few minutes, I'm gonna go in to a press conference

and let them know how Kevin is doing.

If you're up to it, you can sit in with me and say a few words.

No, no. That, that's impossible.

Carolyn's in no condition to talk to the press.

-I'll go. -Carolyn...

For Kevin.

When Kevin arrived last night,

he was basically neurologically dead.

We've done everything we could,

but, unfortunately, despite our efforts,

Kevin McCarthy only has a ten percent chance of surviving this.

Even if he does, the prognosis isn't encouraging.

The brain damage he has suffered will result in paralysis

-and a significant-- -CAROLYN: I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

[REPORTERS CHATTERING]

I'm Kevin's mother and he's not going to die. He's going to live.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[CAMERAS CLICKING]

REPORTER [ON TV]: News Four has learned that another victim has died today,

bringing the death toll to five after Jamaican immigrant, Colin Ferguson,

opened fire on the commuter train.

His motive remains unknown.

-Tonight, another young man, Kevin McCarthy, clings to life. -She been there all day?

His father Dennis McCarthy was killed in what is being called

the worst mass murder in the railroad's history.

Any improvement in his left hemiparesis?

Nothing.

I was afraid of that.

The kid got a bad break with these overlapping injuries.

Keep an eye on the dressing here.

What do you mean, "a bad break"?

He probably held up his hand to protect himself from the shooting.

So the bullet shattered his right hand.

Then the bullet passed through the right cortex of his brain,

which paralyzed his left side.

We aren't seeing the improvement that we had hoped for.

And so it's doubtful that he'll ever have the use of his hands again, or his left leg.

I'll be back to check on him in a few hours.

Will you be here?

Mmm-hmm.

Don't listen to anything they say, Kev.

You're gonna get better, okay? You just listen to me.

Where is he?

Kevin?

Where's Dad?

You don't need to think about that right now, you've got to rest.

Is--is he dead?

We'll think about it later.

Both of us. Okay?

Dr. Lipsky? Doctor?

[GROANING] Dad.

[SOBBING] Dad.

Visiting hours are over.

Sorry, we'll see you tomorrow.

[MONITOR BEEPING]

[CHOIR SINGING]

[CAMERAS FLASHING]

-[REPORTERS CHATTERING] -Mrs. McCarthy.

-Mrs. McCarthy... -[CAMERAS CLICKING]

God bless you.

Thank you.

DAN: Oh, no. The best...

The best was the time that he decided to compete in that downhill race, you know?

-I remember. -He didn't wanna be seen as--

He didn't wanna go into the seniors division,

because he--he thought it made him seem old.

DAN: But he didn't want to lose to the younger guys, either,

so it was his competitive spirit against his vanity.

-[DOORBELL RINGS] -Oh, the conflict.

-[ALL LAUGHING] -He wasn't just conflicted, he was in agony.

-[ALL LAUGHING] -Carolyn, Carolyn.

-[WHISPERING] Someone here to see you. -DAN: The golf bet. Huh?

-Excuse me. -DAN: What about that story?

-Carolyn, you remember the golf bet? -[ALL CHATTERING]

DAN: You remember that.

Oh, I hope you don't mind, Mrs. McCarthy.

I wanted to offer my condolences.

I'm Tim Bobek, I was with... on that train.

Oh, oh, I remember your name, yes.

Uh, uh, can I get you...

-Uh, no, I'm just passing. -Are you all right?

Well, I was lucky.

That's a word that sits on a sliding scale, huh?

I-I'm really sorry about...

Well, l-let me, uh, just get you a cup of coffee.

-I was just passing. -Oh, just come on in. Come on.

All right, thanks.

[ALL CONTINUE CHATTERING]

-Unless you want a drink. -Oh, no. No, thanks.

[CHUCKLING] Okay, just coffee.

Uh, I'm gonna be talking to some press people...

-Carolyn, I'll call you. -...about what happened on that train.

-Tim, have a seat. -TIM: Right, thanks.

I want people to understand that

gun violence is more than just words.

They need to know what it feels like, and, uh...

Thanks.

And I thought maybe you'd like to say something.

Oh, I don't--I don't even know what I would say.

I don't know anything about gun laws.

TIM: Well, you know they weren't enough to protect your husband.

Deranged animal was walking around with a semi-automatic weapon

that fires 15 bullets, and he bought the thing legally.

The cops aren't even allowed to carry those guns.

I mean, we need to say something.

Politicians have got to hear--

Well, I don't know what I... I'm not really a public person.

I'm not really a talker.

I couldn't read a speech because I have dyslexia, so...

You wouldn't need to read anything. I mean, you--you just say how you feel,

and others will understand that we're--we're more than statistics.

Even if I wanted to, I have my son to take care of.

Uh, I appreciate your asking...

I understand.

Well, maybe... maybe you'll consider it for later.

Well, I don't think... Uh, it's just not who I am.

I'm sorry.

Here, take a look.

And it's the recovery in this area that is the most--

-Well, it's miraculous. -Uh-huh?

He shouldn't even be alive,

but to think that he's come this far in a month...

I'm going to recommend that he be sent to the rehab center.

Oh, great. Oh, that's great news.

I need to warn you not to get your hopes up.

Or Kevin's. He's stabilized,

but he may never walk or use his hands.

"May never"? "May never" means that he could, right?

-[CAROLYN LAUGHS] -I'm not gonna promise that he will,

but let's never say never.

We'll wait and see how he responds to physical therapy.

You probably don't want to look at that.

It's the remains of a hollow-point bullet.

This is what killed my husband?

Same kind.

See?

The hollow tip explodes on impact, like shrapnel.

The bullet that killed your husband

-also explodes with little claws that are sharp as razors. -Oh, my God.

It's how they get their name, Black Talons.

What kind of animal is this meant to hunt?

They're not made for animals.

They're made for killing people.

Colin Ferguson bought these legally.

How can that be? That's crazy.

We live in a crazy time.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

REPORTER #1: Mrs. McCarthy, how are you doing?

Will Kevin be able to walk again?

REPORTER #2: Kevin, how are you feeling?

REPORTER #3: What are your thoughts on the shooter? Are you going to sue?

-REPORTER #2: What about the National Rifle Association? -I'm really not political.

I just want my son to get better, just like any mom. Excuse us, please.

Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. McCarthy,

are you hoping that Colin Ferguson gets the death penalty?

I have been a working nurse for most of my life.

I believe in saving lives, not taking them.

No, I do not believe in the death penalty. No, not for anyone.

Not even for the man who did this to my family. Thanks.

TIM: Hmm.

Look at this. People care what you say. I told you.

-Oh... -Come to Washington with me next week.

Clinton's anti-crime bill will ban 19 kinds of semi-automatic assault weapons.

And if we show our support--

People are listening to me because they feel sorry for me, Tim.

In a week it will be some other wife or mom.

That's why you gotta support the bill now, while you got their attention.

Maybe it'll prevent some other wife from being in your shoes.

Not now, Tim.

I have got a kid in here who cannot walk, not one step.

There is just no more of me to go around. I'm sorry.

Hmm.

Ugh. What was that?

Oh, peas, spinach, something pureed.

That's a new winner.

Worst yet.

[CHUCKLES]

I gotta tell you something, Kev.

Tomorrow, you're gonna meet someone you're not gonna like.

-The cook. -[LAUGHING] No. No.

I'm serious. Me.

Today, I'm your mom. Tomorrow, I'm gonna be your nurse.

Therapy is hard, and I'm gonna be tough.

Don't bother, Ma. I want to stay handicapped.

Why would you say that?

Better parking.

[SIGHING]

You...

That's what you used to say to Dad.

W-we were just...

I think he was getting proud of me.

[WHISPERING] Kevin.

[SOBBING] I never...

I never got a chance to thank him.

I miss him, Mom.

[SIGHS]

Okay.

[SIGHING]

[GRUNTING]

[GLASS SHATTERING]

[CRYING]

[WAILING]

[KEVIN SCREAMING]

CAROLYN: Oh, there, there, there, there.

[GRUNTING] Mom!

-I know. -Oh, God.

-You gotta push through it. -CAROLYN: I know.

[GROANING]

This one, you see?

You--you can do it, buddy.

Okay, okay, that's it.

-Tough it out. -All right, there... Okay.

[CONTINUES GROANING]

Okay, let's save this hand.

[GROANING CONTINUES]

That's it. That's it. Yeah. Yeah.

There you are. That's good. That's good.

-We're gonna use it again. -God!

There, there. That's good. That's good.

MAN: The railroad massacre was back in the news today...

Come on, come on.

I'm suffering from deplorable conditions.

I am being mistreated by my cell mates.

I'm being mistreated by the authorities,

who fail to give me the respect

-I believe I deserve. -Shut up! Shut up!

Mom, Mom! Leave it on. I want to see his face.

...and cuts.

And I am not getting adequate medical attention.

I am addressing you today, because my conditions are deplorable.

And I demand respect.

-How dare you. -...all over my body and cuts.

And I am not getting adequate...

[SHIP HORNS BLOWING]

[DOGS BARKING]

Hiya!

Hi.

Dennis and I used to come here to sort things out.

Something about the water kinda puts things in perspective.

At least, that's what Dennis always used to say.

I don't know. What do you think?

You called me out into this weather...

-[CHUCKLING] -...to get my opinion on water?

You said that crime bill will be on certain kinds of guns?

Yeah. Nineteen kinds of semi-automatic assault weapons,

plus the high capacity magazines like Ferguson used.

Then tell me what you want me to do.

I'm ready. If I can save one other family from this torture,

I'll go to Washington with you.

If you think it'll make a difference,

I'll talk to anybody who'll listen.

Maybe someone will hear.

TIM: I'll tell you why we need your support on this crime bill, Congressman.

There are over 100 gun-related deaths in this country every single day.

And the crime bill is the one line of defense that we've got.

We don't need semi-automatic weapons on the street,

and your constituents will back you up on this.

It's common knowledge that 70% of Americans favor the ban.

Well, I appreciate you taking the time to come on and see me about this.

And I wanna assure you that I will take your passion to heart.

But I have to say that I have some problems with the bill.

To limit the size of a magazine's clip from 15 bullets to 10,

I mean, five bullets is not the issue.

Colin Ferguson's last five bullets killed three people.

It was an issue for them, sir.

I appreciate that. All I can do is reiterate

that I'm anti-crime in the extreme, so that you can trust--

Why did you... Why did you add riders to the bill when you knew that

that would make the bill impossible to pass? That doesn't sound very anti-crime to me.

Oh, well, I... [CLEARING THROAT]

There are a lot of things about Washington that don't make sense to outsiders.

It's not always possible to separate the issues--

Well, I can separate the issues.

I will, uh, get a pair of scissors and, uh, cut the bill in half,

then you can vote on one issue in the morning

and vote on the assault weapon ban issue in the afternoon. Just makes common sense.

-Oh, well, Mrs.-- -This isn't about political issues to us.

It is about people's lives. And I have to tell you,

I am going to be in everybody's face until this crime bill gets passed.

Well, thank you again for your concern. I...

[CAROLYN LAUGHING]

Tell me I didn't just lecture a US Congressman. Is that legal?

-[LAUGHING] -I just-- I just lost it in there.

My old Irish temper. My hands are shaking.

You were great in there.

He was talking to us like we were a couple of idiots.

How does anything get done around there? Where is the logic?

-Was I really-- -You bet.

Oh, I--I gotta walk around.

I got a meeting with Congressman Schumer. He says--

Yeah. What time is it? No, well, see, I've got to get on the shuttle,

or I'm gonna miss afternoon therapy. So I'll just see you back home.

-Right. Have a good trip. -Bye-bye.

Where do I get a taxi around here?

-Oh, Mrs. McCarthy, -Yeah.

I'm Natalie Berger. I've been trying to catch up with you.

I was hoping you'd let me offer my services as a volunteer.

A volunteer for what?

Well, I've seen you on TV,

and I respect what you're doing for the crime bill.

It's something I care about, and you're making an impact.

Oh, really? How can you tell?

People seem to speak a foreign language around here.

Second-generation political junkie. I know that language.

And I know people are talking about you.

And believe it or not, sometimes the truth resonates around here.

Will you think about it?

-Uh, here's my number. -Yeah. Oh.

If nothing else, I'm a great stamp-licker

and you're probably getting a mountain of mail still.

You know that, too, huh?

Oh, and the best place for you to catch your taxi is over on Independence.

-Okay. -But you've got exactly 17 minutes

-before the 14th St. Bridge-- -Oh, all right.

-Okay. Well, thank you. -NATALIE: Okay.

-Thanks a lot. Okay. -No problem.

CAROLYN: That's it. There you go.

Yes, Kevin. Where-- where are you? Oh, here you are.

I can't get the zoom.

See? When you see this progress next week,

you're really gonna be amazed at how it went.

-TRAINER: Keep pushing, Kev. -Very good.

-We have to retrain the muscles so... -Okay.

-At least he'll be able to handle his wheelchair. -Exactly.

[KEVIN GRUNTING]

Forget the chair. I'm gonna walk.

No, Kevin. You know, honey, it's--it's too soon.

-TRAINER: One day at a time, Kev. -That's right.

There it goes. Very good!

-Kevin, what's the time? -Two minutes, 20 seconds.

Very good! There he-- Wait a minute.

Let me go there. There you are.

Give me a smile. That's the guy.

[LAUGHING] Very good.

-[WATER SPLASHING] -It's gonna be cold.

-It's not so bad. -It is too.

-It's not cold. -It is too.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Now turn.

-Fine? -Okay.

-I'm gonna pick you up. -Yeah.

[GRUNTING] When I get out of here, I'm gonna walk out that door.

Well, listen to you.

You know you don't need to push yourself that hard. You're doing great.

Mrs. McCarthy, you might wanna see this.

TV REPORTER: It appears that you have a double agenda in regards to this case.

KUNSTLER: Oh, yes. I have a double agenda. There's no question about that.

I want to do the best for him that we can do,

but at the same time, I want to do an educational job

with reference to what the Black Rage is and what the--

what white racism has done to this country.

TV REPORTER: The Black Rage defense that William Kunstler

is intending to use to defend Long Island rail road gunman, Colin Ferguson,

is already proving controversial in the legal community.

Did you know they were going to do this?

TRAINER: This is good.

Take your first steps.

[CAR DOOR OPENING]

[CAR DOOR CLOSING]

[DOG BARKING]

[MORE DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[SIGHING]

Geez.

REPORTERS [CLAMORING]: Mrs. McCarthy! Mrs. McCarthy!

[SHUSHING]

I have neighbors sleeping down the block.

Mrs. McCarthy, could you give us your response to the Black Rage defense.

[SIGHING]

Can I brush my teeth first?

[ALL CHUCKLING]

Well, my first instinct would be to ask, uh,

what about the rage of his victims?

The very reason why guns should not be available...

What I really wanna know, is why Colin Ferguson was allowed to buy the gun?

Twenty years ago, a man with, uh, any sort of rage

would get on a train and start screaming.

-Today... -Kev, you're making me dizzy.

What? It's a new kind of physical therapy. You should be happy.

-I've created a monster. -...his rage is not important.

Carolyn McCarthy, the Long Island housewife

whose husband and son were shot by Colin Ferguson,

is appealing to members of Congress

to support a crime bill that would restrict the number--

[INAUDIBLE]

-[SNIFFLING] -Mom, you're famous.

[SIGHING] It's... kind of funny that your dad

was always the talker in the family.

Yeah. Well, maybe you're talking for him now.

And... [CHUCKLING]

...you know what? You're doing a hell of a job.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, first of all, it's a terrible human tragedy

and my sympathies go out to all the families involved.

Uh, I-I will say, I think we have to note that, uh,

the-the gun that was used contained, uh, apparently,

two 15-round clips that were expended while this man,

in a manic state, was walking down the, uh, subway.

And, uh, one of the reasons we ought to pass the crime bill

is that Senator Feinstein's amendment to limit assault weapons

would make those 15-round clips illegal.

We're now joined by Carolyn McCarthy from her house in Long Island.

Carolyn, it's been some time since you lost your husband and your son was wounded.

How have you dealt with your grief and maintained your dignity?

Well, I couldn't for a long time, is the answer.

Uh, we didn't know if we could have a funeral for my husband for a while

because we didn't know if Kevin was going to make it.

It's hard. Some days are worse than others,

but we take it a day at a time.

I believe that, uh,

inside everyone there is an inner strength. It's hidden...

-Is she on TV? -...most of us, thank God,

are called on to show it, but it's there.

It's that strength and compassion that makes us human.

I really believe that.

I am exactly the same.

The only difference is, that I have learned how fragile life can be.

In just a blink, your whole normal life can be turned inside out.

And the thing is,

that there is such a proliferation of guns on the streets now

that it could happen to anyone, anytime.

You know, it's got to stop.

We have got to let our politicians know that we care about this.

The safety of people has got to be more important to politicians

than getting money from the National Rifle Association.

-Congresswoman? I wonder if I could have a moment. -Yes?

I'm Carolyn McCarthy. I wonder if I can talk to you about Clinton's crime bill.

I'm afraid I'm late for my next appointment.

Just one m-moment.

Congresswoman, last year, people armed with hand guns

committed more than a million violent crimes.

My husband and son were two of these victims.

So I'm hoping that you will reconsider your vote on the crime bill this week.

That's very interesting. I'll think about it.

As a woman, I'm sure that you know

that even a man with a restraining order against him

can still legally go out and buy a gun.

-So Clinton's crime bill-- -Uh, Mrs. McCarthy?

-Yes. -So nice to have met you.

-Thank you. Thank you. -I do appreciate your thoughts.

CAROLYN: Um, if I have...

[GROANING]

Tough day, huh?

Uh, yeah. And it's hot, and my feet hurt.

[CHUCKLING] Here.

No, that's all...

Why are these old buildings so overheated?

-Well, try life in a suit and tie. -Yeah.

-Listen, I-- -Excuse me, Mrs. McCarthy.

-Yeah. -Uh, critics are saying you're being used

by the Democrats to play the, uh, sympathy card.

-"The sympathy card"? -Any comments for the record?

Well, no, I, uh...

To be used you have to feel like you're being used.

And, besides, if these politicians aren't sympathetic

to the people that they elected, then they've been sitting in their offices for too long.

-[CHUCKLING] -CAMERAMAN: Could you look this way, please?

I was wondering how it feels to become a celebrity

at the expense of your husband's life?

I beg your pardon?

Quite the actress.

[REPORTERS CHATTERING]

-Hmm, no comment, huh? -REPORTERS [CLAMORING]: Mrs. McCarthy. Mrs. McCarthy.

This crime bill would outlaw 19 types of semi-automatic weapons.

It's only a fraction of the guns that are out there,

but if this could keep one family from going through what my family's gone through,

if I can get one Congressman to change his vote and get this bill passed,

then one good thing has come out of this incident.

I don't know who you are or what you want,

but if you think that I would rather be here doing this

than be at home waiting for my husband to get back from work...

I'll tell you who I am. I'm Bill Leffert,

and I'm here to keep sentimentality out of the political debate.

My job is to protect the second amendment from people like you.

-"People like me"? -The trouble with people--

These are-- these are all people like me.

These are all people with husbands and wives and children.

And they all have a right to take a walk, or to get on a bus,

or ride a commuter train home from work without the fear

that they will be wiped out by an assault weapon with exploding bullets.

-That's all that people like me want. -You're missing--

And one other thing, Mr. Leffert. This has nothing to do with the second amendment,

and you know that as well as I do.

Better luck on the vote this week, Bill.

TRAINER: All right, on three.

One, two, three.

Come on, hup, hup. All right.

We got you, Kevin. You're okay.

Relax. We're not letting go.

KEVIN: Okay. Let go.

[PANTING] Let go. I--I can do it.

It's okay. I can do it.

Not so fast, buddy.

It's okay. I can do it. I can do it myself.

TRAINER [QUIETLY]: All right. Real easy.

Easy.

That's it.

NATALIE: Carolyn.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Carolyn.

Uh, you-- you got a message. You should phone the hospital sometime.

-What happened? -I--I think Kevin fell, but it's not--

-Call him for me. -Wait, he's not hurt!

--Tell him I'm on my way. -NATALIE: To New York?

To the hospital? But the crime bill!

-Carolyn! -They're in session right now! You're gonna miss the vote!

I'm on my way. Make sure that Kevin knows that. Okay?

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Mom, what are you doing here?

Wondering how I ever gave birth to anybody as gutsy as you.

Oh, no. The vote. Ma, are you missing the vote?

No.

What?

We won. The bill passed.

I heard about it in the cab on the way over.

So, I just wanted to, uh, celebrate with you.

No, no, no, Ma.

You missed the vote because of me. You shouldn't have bothered.

Kevin, you fell. That's all. You'll do it again.

Why bother, Ma?

I can't stand up. How am I gonna walk if I can't stand, huh?

I don't-- God, I'm--I'm not gonna walk outta here. Now or ever.

-Look at me. -Look at me, Kevin. Who am I?

But I managed to get a handful of congressmen to change their vote

and got a bill passed today in the House of Representatives.

I helped to do that. Don't give up, Kevin.

You will walk again.

You just cannot stop believing in yourself.

Yeah. What if you're wrong?

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

REPORTER: Kevin, how does it feel to be going home?

Okay. It--it--it feels good.

CAROLYN: Oh, the master of understatement.

So now what, Carolyn? Now that Kevin's out of the hospital?

Well, we still have a long way to go towards Kevin's recovery.

Uh, we'll be coming back here on a regular outpatient basis--

As you can see, he has already defied the odds.

Mrs. McCarthy, how does it feel to be invited to the White House?

Amazing. It was great to see him sign the bill.

It's great to know that there are 19 types of semi-automatic guns

outlawed and off our streets. Thank you.

REPORTER: Thank you very much.

Colin Ferguson today fired his attorneys William Kunstler and Ron Kuby,

and has rejected their controversial defense of insanity by Black Rage.

Ferguson insists he is not insane.

And has entered a plea of innocent,

as well as a request to defend himself at his own trial.

COLIN: I will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt

that I am innocent.

And that my prosecution is yet another example

of the conspiracy in white America

to condemn innocent people of color.

CAROLYN: Dinner's ready.

[CUTLERY RATTLING]

They're gonna let him represent himself.

I heard.

I wanna go.

[SIGHING] Maybe. We'll see.

No, I mean, I wanna go and I wanna testify.

-CAROLYN: No way. That is out of the question. -Ma.

Kevin, I don't know how you can handle being in the same room with that man.

I don't even know how I'm gonna do it.

But him representing himself?

That means that the man who shot you, the man who killed your father,

would be five feet from your face, cross-examining you.

I want to do it.

You're not strong enough.

I'll be able to walk by then.

CAROLYN: How do you know?

Ma, how am I supposed to believe in me, if you don't, huh?

I didn't mean it that way. It's just that you don't--

There's no reason to put yourself through this.

Prosecution has other witnesses.

-Ma, the--the rest of my life... -[SIGHING]

You know, how am I gonna feel for-- for the rest of my life,

knowing that I just sat by?

That I didn't-- That I didn't play a part in putting away the man who did this to Dad?

He could ask you anything.

And there will be press and cameras and so many...

Kevin, I don't even know how you think that you could get through that.

Doesn't matter how hard it would be.

Not doing it,

for the rest of my life, that would be harder.

[SIGHING]

Don't worry, Mom. I'll be strong enough by then.

ATTORNEY: It is a place where you are not supposed to fear for your life.

But at the end of Colin Ferguson's rampage of hate,

six people were dead, 19 more were wounded,

and the others will never forget.

I will show you in this trial the heartache of this reality.

The constant heartache of never forgetting.

And regretfully,

these will be days

that you, too, will not forget.

Because you will witness the human suffering that will not stop.

The point is that their suffering,

these victims,

is our suffering.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Kev? I'm home.

[TREADMILL HUMMING]

Kevin?

[PANTING]

Oh, Kev.

COLIN: And isn't it true, Mr., uh, Mr. Bobek,

that you were looking towards a westerly direction

on the night in question?

And isn't it true,

that you could not see the shooter?

And isn't it also true that, in the ensuing chaos,

you never got a good look at the shooter?

-Tell me. -No, sir.

It is true there was chaos.

People were screaming, falling,

people were dying all around me,

but I turned around and I looked straight at you,

and you were holding a gun,

and you were coming towards me, and then...

you shot me.

I'll never forget you as long as I live.

Your Honor, would you admonish the witness to, uh,

to answer the question, yes or no?

Witness is so admonished. Continue with your questioning, please.

MAN: Hey, Jimmy, there he is.

[REPORTERS CLAMORING]

REPORTER: Open up, open up. Come on, I wanna stay tight on him.

[RAMP HUMMING]

[RAMP CLANKING]

-FEMALE REPORTER: Kevin. -MALE REPORTER: How are you doing, Kevin?

[REPORTERS CLAMORING]

FEMALE REPORTER: Kevin, can we get a shot of you over here?

TOMMY: Can you back up a bit there? Thanks.

FEMALE REPORTER: How do you feel about seeing Ferguson again?

TOMMY: Let us through, here.

Folks, take your pictures.

Back up.

Kevin, you going one-on-one with the shooter?

TOMMY: Now, give him room, folks.

Uncle Tommy, stop.

Uncle Tommy, stop, stop, stop.

-You want to change your mind? -No, no, no. I wanna walk in.

-I wanna walk. -No. Kevin, no.

-I'm fine. Get my leg. -It's too soon.

Kevin, it's not...

FEMALE REPORTER: Mrs. McCarthy, this way, please.

Could the two of you stay in there, please?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

-TOMMY: Just give him a little space now. -MAN: Kevin, over here.

-CAROLYN [SHUSHING]: Quiet. -WOMAN: Oh.

-You okay? -[CAMERA CLICKING]

MAN: Good for you, Kevin. Way to go, man.

COLIN: Isn't it true, Mr. McCarthy,

that, uh, that if you were on the floor of the train, uh...

Uh, one moment, please, Your Honor.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Mr. McCarthy... [CLEARING THROAT]

...isn't it true, that, uh,

you were looking towards the front of the train on the night in question?

And therefore, isn't it true,

that you could not see what happened on that train?

Tell me.

KEVIN: I--I saw...

I heard shots.

Um... [CLEARING THROAT]

Like firecrackers, but louder.

And, um... screams.

E-everybody screamed.

Just red,

uh, blood.

There was just blood, everywhere,

on--on--on my hand,

um, and my... [SIGHING]

And my dad was, uh,

he was lying... he was l-leaning on me...

um...

on--on my shoulder like, uh,

like he was sleeping.

But you...

you did not see the shooter, isn't that right?

Yeah.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING QUIETLY]

Kevin, were you happy with your testimony?

Kevin?

More another day, folks.

I expect another two days, three at most, then this circus will be over.

Mmm-hmm.

-You okay? -Yeah.

I'm a little drained.

You know, I have to tell you, I've been a prosecutor all my life.

-I don't know how you do it. -Hmm.

-I wish I had half your courage. -Courage?

There's courage.

[HUMMING]

[REPORTERS CLAMORING]

JUDGE: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

have you reached a verdict?

FOREMAN: We have, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Mr. Foreman, how does the jury find?

FOREMAN: In the case of The People vs Colin Ferguson,

we find the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree...

-[PEOPLE EXCLAIMING] -...of Maria Theresa Magtoto,

-Jim Gorycki, Dennis McCarthy... -JUDGE: Order, please!

-...Mikyung Kim, Amy Federici and Richard Nettleton. -JUDGE: Order, please!

[EXCITED CHATTER]

And so, before I determine Mr. Ferguson's sentence,

I'd like to take this day to hear from some of the crime victims,

who have expressed a desire to address this court.

Kevin and Carolyn McCarthy, please.

Your Honor, to quote the great Irish statesman Edmund Burke,

"It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do,

but what reason, justice, and humanity tell me I ought to do."

And that is why I'm here today.

On December 7, 1993,

I was sentenced to a life

of pain and suffering,

because of this man's actions.

I do not...

I do not have the luxury of a trial or an appeal.

I was convicted and sentenced by a depraved madman

with an assault gun.

[CAROLYN CLEARING THROAT]

[MAN COUGHS]

[KEVIN CLEARING THROAT]

I respectfully ask that this man receive no special treatment,

and that he should be placed

with other criminals like himself,

that might make him reflect on his actions

and the pain and suffering that he has caused so many.

[VOICE BREAKS] Thank you, sir.

Colin Ferguson,

since December 7, 1993,

I have not allowed you to come into my thoughts.

Since that night, I have concentrated

on getting my son to where he is today.

When I woke up this morning, I didn't know what I was going to say.

But the day started out like any other, where I had to help Kevin get ready.

I couldn't put his tie on.

That's where his father should have been.

I couldn't put on his shoe,

and that's where his father should have been.

You took away my husband,

you took away my best friend,

but you cannot take away my memories of him.

[SNIFFLING]

Everything that I wanted to say about my husband today,

I don't want you to hear it.

You don't deserve to hear what a good man he was.

You don't deserve to hear the laughter that he gave us.

Colin Ferguson,

I will give you no hatred,

I will give you none of my rage.

You are an evil person,

so you are not worth my time or my thoughts.

[SNIFFLING]

Tomorrow you will be sentenced,

and then you will be gone from my thoughts forever.

And we will learn to laugh again.

And we will learn to love again.

And we will all survive.

But you will not.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[WIND HOWLING]

-Listen, here it comes. -[TRAIN HORN BLOWING]

The 5:33, there it is.

Huh. Another year already.

[TRAIN CHUGGING]

[WHISPERING] Look at that fat car.

[BRAKES SQUEALING]

[TRAIN HISSING]

[SIGHING]

Okay, hold on a second.

You know, it's--, I'm gonna be late.

How's it gonna look on my first day if I'm late?

I'll drive you to the train.

No, Mom. What? Like I'm some baby. I'll drive myself.

-Well, I'll come with you. -No. No. Mom.

Honey, all right, I just thought, uh...

just an idea.

All right.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

Yeah. Well, get in the frame. There he is.

MAN: Kevin!

Kevin, congratulations on your first day back at work.

-How does it feel? -Uh, like I'm gonna be late.

Other than that, I guess, okay.

REPORTER #2: We hear that you're taking the same train,

the 5:33 back home tonight.

Is that the first time you'll be on it, right?

So, are you anxious? How were you preparing yourself to do it?

Uh, I don't know.

The normal way, I guess. One foot in front of the other.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Oh, by the way, you can tell my mom she can come out of hiding now. I'm fine.

[REPORTERS CHUCKLING]

ANNOUNCER: And it was reported that more controversy developed in Washington today,

when Senator Bob Dole promised to lead the fight

to repeal President Clinton's crime bill,

a bill that was passed less than a year ago.

In a letter addressed to the National Rifle Association,

Dole promised an end to the type of scare tactics

that led to the passage of the bill in the first place.

Payback time, that's what its about.

New congress just got elected.

And you know who financed a lot of those campaigns. The NRA.

Assault weapons! Tim, they want to put assault weapons back on the street.

-That's crazy! -No, no, it's politics.

And the National Rifle Association ain't gonna let 'em forget it.

We're right back to square one.

So, are you in?

Am I in?

I can be packed in an hour.

Let's go to Washington.

[AIRPLANE ROARING]

NATALIE: Here you go.

-These are the guys we're gonna try to meet. -Mm-hmm.

Dan Frisa's office says he's still too busy to talk with you.

Our own congressman won't meet with us?

Well, he's in favor of the repeal,

and says he won't change his mind.

Twenty-five people get shot up in his own district,

he still won't vote to take assault weapons off the streets.

And he can't find the time to meet with us.

He's probably afraid he'll get caught with you in a photo op.

-[CHUCKLING] Yeah. -Caught like a deer in the headlights.

He's more responsive to the NRA then he is to the people who elected him.

You have any idea how much the NRA lays out for political contributions?

I don't know how he sleeps at night. I really don't.

Huh. Politicians know who butters their bread.

Well, that doesn't mean he can stop us

from waiting outside his office, now does it?

MAN #1: ...organization as a whole.

MAN #2: Well, we've got to come to some agreement.

MAN #1: If we've got to come to an agreement, then we have to lose some of this...

-Tim. -Hmm?

Congressman Frisa.

We'd like to talk to you about your position on the crime bill repeal.

FRISA: Uh, you'll forgive me. I'm, uh, late for a committee.

Congressman, we-- we only needed a moment.

Congressman...

just want to have one word with you.

If that'd be okay. Just one...

[CLEARING THROAT] Can you believe that?

He did look like a deer caught in headlights.

As a lobbyist, what particularly galls me

is how the facts are twisted by the NRA leadership.

-Like the right to bear arms. -[SCOFFING] The right to bear arms!

Did you know the head of the Supreme Court,

former Chief Justice Burger,

called the NRA's misrepresentation of the second amendment

one of the greatest pieces of fraud that he'd ever seen.

-He called it fraud? -Fraud.

And no matter what the NRA wants you to believe,

the second amendment has never been about

the rights of an individual to bear arms.

It's about the right to arm a militia.

A well-regulated militia.

Yeah. And the NRA figures that most people won't read the actual Bill of Rights.

You're right about that.

And that's where we come in.

MAN: We lobby to keep the political dialogue honest.

I just saw someone. Excuse me for a sec.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[LAUGHING]

CAROLYN: Congressman Frisa.

Uh, you might remember me. I'm Carolyn McCarthy.

I'm sorry to barge in on your lunch like this.

But I wondered if you could tell me how you're gonna vote on the repeal issue?

Uh, look, I don't normally--

I don't mean to tell you how to do your job,

but I have spoken to a lot of our friends on the Island,

and they don't want this repeal.

We want guns off our streets.

Especially, after what just happened in our own backyard.

Maybe if you get in touch--

As my congressman, could you tell me how you're gonna vote?

Well, ahem, you're gonna hear a lot of rhetoric out there.

I know this firsthand.

And I also know that the current assault's ban regime

is not, uh, is not effective.

Now, I'm very much in favor of it,

but before it was watered-down to the point

where it's--it's not gonna get assault ban, uh, weapons off the street.

And that's what I'm for. 100%.

I don't, uh, claim to know as much as you do, Congressman Frisa,

but I do speak English.

Did you just say you're gonna vote for or against the repeal?

I'm very much in favor of a strong bill.

And that's all I can say at the moment.

Thanks for stopping by, Mrs. McCarthy.

Well, it's my pleasure.

-Danny boy, gotta be careful. -Hmm?

People like her, they identify with her.

And the media, it's a damn love affair.

Now, you might want to consider that.

She is just a self-serving "Cuomo liberal,"

whom people listen to because they have sympathy for her.

Don't sweat it. Finish your steak,

so we can have that sensational key lime pie they do here, will you?

CONGRESSMAN: What is needed is a reminder of what our country stands for.

And that's liberty. Personal freedom.

And one of those most important of those freedoms is the right to bear arms.

MAN: Hear, hear.

MAN: Excuse me, ma'am. You got to sit back.

You're not allowed to touch the railing.

CONGRESSMAN: Now, maybe this is, uh, just a personal anecdote,

but my dear old mama was widowed last year.

And where my people come from, well, it's rule.

You could be desolate as all get out.

Now, all I got to do is think of her safety,

and I know where my vote is gonna to be placed

on the repeal of this heinous gun control legislation.

She's 89-years-old, and it's her right to protect herself!

-[PEOPLE APPLAUDING LOUDER] -CAROLYN: You just don't get it.

This is about gun violence!

Unless your 89-year-old mother is hanging an Uzi over her door,

this bill isn't gonna limit in her rights!

You don't get it! This is about

-banning assault weapons! -This is the House of Representatives.

Ladies and gentlemen, it appears we have a differing opinion in the gallery.

[PEOPLE LAUGHING]

REPORTER: In what critics have called a "fruit of middle-of-the-night vote,"

the new Republican-led House of Representatives have voted today

to repeal a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons.

Which will allow 19 brands of assault weapons...

REPORTER: With only one day's notice, and virtually no public hearings,

House Republicans have leveled a striking blow

to Clinton's recently passed crime bill,

which had banned 19 brands of assault weapons.

It was stunning, stunning victory for the National Rifle Association.

And clearly shows where the hearts and minds of the American people stand

on this issue of gun control.

The American people want no political intervention of any kind

into the right to arm themselves in whatever way they see fit.

MAN: All right.

MAN #1: Ms. McCarthy, Ms. McCarthy, how do you feel about the vote?

I'm furious. I have been working for over two years--

Maybe in the morning. I'm too beat to take the shuttle tonight. Is Tommy...

CAROLYN: Politicians are not listening to their own people.

WOMAN: What About Dan Frisa? Your own Congressman voted to repeal--

I'm speechless, I'm so mad.

Mad enough to run against him next year?

The way I feel today, I would run.

All right, I'll see you in the morning.

-Okay. I love you. -MAN: How did the vote go down?

CAROLYN: I don't have a comment about it now.

WOMAN: Any other comment on what went on in there today?

Ohh...

-TIM: Carolyn McCarthy... -[WOMAN LAUGHING]

...congratulations.

-[ALL APPLAUDING] -What?

Look at this: "McCarthy announces bid for Frisa's seat."

"McCarthy to challenge Frisa."

"McCarthy announces bid for Frisa's seat."

You said you were mad enough to.

I got my Irish up. I didn't mean it literally.

-[ALL LAUGHING] -No, I don't want to run for office.

No offense, Congressman.

Oh, well, I don't want to be in politics.

Oh, well, tell them that. I've been getting, what,

tons of these all day telling me different.

The phones been ringing all morning.

They want to volunteer to help you win.

People believe in you, Carolyn.

Carolyn, as Congressman and bona fide member of the Old Boys' Network...

[LAUGHING]

...let me be the first to welcome you inside.

To our next Congresswoman, Carolyn McCarthy.

-Yes. -Hear, hear.

-ALL: Hear, hear. -Yeah. Yeah.

[CHUCKLING] Hear, hear.

[MUFFLED] What you got?

-What? -[SIGHS] Kev...

should I do it?

Looks like Dad has more stuff he wants you to say.

I don't want to be in the public eye.

I mean, I don't know anything about politics.

Yeah, well, you didn't know anything about guns before, but now you're an expert.

This is Congress, Kevin.

This is running for a seat in the House of Representatives.

Well, a-at least, uh, at least nobody will be able to tell you

to sit down and keep your mouth shut, lady.

You'd have a-- You'd have a vote.

If I campaign,

and I'm not even, you know, talking about winning,

if I campaign, this is going to take me away from you for days at a time.

Yeah, and...?

You already are away a lot. I can handle that.

How can you handle that? Tommy's not gonna be here all the time. Huh?

How are you going to get ready every morning for work if I'm in Washington?

Mom, let me...

Can I tell you something?

All this time, you know, all these months,

I--I-- I've worked real hard, you know.

But I-- I always knew,

somewhere in the back of my head, or something,

I always knew if I couldn't do it you'd be there to do it for me.

'Cause of that...

You know, maybe this'd be good for me, if you were away.

-I'd-- I'd have to learn to trust myself. -No, I...

-Oh, I don't know. -Ma, I-- I'll make you a deal.

If you run, I'll be totally independent by election day.

Totally.

Deal?

[MOANING]

Come on, Ma.

Go for it, huh?

I can do it if you can do it.

Yeah, deal.

[LAUGHS]

-[WOMAN WHOOPING] -NATALIE: Right on, we're in the race.

My sister in Washington. I can't wait to see Frisa's face when he hears about it. Whoo!

A housewife from Mineola is going to kick his tush.

-Or that butt. Big butt! -Oh, now, where do we start?

-Speech. -Oh, yeah.

Speech. That's a little formal.

No, no, no, no, no. Not for now.

You'll need an announcement speech for the press.

-Oh, right. -NATALIE: What else do we need?

What else are we gonna need? I guess we're gonna need...

Oh, oh, we have to set up offices...

I-- I can get on the phone, make some calls.

I know, I know, we--we can clear out the living room...

Uh, um, Tom, maybe we can put some of the furniture out in the garage.

TOM: Yeah, I can do that. Hey, I saw some desks at the thrift.

NATALIE: And you're gonna need a campaign manager.

-[PEOPLE CHATTERING] -I got the lampshade. Where do you want it?

[HAMMER TAPPING]

-[MAN WHOOPING] -[CHATTERING CONTINUES]

-Carolyn... -[PHONE RINGING]

Bob Leahy, he knows the beast inside the machine.

-He's run a number of local campaigns. -Oh.

-And won 'em all. Good to meet you, Carolyn. -Well, well, sure.

I've got some early numbers on some poll results

I'd like to share with you.

Now, running as a--as a Democrat in a deeply committed Republican district,

isn't going to help you. But you've got strong numbers

with women and a high name recognition, which is half the battle right there.

As long as you get some serious momentum going.

Now, I'd like to create an image of you as a more rounded candidate,

because at the moment you're very vulnerable to the single issue criticism.

Do you need a drink of water or take a breath of air or...

-I'm sorry. I just get all fired up about this kind of stuff. -No, no.

You know, the thrill of the battle...

Well, I just thought we would, uh, concentrate on my announcement,

-that's the first thing. -BOB: That's done.

I cleared permission to have a press conference at the Merillon Station, which...

Oh, we had already planned on,uh, having it right here at the house, out in the backyard.

Uh, here?

With the clothesline strung out there?

Yeah. Well, Tommy says he can take the clothesline down.

Yeah. Shouldn't be a problem.

Well, the house creates an image of... perhaps too homespun.

Got to have it back up by Saturday, though. I got to do laundry.

-No problem-ski. -All right.

No, that's all right. That's all right.

Uh, we can announce it here. Why not?

-CAROLYN: Okay, great. -[HAMMER TAPPING]

-[PEOPLE CHATTERING] -Okay, this is--this is what I put.

-"I don't claim to be an expert--" -Excuse me a minute, Carolyn.

People, could you please keep it down in here? Thank you.

"I don't claim to be an expert on policy,

but as your Congresswoman,

I can promise to be diligent in learning the issues.

From my years of experience as a practical nurse--"

Wait, hang on there. If--if I may.

I just... I think, Carolyn,

that you'll come off as a stronger candidate right out of the box

if, uh, you don't lay out in your speech you're inexperience in public--

Well, yeah, I am a housewife from Mineola.

And I don't want to pretend to know about politics.

Yeah. This is who I am.

I know what you mean. But look, this is more what I had in mind.

What do you think?

Um...

"And with my leadership as Congresswoman,

I envision a new era for Long Island.

An era when this community's concerns are heard in Washington.

An era when..."

Era. See, era.

Era. Look, sounds like the ice age. I don't know.

-You're fine. -It doesn't seem like me.

-It sounds good, Ma. It sounds good. -Okay, I'll go again.

"Good morning."

"Today, I begin a quest to bring a new voice to Washington, and the political process.

Like a lot of people in my community,

I am disappointed in the promises made and never kept by either..."

You know what, guys, this just isn't me, I'm gonna start over.

[JOURNALISTS LAUGHING]

-Good morning. -CROWD: Good morning.

Welcome to my home and my neighborhood, and the community I grew up in.

My name is Carolyn McCarthy.

And I am announcing, in my own words,

that, uh, today I am running for Congress.

-Hey! Hey! -[SUPPORTERS CLAPPING]

Thank you.

[TRAIN HORN BLARING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

-MAN: You got it? -[PEOPLE APPLAUDING]

-[PEOPLE CHEERING] -MAN: Congratulations.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

MAN #2: Where you been, buddy?

[CLAPPING CONTINUES]

CROWD [CHANTING]: Carolyn for Congress! Carolyn for Congress!

Carolyn for Congress! Carolyn for Congress!

Carolyn for Congress!

Hi, I'm Carolyn McCarthy.

Hope I can count on your vote in November.

Hi, hope I can count on your vote.

I want some new change.

Carolyn for Congress.

Hi, I'm Carolyn McCarthy for Congress.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

CROWD [CHANTING]: Carolyn for Congress! Carolyn for Congress!

[CHATTERING]

[NO AUDIO]

Hi, Carolyn McCarthy. I'm running for Congress.

Just a few weeks before the election,

newcomer Carolyn McCarthy trails incumbent Dan Frisa.

McCarthy, a lifelong Republican, is running as a Democrat

because her party refused to back her against Frisa.

My opponent is a one-issue candidate.

I mean, I'm sure people feel sorry for her,

and--and that's right, she deserves that.

But it doesn't qualify her to run for office.

I'm being called a one-issue candidate?

Well, unlike my opponent, at least I believe in something.

You're not going to believe this.

CAROLYN: Yeah, you can quote me on that.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

-Whoo-hoo! -What is it?

A piece on Frisa.

[CHUCKLING] Hey, listen up, people.

Hey, quiet in there for one sec.

Hey, listen to this. You gotta hear this.

"'In a word, I think Carolyn McCarthy's gambit is dishonest,'

Dan Frisa said.

'It's a new McCarthyism, if you will.'"

You got to be kidding.

"'During the 1950s, McCarthyism threatened your civil liberties.

In the 1990s, our very lives are being threatened

because she and the media--'"

-McCarthyism? -Quote, unquote.

He's trying to identify you with Joe McCarthy. That's desperate.

I thought his people said they weren't going to run a negative campaign.

Yeah, and there's a Santa Claus.

Don't worry about it. It comes with the territory.

Now, the key is to be prepared.

And we are.

We've got enough to paper the entire island.

-MAN: Let's go get him. -MAN #2: Okay, let's do it.

Ohh...

I don't want to say this about Frisa.

I don't want to take it down this path.

Oh, sure you do. It's politics.

Besides, the gloves are off now.

MAN: Yeah, it's about time.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

TOMMY: All right, everybody in the other room?

CAROLYN: Yeah. This is good.

I know it's late, everyone. I, uh...

Yeah. I just wanted to call a quick, uh, meeting

to thank everyone for the great work that they've been doing,

and, uh, all the time you've been giving on the race.

And, uh, mostly for believing in me.

But... uh,

I, uh, I really, uh, wanted everyone to hear

a decision that I had come to,

uh, concerning the negative approach

that the, uh, campaign seems to be headed for.

BOB: Excuse me, Carolyn,

-I know you hate it. -[CHUCKLING]

I mean, nobody wants to go to the gutter, and I don't suggest that we go there,

-but negative ads work. -But, Bob--

I-- I've done this a lot and I know what I'm doing. They work.

But, you see, I'm not comfortable with it.

Carolyn, Bulletmagazine is calling you a "professional widow".

-I know that. -Politics are ugly.

No. I have given this a lot of thought.

And, uh, this is a very hard decision to make so close to the election,

but from now on, I want, uh, Natalie to, uh, take over the campaign.

She'll be in charge.

Carolyn, Frisa threw down the gauntlet.

If you don't fight back, you'll be trampled.

-I might get trampled, Bob! -I just want to save you.

I might get trampled, but I have to stay the way I am.

Have it your way.

Here you go, sir. Vote for Carolyn McCarthy on Tuesday. Thank you.

-[BELL TOLLING] -McCarthy for Congress.

McCarthy for Congress. Thank you.

You can take this back. I don't want it.

But you can read it, see what she stands for.

Here. You can read this and see what she stands for.

Right there.

[SIGHING]

[NATALIE SOBBING]

Natalie, what are you doing here?

What's wrong?

[SOBBING] You trusted me, but, you know, it's just too much.

I should've seen it coming.

They were all over the parking lot.

Uh, I tried to get them, but they are everywhere.

They're urging people not to vote for you because you're pro-choice.

People from your own congregation are going against you.

How am I supposed to get a rebuttal out by tomorrow?

-Oh, Natalie. -Bob was right.

It's all about being prepared, and I've let you down.

No. You know, some things are out of our control.

This could cost us the race.

Come on.

Come on. Come on.

We ran an honest race, we should be proud.

I'm not gonna change what I believe in and neither are you.

So you go home, you get some rest, and, uh...

you know, whatever happens tomorrow, I'm having a drink.

[LAUGHING] Okay. All right.

Get outta here.

On Long Island, we are expecting a late night,

because the polls are showing a close race

between incumbent, Dan Frisa,

and his challenger, Democrat Carolyn McCarthy.

-KEVIN: Ma, what are you doing? -McCarthy, the Mineola housewife...

I'm washing the floor. I haven't had time.

I don't know when I'm gonna get another chance.

Could you stand up for a second? There's something I'd like to show you.

...activist crusade to change this country's gun laws.

Despite criticism of a single-issue candidacy,

McCarthy has earned the support of her Long Island constituency

based on her common sense approach to politics.

[REPORTER FADES]

[CHUCKLING]

Oh.

[SOBBING]

Oh, Dad was right. You would cry at anything.

REPORTER: And the most closely watched Congressional race tonight is here on Long Island,

between Republican incumbent, Dan Frisa,

and Democrat newcomer, Carolyn McCarthy.

With the polls closing in less than an hour,

the Frisa camp is holding on to the hope

that the wave of popularity for McCarthy

will disappear under a sea of Frisa support.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

[SIGHING]

[PEOPLE WHOOPING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Kevin said I should bring you your lipstick.

My Kev? Where is he?

Last I saw, he was on TV.

He's on television?

He's waiting to introduce you.

You won.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING]

[MAN WHISTLING]

No, I can't have won.

It's only 9:40.

You want to debate it, or you want to put on your lipstick for national TV?

Congratulations, Congresswoman McCarthy.

Oh, my God...

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

Oh, my God!

PEOPLE [CHANTING]: We want Carolyn! We want Carolyn!

We want Carolyn!

Now you're Congresswoman, I don't know whether to hug you or kiss you.

I'll hug you.

Come on, there's a lot of hands for you to shake. Come on.

Here she is, everybody! Here she is!

[BAND PLAYING]

[NOISEMAKERS BLOWING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

[CAMERAS CLICKING]

Ladies and gentlemen...

Ladies--ladies and gentlemen, please.

-[BAND STOPS PLAYING] -Please, please.

I have the honor of introducing

the next Congresswoman of the United States, my mom.

[CROWD ROARING]

[WHISTLING]

Thank you. Thank you.

Tonight is a victory that belongs to all of us.

We all worked so hard to get here.

We all started out with an impossible goal.

And, uh... [CHUCKLING]

...here we are in victory. So... [LAUGHING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

[PEOPLE WHOOPING]

This just proves to me again, that every person,

each one of us, can make a difference.

During the campaign, and over the last three years,

people have asked me again and again

about the inner me. The inner me.

Like it was something remarkable.

It isn't. There are so many people like me out there, everywhere.

Every organization,

whether it is about domestic violence,

or, uh, child abuse, or poverty, or what have you,

every organization was started

because someone wanted to make a difference.

Tonight, you have helped me to start to make a difference in our world.

And we have already come a long way.

Gun violence takes the lives

of a 105 American men, women and children every day.

Every day.

Tonight, you have sent a message that enough is enough.

I promise you that that message will be heard in Washington.

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

Three years ago, I started out on a journey that I didn't want to be on.

I was an ordinary woman.

I was a wife and a mother, uh, with ordinary dreams.

I was born in the house that I grew up in on Long Island,

uh, I might have been the neighbor that you saw out in her garden,

or standing in line at the bank or at the store.

I was exactly the same as-as every one of you.

Three years ago, um, I started out on a journey

that I didn't want to take,

when my life was changed because of a man with a gun.

This did not have to happen to my family.

And I will work in Washington,

and I will pray that it doesn't happen to yours.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]