In the wake of the Sandy Hook school massacre, Vice President Joe Biden kicked off a week of meetings on gun violence with a talk Wednesday with activists from around the nation, including Protect Minnesota Executive Director Heather Martens. Martens said she left the meeting in the Old Executive Office Building (next to the White House) feeling encouraged. "It was clear to me that the president's office is ready to make some real substantial recommendations," Martens said in an interview afterwards. "Not specifically about just mass shootings, but all the issues we face every day in this country."