NRA says No-bama*
The National Rifle Assn., apparently unsatisfied with having crushed its enemies, driven them before it and heard the lamentations of their women (to paraphrase Conan the Barbarian), is now targeting even its friends.
Having already spent $2.3 million on ads critical of Barack Obama, the NRA's political action committee has shelled out another $100,000 for a spread slated to run in USA Today tomorrow. It will revive an old campaign mailing from Hillary Clinton that had criticized Obama's stance on gun rights. "Hillary was right: You can't trust Obama with your guns," headlines the ad, according to the Associated Press.
What seems odd about this is that Obama does not oppose gun rights. He has made a point of pounding this home to rural audiences, telling them he has no intention of taking their guns away: not their shotguns, not their handguns, not anything. Though Democrats were once the party of gun control, the NRA's political victory has been so complete, and national sentiment on the issue has shifted so far in favor of gun ownership, that to endorse strong gun controls in a national election today is political suicide -- which is why Clinton was trying to assert her own friendliness to gun rights during the Democratic primary.
With no real opposition left to criticize, the NRA now seems to be trying to expose gun-control sympathizers, which it suspects Obama of being. That's because he supported control measures as an Illinois lawmaker, and during the presidential campaign he has dared to suggest there's still room for "common sense" gun laws "so that we don't have kids being shot on the streets of cities like Chicago." He hasn't given many specifics, but this probably means that he wants tighter rules to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, or perhaps restrictions on gun-show sales that currently are exempt from background checks on buyers. This is the bare minimum that could be done to reduce the murder count and would do nothing to keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens, yet apparently it's too much for the NRA.
*This headline was changed from its original version.
Oh please, Obama is in favor of gun control and everyone knows it. He switched his positions to fit the general campaign, he was against the decision made in Heller before he was for it. If a gun control bill comes across President Obama's desk, he will sign it. More so than McCain (who is mediocre on gun rights himself, yet more reluctant to go the lengths Obama would). The NRA has the right to attack Obama on his record, just as Planned Parenthood has the right to attack John McCain on abortion. So leave the spin at the door next time, please.
Posted by: Daniel Stark | October 08, 2008 at 05:05 PM
If only there was any evidence at all that Obama supported gun rights.
He endorsed the DC gun ban by saying it was Constitutional.
When running for the Illinois State Senate he answered yes on a questionnaire to the question if he would ban handguns, owning or manufacturing!
While in the State Senate when asked if he supported gun licensing he simply said he didn't think he could get it done. Do you really think that measn he was against the idea?
From his book, The Audacity of Hope, "I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities".
This is a very dangerous individual. Misleading the public about his ardent positions on gun control is just plain wrong.
Posted by: rick g | October 09, 2008 at 01:38 AM
Obama doesn't want to take anyone's guns away, as this blog (and Obama claim), yet Obama supports reinstating the "ugly gun" AW ban. If that is not a gun banning law, then I don't know what is.
Posted by: David | October 09, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Obama IS going to take certain types of guns away. You are right to mention the assault weapons ban (funny enough, Biden, one of the creators, is on the ticket!). This ban restricted gun buys for the mere appearance of a gun (the LA times I'm sure begs to differ, because they are probably biased for it). If another gun control bill comes across President Obama's desk, he will sign it. No matter WHAT comes across Obama's desk, he will sign it. It is obvious. Obama is going to be very unfriendly to the NRA and gun rights crowd, more so than John McCain (who as I pointed out before has been mediocre on gun rights).
Obama is for gun control, don't let anyone tell you different.
Posted by: Daniel Stark | October 09, 2008 at 02:45 PM
To say Obama is not anti- Gun is like saying dogs don't bark. Please!! Don't insult everyones intelligence. Just look at his record.
Posted by: Timothy King | October 09, 2008 at 04:32 PM
obama biden laden has a long history of being anti gun, from being on the board of the joyce foundation that finances groups pushing legislation to ban guns, and a board member of the annenburg foundation- which owns biased factcheck.org. While his voting record mostly consists of "present", he consistently votes for any antigun legislation. However, he has voted against enhanced penalties for a gang member using a gun!
Even with his beliefs, he might still "respect the 2nd amendment", the same way that his Reverend Wright "respects" America.
Watch the way that obama respects the first amendment by coercing stations from broadcasting obama critical ads by threating them with FCC license revocation.
He talks about the economy, but also wants to increase world welfare spending. Where does the money come from?
Who does terrorists and billionairs such as George Soros (moveon.org) want for U.S. president?
What other rights will obama trample when he becomes ruler?
Posted by: Obama Biden Laden is a lawyer!!! | October 09, 2008 at 05:12 PM
That we even still have the 2nd Amendment is a tribute to the astute and studiious NRA. That Mr. Obama is lying through his teeth as regards his real views on gun control , is obvious to even a 3rd grader. Please take your partisan tripe and put it where the sun don't shine.
Posted by: RH | October 12, 2008 at 04:29 PM