Sen. Kaine: Obama's gun orders 'reasonable,' Sen. Rand Paul's use of 'nullify' is a 'code word'

This morning on "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien," Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) weighs in President Obama's executive orders on gun control, arguing that the president's actions make sense.

"I think the president laid out very reasonable, you know, ideas for ways to reduce gun violence, and while some of them are about guns, and we'll talk about those, he also focused on the need for more mental health services and better school security, those are important," Sen. Kaine says. "But on the guns, I do think the background record checks component has enormous public support. And we ought to be able to do that. I think we should do it in a very easy way."

"I do think the ban on combat weapons and the ban on supersized magazines will be tougher, but again, they are very reasonable. They are supported by the American public. They are consistent with the second amendment. There's no reason not to do this," Kaine adds.

Sen. Kaine also responds to Sen. Rand Paul's statement that he would try to "nullify" the President’s orders.

"Nullification is a code word," Sen. Kaine says. When pressed by O'Brien, Kaine says “it’s a states right argument that gets used in times of great controversy. The President is acting by executive power that is legally conferred on him. And as you pointed out, you went over these executive orders. They’re basic, common sense things.”

"The notion that we’re going to nullify a presidential action when the President is acting pursuant to law, you know, that’s just kind of this anti-government rhetoric that I’m surprised to hear somebody in government using,” he says.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2013/01/17/exp-point-kaine-guns-1.cnn