Gun Policy News
US policy positions on gun control, gun rights
US Gun Control Group Endorses Two Republican Senators
22 August 2016
Time (USA)
The gun control group founded by Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, has endorsed two Republican Senators in tough reelection fights as it seeks to expand its outreach.
In an op-ed on CNN Monday, Americans for Responsible Solutions backed Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Mark Kirk of Illinois, who are both facing tough re-election races in a year in which Democrats hope to regain control of the Senate.
The two sitting Senators voted in favor of gun control... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump's Only Firm Remaining Ally is The NRA - NY Times
10 August 2016
New York Times
Donald J. Trump's candidacy has driven away throngs of Republican elected officials, donors and policy experts. But not the National Rifle Association.
With Mr. Trump increasingly isolated and hobbled by controversies of his own making, the powerful gun-rights group has emerged as one of his remaining stalwart allies in the Republican coalition: the institution on the right most aggressively committed to his candidacy, except for the Republican National Committee... (GunPolicy.org)
Orlando Shooting Unlikely to Bring Major New Gun Laws - NYT
16 June 2016
New York Times
WASHINGTON — It didn't happen after a congresswoman was shot in the head at an official event. It didn't happen after 20 children were gunned down in their elementary school classrooms. It didn't happen after terrorists fired on a holiday party at an agency that provided services for people with disabilities in Southern California.
Now, after the worst mass shooting in American history, major new gun control legislation is still not likely to pass in... (GunPolicy.org)
Inside the NRA: Why US Gun Control Always Fails – NY Times Magazine
12 December 2013
New York Times
To get to Joe Manchin's private office in the Hart Senate Office Building, you first pass through a lobby where you encounter a small bronze statue of an Old West lawman holding a firearm — an award given to Manchin several years ago by a chapter of the National Rifle Association for his unswerving defense of gun rights. Then you turn down a hallway, past several framed photographs of children who were victims of the massacre a year ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School... (GunPolicy.org)
US Has More Guns, But Russia Has More Homicides
21 September 2013
National Public Radio (USA)
The U.S. and Russia have been taking lots of jabs at each other.
Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized President Obama's plan for a military strike in Syria, and the Russian leader then denounced American "exceptionalism" in a biting op-ed in The New York Times.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., fired back Thursday with his own op-ed in the Russian paper Pravda, entitled, "Russia Deserves Better Than Putin."
Even Monday's shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Senate Blocks New Laws, Ignore Pleas from Gun Victims
18 April 2013
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats scuttled the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades Wednesday, rejecting tighter background checks for buyers and a ban on assault weapons as they spurned pleas from families of victims of last winter's school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
"This effort isn't over," President Barack Obama vowed at the White House moments after the defeat on one of his top domestic... (GunPolicy.org)
How the White House Silenced US Gun Control Groups
7 March 2013
Politico (Washington DC)
President Barack Obama's gun control agenda is looking more doomed by the day, but gun control advocates still haven't said a word to complain.
That's no accident.
The White House knew its post-Newtown effort would require bringing key gun control groups into the fold. So the White House offered a simple arrangement: the groups could have access and involvement, but they'd have to offer silence and support in exchange.
The implied rules, according to conversations... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Fight in Danger of Being Lost
3 March 2013
United Press International
WASHINGTON - As the images of 20 first-graders massacred in Connecticut, of the horrific attack on former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others in Arizona, of the slaughter of movie-goers in Aurora, Colo., and of numerous other mass killings in the United States fade in the national memory, the fervor to restrict access to some types of weapons and magazines appears to be abating.
The debate on gun control itself has largely been subsumed in recent weeks by concern over... (GunPolicy.org)
How the Gun-Control Movement in America Got Smart
7 February 2013
Atlantic (USA)
Here is how advocates of gun control used to talk about their cause: They openly disputed that the Second Amendment conferred the right to own a gun. Their major policy goals were to make handguns illegal and enroll all U.S. gun owners in a federal database. The group now known as the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence was once known as Handgun Control Inc.; a 2001 book by the executive director of the Violence Policy Center was entitled Every Handgun Is Aimed at... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Lack of Political Support, US Gun Control Isn't a Lost Cause
28 July 2012
Washington Post
Dozens of college students murdered in their classrooms; a member of Congress shot at point-blank range; innocents gunned down in a movie theater. Then, in the aftermath of a mass gun crime, the same ritual: national shock and anger, traumatized communities asking how this could happen, followed by . . . nothing. At least, no progress on gun safety.
In a speech to the Urban League on Wednesday, President Obama called for a conversation on youth violence and more... (GunPolicy.org)
America Resigned to No Change in Gun Laws Despite Mass Shooting
23 July 2012
Agence France Presse
WASHINGTON — The alleged Colorado gunman legally purchased four guns, including a military-style assault rifle and a special magazine that meant he could fire off 50 to 60 deadly bullets a minute.
Over eight weeks he stocked up over the Internet on 6,300 rounds of ammunition: 3,000 for his .233 semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, another 3,000 for his two .22 Glocks, and 300 cartridges for his pump-action shotgun.
When the gun dealers performed the minimal background checks... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Boss Predicts 'Big Gun' States Will Toss Barack Obama
29 April 2011
Politico (Washington DC)
Ahead of the NRA convention that kicks off today, the leader of the group predicts President Barack Obama will be defeated in 2012 – and the "big gun and hunting" states are going to deliver the fatal blow.
"The truth is this election is going to be decided in all the big gun and hunting states," Wayne LaPierre, the National Rifle Association's executive vice president and CEO, told POLITICO.
LaPierre, speaking on the eve of the NRA's annual two-day convention in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Rights vs. Gun Control: Arizona Legislators Push to Weaken Gun Law
20 February 2011
Daily Star (Arizona)
It didn't take much effort for the accused gunman in Tucson's Jan. 8 mass shooting to buy a semiautomatic handgun and ammunition - quick trips to the Sportsman's Warehouse and Walmart near his home.
It didn't take long - 15 seconds - for him to shoot 19 people, killing six, when he fired 31 rounds using a high-capacity magazine. That's roughly double the standard number for the Glock pistol he used.
And even if police could go back in time, they wouldn't have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Polls Show More US Support for Weaponry as Gun Control Opinions Chill
16 January 2011
Washington Post, Editorial
The public opinion climate for more regulation of guns is significantly chillier today than it was two or three decades ago. In 1990, 78 percent of the public told a Gallup poll that they felt that the laws covering the sale of firearms should be made stricter; in October of last year, just 44 percent said this. A sizable shift in public sentiment has taken place in just the past two years. The percentage of the public saying it's more important to control gun ownership... (GunPolicy.org)
At a Gun Show and a Safeway, Tucson, Arizona Looks for 'Normalcy'
15 January 2011
New York Times
TUCSON — A week after a gunman killed six people and wounded 13 others here, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a gun show at the Pima County Fairgrounds went forward as planned on Saturday, and the Safeway supermarket where the shooting occurred reopened for business.
At both places, visitors observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims.
At the Safeway, Nancy Ostromencki, 56, said, "I decided I needed to come here again to start to reclaim... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Gun Dealers, NRA Predict Defeat for 'Idiot, Puppet' Obama
26 October 2010
ABC News (Australia)
The final week of campaigning has begun in the US mid-term elections and Republicans appear confident of victory.
The fallout from the United States recession appears to be tipping the race against the Democrats.
At a gun show in Allentown, there are dozens of dealers, and hundreds of weapons for sale. A Glock 9mm costs $US499, and a Smith and Wesson 9mm is $US340, but dealer Dave Zeller says business has been slow.
"This past year, I think the bad economy finally... (GunPolicy.org)
Families of Washington DC Shooting Victims Demand Tougher Gun Laws
19 June 2010
WJLA-TV News (Washington, DC)
WASHINGTON - Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Rep. Travis Childers (D-MS) are pushing a bill in Congress that would make it easier to carry guns on DC streets and would legalize the long-banned AK-47 assault rifles.
Parents and families of the victims of the recent deadly DC mass shooting went to Capitol Hill Friday to deliver a message: No More Guns. They are demanding tougher gun laws in their neighborhoods. Not weaker ones.
And they asked for help in fighting... (GunPolicy.org)
California Lawmakers Range Far & Wide in Debate Over Gun Control Bill
4 June 2010
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO - Lawmakers in the California Assembly have evoked "Joe the Plumber," Japanese internment and the late novelist Ayn Rand as they battle over a gun control bill that would extend the same reporting requirements and regulations that govern handguns to rifles and other long guns.
On Thursday, the measure, AB1810, passed the Assembly on a 43-10 vote. It now moves to the Senate. Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, sponsored the bill, saying it would help law... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican President Was Right in Saying US Should Ban Assault Weapons
24 May 2010
Palm Beach Post (Florida), Column
Mexican presidents who visit Washington are expected to show up on time for the photo ops, dress appropriately for the state dinner, and then flash a warm, neighborly smile as they board the plane to leave.
They aren't supposed to behave the way Felipe Calderon did last week when he addressed a joint session of Congress.
The Mexican president told U.S. lawmakers that they must ban automatic weapons, and he called Arizona's new immigration law a "terrible idea" that... (GunPolicy.org)
Congressional Efforts to Repeal DC Gun Laws Imperil Homeland Security
19 May 2010
Washington Post, Editorial
Congress long ago demonstrated its disdain for the residents of the District of Columbia. So there's little hope that appeals about the rights or even the safety of its 600,000 residents will factor into consideration of the specious effort to rewrite the city's gun laws. What lawmakers might want to think twice about, however, are the homeland security implications of making the nation's capital wide open to guns. Surely currying favor with the gun lobby is not worth... (GunPolicy.org)
US Senators Fight for 'Right' of Even Suspected Terrorists to Buy Guns
6 May 2010
Washington Post, Column
Is the NRA a terrorist organization?
By George W. Bush's standard -- you're either with us or against us in the fight against terrorism -- NRA chief Wayne LaPierre should be just a few frequent-flier miles short of a free ticket to Gitmo right about now. Seems he and the rest of the gun lobby are fighting for terrorists' right to buy firearms.
The Bush administration urged Congress to pass a law barring people on the terrorist watch list from buying explosives and... (GunPolicy.org)
Congress Cowers, 'Wrapped Up in Peculiar Obsessions' of US Gun Lobby
6 May 2010
New York Times, Editorial
While the rest of the nation comes to grips with fresh concerns about terrorism, domestic and foreign, Congress is wrapped up in the peculiar obsessions of the gun lobby — most of which are certain to make Americans less safe in their homes and on the streets.
Congress, for example, is cowering before the gun lobby insistence that even terrorist suspects who are placed on the "no-fly list" must not be denied the right to buy and bear arms. Suspects on that list... (GunPolicy.org)
Another 'Desperate' Bill Attempts to Weaken Washington DC's Gun Laws
2 May 2010
The Hill (Washington DC)
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) is calling a new bill introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last week that would loosen her city's gun laws "desperate."
The measure would rescind Washington D.C.'s ban on semi-automatic weapons and would loosen criminal penalties for city residents found in possession of an unregistered firearm.
The bill closely resembles much of the gun-related language that has been attached to the D.C. Voting Rights Act, a long sought measure... (GunPolicy.org)
Push in US Congress Aims to Weaken Washington, DC Gun Control Laws
28 April 2010
Washington Post
Legislation introduced in Congress on Tuesday would weaken the District's gun-control laws and restrict the D.C. Council from regulating firearms.
The effort comes a week after congressional officials, responding to similar pro-gun language in a D.C. voting rights bill, dropped the legislation, which would have secured a voting seat in the House for the District.
The Senate version, sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is intended to... (GunPolicy.org)
US Mayors Launch Gun Control Blitz in DC to Close Gun Show Loophole
20 April 2010
Roll Call (Washington DC)
Gun-control proponents, outspent and outmaneuvered on Capitol Hill, are pushing back this week using the anniversaries of two high-profile tragedies to make the case for legislation that would close gun show loopholes.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group led by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (D), is expected today to unveil a lobbying blitz to prod Congress to approve legislation that would require background checks on all... (GunPolicy.org)
US Brady Campaign Accuses Obama of 'Running Away from Gun Control'
19 January 2010
The Hill (Washington DC)
President Barack Obama on Monday received a failing grade from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for running away from gun control.
The group, which endorsed Obama in 2008, gave him an "F" on every issue it scored, including background checks, gun trafficking, guns in public, the federal assault weapons ban, standing up to the gun lobby and leadership.
"It's been a very disappointing year for us, especially considering what he campaigned on," the group's... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Has Yet to Explain Why It Wants to Help Killers, Criminals Get Guns
16 October 2009
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
For shock value, they may not rank with the videos released last month showing ACORN workers giving tax advice to a couple of undercover investigators posing as a prostitute and her pimp. But New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's covert recordings of what really goes on at gun shows are appalling nonetheless.
In the midst of a reelection campaign in a Democratic-majority city, the Republican (sort of) Bloomberg has latched on to an issue that appeals mainly to... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Mayor Offers Hidden Camera Evidence of Gun Show Trafficking
7 October 2009
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
Ever wonder how criminals are able to get guns so easily? It's depressingly simple. On any given weekend, at dozens of gun shows held in states across the country — criminals can buy guns from "private sellers" who are not required to perform background checks.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has identified gun shows as the source of more than 30% of all illegally trafficked guns in the country. Those are the guns most likely to be used in crimes — and... (GunPolicy.org)
Recent Reversals Seen as Crucial 'Sifting' Opportunity for US Gun Lobby
13 August 2009
Houston Chronicle (Texas)
WASHINGTON — On the surface, it looks like it's been a bad month for gun-rights groups. First, the Senate narrowly defeated an attempt to allow Americans with concealed-weapons permits to carry their firearms across state lines.
Then Second Amendment advocacy organizations pressed senators to oppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, only to see more than a dozen gun-rights backers support President Barack Obama's choice. Despite the setbacks, however, there's... (GunPolicy.org)
John McCain, Gun Lobby Push to Block Obama's Supreme Court Choice
6 August 2009
Boston Globe / Political Intelligence, Blog
Leading up the Senate vote on putting Sonia Sotomayor on the Supreme Court, gun control advocates are intensifying their campaign against the National Rifle Association.
The NRA, which boasts a sizable and loyal membership, has warned senators that a "yes" vote on Sotomayor will be included on its widely distributed candidate scorecard.
But the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence says a half-dozen or more senators with past NRA endorsements are planning to vote for... (GunPolicy.org)
Shoo-in Vote for Obama's Judge 'Increasingly Common' Defeat for NRA
5 August 2009
The Hill (Washington DC)
Eleven years after the Senate last confirmed Sonia Sotomayor for a federal judgeship, the chamber is poised on Thursday to put her on the Supreme Court by a nearly identical margin.
President Barack Obama's nominee — the court's first Hispanic — is a shoo-in for confirmation, leaving the margin of approval and the amount of GOP support as the only real questions. Even Sotomayor's stiffest critics have conceded she has enough votes.
"I don't think there's any doubt... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama's Supreme Court Pick On Track Despite Failed Gun Lobby Attack
4 August 2009
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — As the Senate begins debate today on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor with the outcome assured, the only remaining questions are whether the National Rifle Assn. can claim to have swayed votes against her and whether President Obama can claim a victory for bipartisanship.
For the first time, the NRA has weighed in against a Supreme Court nominee, urging senators to vote "no" on Sotomayor.
So far, however, eight of the 36 senators who won... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear Over Obama's Gun Laws Sparks Massive Rush to Pack a Pistol
7 July 2009
Sunday Herald (Scotland)
NEW YORK — Last summer, the National Rifle Association ran adverts claiming that Barack Obama would "ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns" if elected. The campaign didn't do much for John McCain, but in every other respect it has been wildly successful: NRA membership is up 30% and gun control has disappeared from the administration's list of priorities.
Americans have gone on an extraordinary gun-buying spree. The best available measure of... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Haters' Gun-empowered White Rage Spiralling Out of Control?
13 June 2009
New York Times, Column
When a Fox News anchor, reacting to his own network's surging e-mail traffic, warns urgently on-camera of a rise in hate-filled, "amped up" Americans who are "taking the extra step and getting the gun out," maybe we should listen. He has better sources in that underground than most.
The anchor was Shepard Smith, speaking after Wednesday's mayhem at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. Unlike the bloviators at his network and elsewhere on cable,... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Conservatism: More Americans Backing Political Belief With Guns
18 May 2009
Christian Science Monitor
PHOENIX — When Kirby Warner, a trusty Ruger pistol strapped to his hip, sat around and shot the breeze with his fellow gun owners here at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting this weekend, they weren't just chatting calibers and cartridges.
Nor did they stop at other tried and trusted fare, such as President Obama and gun control. This year, taxes, bailouts, and the general direction of the country was all on the docket. He remembers reading a sign at one... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama's 'Crazy Theory:' Mexican Wars Might Slow Without US Gun Flood
16 May 2009
Arizona Republic
Arizona's Sen. John McCain, who once proposed cracking down on gun-show sales, told the National Rifle Association on Friday that he will oppose any "separate agenda" to rein in gun owners' rights as part of an effort to stop illegal gun-running to violent Mexican drug cartels.
"We can and should do more to crack down on the illegal transfer to Mexico of weapons acquired in the United States, which is a violation of both U.S. and Mexican law. But that doesn't require... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain: If US Curbs Gun Flow to Mexican Cartels, They'll Buy Elsewhere
15 May 2009
Associated Press
PHOENIX — The drug war in Mexico shouldn't be used as an excuse to try to restrict American gun rights, Sen. John McCain said Friday at the National Rifle Association's convention.
The Arizona Republican and former presidential candidate told thousands of people in Phoenix that the United States needs to do more to crack down on gun smuggling into Mexico, but that such assistance in Mexico's war against drug cartels doesn't require restrictions on the gun rights of... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Thrives Amid Americans' Fears of Heightened Gun-control Efforts
15 May 2009
CNN
WASHINGTON — Although the National Rifle Association may not have seen the results it wanted from last year's elections, its fortunes this year are anything but dim.
At its annual convention this weekend, such leaders as Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, former presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney are speaking to 60,000-plus gun-rights advocates gathered in Phoenix, Arizona. Even Democratic... (GunPolicy.org)
Senators Launch New Bid to Close US Gun Show, Private Sale Loophole
21 April 2009
The Hill (Washington DC)
Several high-ranking senators led by Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) on Tuesday relaunched their push to require gun sellers to conduct background checks on purchases of all types of guns at state gun shows.
On the heels of the 10-year anniversary of the Columbine shootings the lawmakers pushed to close the gun show "loophole" that exists in more than 30 states.
These states do not require personal gun sellers, who are authorized to hawk their own firearms at gun shows, to... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Paranoia Is Silly, Dangerous; No Need to Outlaw Firearms
20 April 2009
US News & World Report, Opinion
We make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons in this country.
As a result of our weak, nearly nonexistent laws restricting access to guns, every year we end up with approximately 12,000 gun homicides, 18,000 gun suicides or fatal accidents, and another 70,000 gun injuries.
In the last month, two different shooters used military-style assault rifles to kill police officers in Oakland and Pittsburgh because the only federal restrictions on guns... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Needs to Close Deadly Mental Health, Gun Show Loopholes
18 April 2009
New York Daily News, Opinion
Ten years ago to the day, it was Columbine. Two years ago, it was Virginia Tech. This year, Binghamton. The common link between each shooting spree — and between the more than 100,000 Americans murdered with guns over the past 10 years — is not just human madness; it is a breakdown in basic law enforcement.
In the Columbine case, the murderers' accomplices bought the guns at gun shows — where no background checks are required for many sellers — to avoid any... (GunPolicy.org)
86 per cent of World Gun Deaths Among Children Under 15 Occur in America
26 February 2009
International Herald Tribune / AP
NEW YORK — An 11-year-old boy in Pennsylvania is accused of killing his father's pregnant fiancee with the shotgun he got as a Christmas present. In Arizona, an 8-year-old boy fatally shoots his father and his father's roommate. An 8-year-old boy accidentally shoots himself with an Uzi at a gun show in Massachusetts.
All of those stories sparked shocked headlines, but on a national level, the American public's response to the recent incidents has been muted, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Veteran Pro-gun Lawmakers File Bill to Tackle US-Mexico Gun Runners
12 January 2009
San Antonio Express-News (Texas)
Lawmakers used the meeting of President-elect Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon today to file legislation in the Senate and House to reduce drug-related violence on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, would provide $30 million over two years to expand the Justice Department's "Project Gunrunner Initiative" that targets gun-smuggling networks.
"The increasing violence in... (GunPolicy.org)
Virginia Mom Spearheads Campaign to Close US 'Gun Show Loophole'
9 January 2009
Alexandria Times (Virginia)
Like many other Alexandria moms, Abby Spangler's day begins by getting her family out the door amid all the craziness entailing every morning. But then her day promptly takes a radical turn from most of the rest of us as she juggles running her recently-formed organization Protest Easy Guns with practicing her cello concertos.
From the time she arrives at the small office of Protest Easy Guns, she turns her attention to planning the official launch of a national... (GunPolicy.org)
American Gun Lobby Ramps Up to Fight 'Anti-gun' President-elect
8 December 2008
The Hill (Washington DC)
Gun groups say they are "prepared to fight" the incoming administration on the issues dear to them despite President-elect Obama's insistence that lawful gun owners "have nothing to fear" from him.
Obama, appearing on at a Sunday press conference, said he believes "in common-sense gun safety laws, and I believe in the Second Amendment."
But Chris W. Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's (NRA) political arm, said membership in his organization is... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Fails in US Election, Succeeds in Driving Up Gun Sales, Prices, Fear
17 November 2008
Boston Herald / AP
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina — Fear brought Joseph Cannon to Jim's Gun Jobbery on a recent Wednesday.
But the 53-year-old retired Special Forces soldier isn't afraid for his safety. He's worried that soon after Jan. 20 — when Barack Obama takes the presidential oath of office — he won't be able to buy the gun he wants.
The Fayetteville Observer reported that Cannon, who served on a marksmanship unit during his 20-year Army career, was out of luck in his search... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear of Obama 'Going British' on Guns Fuels US Weapon-Buying Spree
16 November 2008
Sunday Paper (Atlanta)
Last summer, not long after Democratic presidential primary candidate Hillary Clinton told the people of Scranton, Pa., about how she'd learned to shoot at her family's cottage, while her opponent Barack Obama was counting up his likely electoral college votes and Republican John McCain was talking about buying insurance across state lines, the U.S. Supreme Court quietly issued an interpretation of the Second Amendment that firmly protects the rights of individual... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Stalwart Accuses NRA of 'Lining Pockets with Your Money'
13 November 2008
Great Falls Tribune (Montana), Opinion
During my nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, I had a 100 percent voting record with the National Rifle Association. Not once did I vote for gun control; not for the Brady Bill, nor ammunition registration, not for the assault weapons ban, nor any of the other futile attempts to fight crime by simply putting people's name on a list.
The NRA endorsed me in each of my election campaigns. For a time following my first election, I was a bit of an NRA poster... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Owners 'Afraid of Obama,' Rushing to Buy Assault Weapons
8 November 2008
Reuters
PHOENIX — Sales of rifles, pistols and ammo are surging in parts of the United States, as many gun owners fear President-elect Barack Obama's administration may seek to tighten ownership of certain weapons.
"The day after the election, I had many more calls than usual from people looking for semi-automatic rifles," said David Greenberg, the owner of the Second Amendment Family Gun Shop, in Bisbee, Arizona, who sold out of AR-15 rifles in recent days.
"There seems to... (GunPolicy.org)
In Fear of 'Gun Snatcher' Obama, Americans Rush to Buy Firearms
7 November 2008
New York Times
DENVER — Sales of handguns, rifles and ammunition have surged in the last week, according to gun store owners around the nation who describe a wave of buyers concerned that an Obama administration will curtail their right to bear arms.
"He's a gun-snatcher," said Jim Pruett, owner of Jim Pruett's Guns and Ammo in northwest Houston, which was packed with shoppers on Thursday.
"He wants to take our guns from us and create a socialist society policed by his own police... (GunPolicy.org)
'Liberals Like to Ban Guns,' so Texans Rush to Buy Assault Weapons
6 November 2008
Houston Chronicle (Texas) / AP
FORT WORTH, Texas — While watching Republican presidential candidate John McCain's concession speech, gun owner AJ Sullivan had a sinking feeling.
"Liberals like to ban guns. That's what it comes down to," said Sullivan, 25, a Texas Christian University student.
Sullivan was among hundreds scrambling to buy a weapon Thursday at the gun store Cheaper Than Dirt! — which sold $101,000 in merchandise the day after the election, shattering its single-day sales record,... (GunPolicy.org)
For 1 Obama Vote, US 'Gun Lobby Attack Dogs' Destroy 38 of Their Own
3 November 2008
New West (Montana), Column
Something extremely scary happened last Friday on Halloween. Dan Cooper, President and Founder of Cooper Firearms of Stevensville, Montana, resigned.
Not so scary, you say. Well, wait until you hear why. If you believe in freedom and that there's a reason why the right to free speech is the First Amendment, prepare to be terrified.
The uproar erupted on October 28 when USA TODAY published an article interviewing Cooper. In the story, he said he has voted Republican... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Violence by the Numbers: Uniform National Gun Laws Needed
31 October 2008
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
In the wake of the recent senseless death of an 8 year old with an Uzi automatic weapon at a gun club in Massachusetts, it's critical that we as a nation recognize that this child's gun death was just one of the 5 kids under 10 years old and 83 Americans total that died that day and every day from gun violence.
Clearly 8 year old Christopher Bizilj's gun death was entirely preventable and a result of adult negligence and irresponsibility. On the other hand it's hard... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby 'Wackos' Force Pro-Obama Rifle Maker CEO to Resign
30 October 2008
USA Today
WASHINGTON — Montana gunsmith Dan Cooper has been ousted as chief executive of the rifle company that bears his name after pressure from gun owners who are angry that he is supporting Democrat Barack Obama.
Cooper, founder and part owner of Cooper Firearms, told USA TODAY in a story published Tuesday that he has voted for Republicans for most of his life, but he is backing Obama "probably because of the war. And also because the Republican Party has moved so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Sportsmen for Obama Shoot, Discuss Gun Politics in Wisconsin
30 October 2008
Lake County News Chronicle (Minnesota), Opinion
Like other sportsmen I get frustrated when I hear individuals suggest that "the Democrats are going to take away our guns."
After spending a career as a fisheries research scientist and in teaching, I've come to believe it is typically the other political party that limits investment in natural resource programs essential to the future of sport fishing and hunting. As a result, I asked several individuals who enjoy guns, shooting and hunting to join me recently in a... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Dealers Fuel Rush to Buy Firearms in Fear of Obama Victory
30 October 2008
Washington Times
The nation's gun owners have the presidential election in their sights.
Some are up at arms about the prospect of future gun legislation should Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama win the White House. Others are beefing up their personal arsenals, skittish that firearms could become scarce or too expensive in the near future.
"If the economy is down, and gun sales are up, it shows you just how deep-seated the concern is out there about the situation,"... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Maker Sacks CEO for Donating to Obama Election Campaign
29 October 2008
Los Angeles Times
Here's a juicy little story about guns, hunting and politics:
USA Today ran an article Tuesday stating that Dan Cooper, chief executive of Cooper Arms in Montana, donated $3,300 to Barack Obama's presidential campaign and had donated to his 2004 Senate campaign after being "dazzled by Obama's speech at that year's Democratic National Convention."
Cooper Arms makes hunting rifles, and hunting gun owners — who largely support Republican John McCain and do not... (GunPolicy.org)
Dealers Say Fear of Obama, Hope for Profit Spur Tennessee Gun Sales
29 October 2008
WVLT-TV News (Tennessee)
BLOUNT COUNTY — Gun shops have noticed a jump in over the last several weeks leading up to the November 4th election. The managers at Gunny's Indoor Shooting Range in Maryville said they've noticed an increase in customers and many are citing the upcoming election as the reason for their interest in a new firearm.
"We are hearing it everyday now, 'well I've got to go ahead and get my gun before Obama gets in office,'" said David Perry of Gunny's. "A lot of people... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Spends $40M to Defeat Obama: 'Most Anti-gun President in History'
27 October 2008
Las Vegas Sun (Nevada)
The National Rifle Association is pouring money and manpower into Nevada — the state's 3rd Congressional District in particular — in hopes of defeating Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and carrying Republican Rep. Jon Porter to a fourth term in Congress.
The group is spending $40 million nationwide this election season to tell its 4 million members — and tens of millions more gun owners — Obama would be the most anti-gun president in history. In... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Polls, Wall St Slump Prompt Scared Americans to Buy More Guns
27 October 2008
Washington Post
Americans have cut back on buying cars, furniture and clothes in a tough economy, but there's one consumer item that's still enjoying healthy sales: guns. Purchases of firearms and ammunition have risen 8 to 10 percent this year, according to state and federal data.
Several variables drive sales, but many dealers, buyers and experts attribute the increase in part to concerns about the economy and fears that if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the presidency, he will... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Pledges to Protect Americans' Right to Buy, Own and Use Guns
21 October 2008
Lake Elmo Leader (Minnesota)
CASS LAKE, Minnesota — While Al Franken forayed into northern Minnesota on Sunday, the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund filled the airwaves with radio ads stating that the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate plans to take away citizens' guns.
In the ad, a wife questions her husband's reading of Al Franken's books. He cites several anti-gun passages, including one where Franken writes it is better to collect baseball cards than guns. The man notes that... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Spending $10 Million-plus to Defeat 'Anti-gun' Obama
19 October 2008
Orlando Sentinel (Florida) / Cox News Service
WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is spending more than $10 million to keep Barack Obama from occupying the White House.
The formidable gun-rights group is waging a full-court press against the Illinois senator and Democratic nominee for president, claiming that Obama would be the "most anti-gun president in American history."
Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, the political and lobbying arm of the group, said... (GunPolicy.org)
First Dude Promises Wife Sarah Palin, John McCain Will be 'Gun Friendly'
19 October 2008
Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh)
Todd Palin didn't speak long during a quick stop in Allegheny County on Saturday, but the husband of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said enough to rouse loud cheers at a rally of fellow hunters and gun enthusiasts.
Nearly 80 outdoorsmen burst into applause when the avid sportsman pledged the Republican ticket headed by Sen. John McCain would support "our core values."
"Make sure you bring your hunting and fishing buddies to the polls to vote," he told the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Rights an Election Issue for Number of Alaskans
15 October 2008
Daily News-Miner (Alaska)
WASHINGTON — With the Nov. 4 election fast approaching, Alaskans are taking a close look at where the major-party presidential contenders stand on gun control and Second Amendment rights.
The right to bear arms has been front and center in the presidential race, thanks in no small part to the presence of Gov. Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket.
Palin has played up her hunting credentials and been an outspoken supporter of the Second Amendment, which reads "A well... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain: 'No Gun Control.' Obama: 'I Will Not Take Your Guns Away'
15 October 2008
Associated Press
BOSTON — John McCain supports background checks for buyers at gun shows and has his name on a law restricting special-interest group advertising, two positions strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association.
So how'd he end up with the group's presidential endorsement? By running against Barack Obama, whom NRA leaders accuse of wanting to put the firearms industry out of business.
"Hillary was right: You can't trust Obama with your guns," the association's... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama's Gun Control Views, McCain's Gun Rights Positions Outlined
14 October 2008
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
Question: "I would like to know how Sen. Obama stands on the Second Amendment. As far as gun rights, what specifically would he support and oppose?" — Dave Hiatt, Dayton truck driver
Answer: Like so much else about a race whose crossroads seem to run through Ohio, Barack Obama has framed his stand on gun rights through a Buckeye State prism.
Here's what Obama said during his acceptance speech Aug. 28 at the Democratic National Convention in Denver:
"The reality of... (GunPolicy.org)
In Virginia, Sarah Palin Knocks Obama for Supporting Gun Control
13 October 2008
National Journal (USA) / Hotline, Blog
RICHMOND, Virginia — Gov. Sarah Palin added a line attacking her opponent for opposing gun rights Monday, while crooner Hank Williams, Jr., changed the lines of his song to fit the political event.
"We believe in the forward movement of freedom, not the constant expansion of government," Palin told a crowd at the Richmond International Speedway Monday. "And though Barack Obama disagrees, that freedom includes… the rights and liberties under the Second... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control, Brady Campaign Endorsement Might Sink Obama in Virginia
13 October 2008
Washington Post / Virginia Politics, Blog
The Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence announced today it is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill) presidential campaign.
"Senators Obama and Biden know that we make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons in this country," Brady President Paul Helmke said in a statement. "They know that our weak gun laws have too many loopholes, which lead to over 30,000 deaths and 70,000 injuries from guns every year."
But in a state like Virginia, which his... (GunPolicy.org)
American Opponents of Gun Violence Endorse Obama for President
13 October 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the endorsement Monday of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
The group is named after Jim Brady, the press secretary to former President Reagan, who was gravely wounded by a gunman who tried to assassinate Reagan in 1981.
Paul Helmke, the organization's president, said Obama and Biden would strengthen background checks on gun purchasers, get assault weapons off the streets and give law enforcement more tools to... (GunPolicy.org)
Largest US Gun Control Group Endorses Barack Obama for President
13 October 2008
Boston Globe / Political Intelligence
John McCain has backing from the National Rifle Association. Today, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence threw its support to Barack Obama.
"Senators Barack Obama and Joseph Biden know that we make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons in this country," Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign, said in a statement. "They know that our weak gun laws have too many loopholes, which lead to over 30,000 deaths and 70,000 injuries from guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Extremism Sees NRA Attack Obama, Endorse 'Enemy' McCain
13 October 2008
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
'I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won't take your handgun away." Those words, intoned by Barack Obama at a Virginia campaign event in September, were a kind of incantation aimed at exorcising the ghost of Al Gore from the Democratic presidential race. Gore's favorable stance on gun control was widely seen as a key factor in his loss to George W. Bush in 2000, and it's not likely another Democrat will soon make the same mistake. Yet... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Governor Joins Obama's Drive to Soothe Scared US Gun Owners
10 October 2008
Reuters
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Gov. Ted Strickland on Friday sought to allay concerns of gun owners in his state who fear Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would push for greater restrictions on firearms.
"There is probably no governor, I would say, in the United States of America, who has a stronger, better record in the support of the Second Amendment than does Governor Ted Strickland and I'm proud of that," Strickland told a rally in Chillicothe as he warmed up... (GunPolicy.org)
US NRA Endorses Non-Member McCain: Palin Paid NRA with City Funds
9 October 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is endorsing Republican presidential nominee John McCain despite differences with the Arizona senator on gun-show rules and campaign finance restrictions.
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and the chairman of the NRA's political action committee planned stops Thursday in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Colorado and Nevada to talk about the move.
LaPierre said the two agree on many issues important to the group.
"He's... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Buys USA Today Ad, Uses Clinton's Words Against Obama on Guns
9 October 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is turning to Hillary Rodham Clinton to bolster its criticism of Barack Obama's positions on gun issues.
The NRA's Political Victory Fund planned a national newspaper ad Thursday reviving a Clinton mailing that accused Obama of waffling on gun issues. Clinton's campaign sent the mailing when the New York senator was challenging Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. It accuses Obama of changing his statements on... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Plans Ad Assault on Barack Obama in Battleground States
3 October 2008
Los Angeles Times
The National Rifle Assn. is about to turn up the volume on its campaign against Barack Obama, airing more ads taking him to task over his gun record.
Starting as early as Sunday, the NRA will be airing a new batch of spots in more battleground states, such as Ohio, Virginia and Florida. As colleague Noam Levey reported back in June, some say the NRA is losing sway. But Democrats, who generally favor restrictions on guns, still shy away from the issue, particularly in... (GunPolicy.org)
US NRA Ads Push Obama's 'Cluelessness' on Guns, Fear of Gun Laws
28 September 2008
Washington Times, Opinion
Last spring, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to arms, Democrats hoped the decision would neutralize the gun issue. Instead the ruling, by inviting debate over which kinds of gun control are constitutional, has made the issue more salient.
That's bad news for Barack Obama, whom the National Rifle Association says "would be the most anti-gun president in American history." The Democratic nominee pays lip... (GunPolicy.org)
Make No Mistake, Obama Threatens Gun Owners' Rights, Says McCain
28 September 2008
Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
Speaking by satellite from Washington last night, Republican Sen. John McCain told a friendly crowd of hunting and fishing enthusiasts in Columbus that they shouldn't trust Democrat Barack Obama when he says he supports gun rights.
"Let there be no misunderstanding," McCain told the 12th annual U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation's "Save Our Heritage" Rally. "If Sen. Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk."
McCain had been... (GunPolicy.org)
US Election Campaigners Say Gun Control Will Play Major Role in Vote
24 September 2008
Charleston Daily Mail (West Virginia)
CHARLESTON, West Virginia — For yet another presidential election, West Virginia is dead center in the crosshairs of gun lobbyists.
With little more than a month left until the November election, the National Rifle Association has already caused a stir here, in a state that claims gun owners in 55 percent of its households.
Union leaders say an NRA film crew visited Consol's Blacksville No. 2 mine last week to interview miners on gun rights. NRA representatives... (GunPolicy.org)
US NRA Launches $40 Million Campaign to Defeat Obama on Guns
24 September 2008
CBS News (USA)
The defining moment in the National Rifle Association's eight-figure advertising offensive against Barack Obama takes place about 15 seconds into a new spot featuring Karl Rusch, a white, middle aged Virginian clad in hunting gear.
After claiming that Obama supports "a huge new tax on my guns and ammo," Rusch closes the door of his truck and turns directly to the camera.
"Where is this guy from?" he asks. "He's probably never been hunting a day in his life."
The... (GunPolicy.org)
US Mine Union Plans Stoppage at NRA TV Crew's 'Bash Obama' Tactics
22 September 2008
Associated Press
CHARLESTON, West Virginia — Union leaders say a National Rifle Association film crew tried to coerce West Virginia miners into bad-mouthing presidential hopeful Barack Obama on camera, and that the union plans a brief work stoppage in protest.
The United Mine Workers will call for the stoppage at Consol's Blacksville No. 2 mine next week, union President Cecil Roberts said Monday at a news conference with representatives of Obama's West Virginia campaign in... (GunPolicy.org)
In Bellweather US Election State, Voters Warn Obama on Gun Control
22 September 2008
ABC News (Australia) / AM, Transcript
The US state of Ohio has predicted the outcome of nearly every presidential election in the last century.
And with just 44 days until the election, Ohio remains the ultimate bellwether when it comes to American politics.
Opinion polls show the race in Ohio is very close, with some putting Republican John McCain in the lead and others showing Democrat Barack Obama out in front.
The economy is the number one issue with voters in Ohio, but some businesses are still... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun-Toting Texans Warm to Palin, McCain on Key Issue: Their Weapons
20 September 2008
Express-News (Texas)
Among the assault rifles and razor-sharp throwing stars for sale at a recent Freeman Coliseum gun show, fierce loyalty to John McCain also was on display. Lit by flashing red lights and imprinted on buttons, his name greeted browsers at the booths of dealers who consider this year's presidential contest a momentous occasion.
"This election is the most important election in my lifetime," said Sheryl Loughlin, a 62-year-old Cibolo resident who wore a "No B.O." (Barack... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Now Toxic Issue of US Election, Threat to Obama Campaign
18 September 2008
Washington Times, Opinion
Gun control has suddenly emerged as the toxic issue of the 2008 presidential campaign, endangering Barack Obama's appeal among Democratic blue-collar and labor union households.
The freshman Illinois senator has a long record of favoring gun bans in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and a raft of other gun control bills that are anathema to gun owners, hunters and sportsmen alike.
He insists now he supports Second Amendment gun rights to keep and bear arms that the U.S.... (GunPolicy.org)
Secrecy, 'Dirty Politics' Cast Doubt on 'Hunters Prefer McCain' Poll
17 September 2008
New West (Montana), Column
My July 9 column titled, Hunters, Look Beyond the End of Your Gun Barrel, urged hunters to look at the big picture instead of basing their vote exclusively on the gun rights issue, which I consider basically over since politicians won't touch it and the Supreme Court has finally reaffirmed the individual's right to bear arms.
The column wasn't about whether Barack Obama is more anti-gun than John McCain, even though most of the comments were. It was about voting for... (GunPolicy.org)
Sarah Palin First Gripped a Gun at Age 8, Had Her First Shooting Kill at 10
15 September 2008
Asian News International
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin first gripped a gun at the age of eight and made her first kill at ten.
The moose hunting mum-of-five grew up shooting animals and skinning them on the spot before hauling the meat home for the family freezer.
Sarah's dad Chuck Heath told The Sun: "Sarah was always very determined. Whatever she lacked in skill she always made up in determination. She always tried her hardest... (GunPolicy.org)
Barack Obama Swears He Won't, Can't Take Away Americans' Guns
15 September 2008
ABC News (USA) / Political Punch
DENVER, Colorado — Colorado is home to more than 100,000 dues-paying members of the National Rifle Association, all of whom should have received THIS MAILER sometime in the last week, which says he would be "the most anti-gun president in American history," and refers gun rights enthusiasts to the website GunBanObama.com.
Obama is aware of this of course, and he's on the radio airwaves out here — as well as, according to readers of Ben Smith at Politico —... (GunPolicy.org)
What Australia's Gun Laws Could Teach Americans About Gun Control
9 September 2008
Crikey (Australia), Blog
The US National Rifle Association has been a tad suspicious of John McCain after he voted to support a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for background checks on gun purchasers at gun fairs and when he championed campaign-finance legislation that the gun lobby saw as an attack on their rights to expression. The Columbine High School killers obtained their guns from such a fair.
With the NRA having the largest grass roots vote delivery network in the US, and promising... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Groups, Buoyed by Supreme Court Ruling, Plan to Defeat Obama
7 September 2008
Congressional Quarterly (USA) / CQ Today Online, Web Page
Gun rights groups are planning a busy election season.
To maintain momentum gained from the Supreme Court's ruling in June striking down the District of Columbia's handgun ban and declaring that the Second Amendment grants individuals a right to own firearms, the gun groups have launched the most ambitious voter registration and education drives they've ever attempted. Congressional election endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA) are due this month.... (GunPolicy.org)
'Scared' Americans Rush to Buy Guns in Case Obama Wins Election
5 September 2008
Marshall Messenger (Texas) / Cox Newspapers
Gun sales are going boom around the country as gun owners and gun advocates brace for a potential Democrat in the White House for the first time in almost 10 years.
Democrats, meanwhile, say there's no reason to worry that presidential hopeful Barack Obama would attempt to curtail access to most guns, though that hasn't stopped the buying spree.
"You'd be surprised," said Jeff Mercer, manager of George's Pawn and Gun Shop on High Street. "It's people of all races,... (GunPolicy.org)
Palin 'Best Ammo' for US Gun Lobby; NRA Pledges $40m to Elect McCain
4 September 2008
National Journal (USA)
By now, millions of Americans have seen photos of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin testing weapons while visiting members of the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait.
But it wouldn't be surprising if millions more in battleground states get to see similar pictures soon — plus appearances by Palin herself — in states where gun rights are a big issue, courtesy of the National Rifle Association's fat $40 million budget for this year's elections and parallel plans by... (GunPolicy.org)
Sarah Palin: Keen Hunter, NRA Member, 2nd Amendment Supporter
4 September 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
The following is an outline of how the staunchly conservative 44-year-old Alaska governor [John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin] measures up on some key issues …
Gun Control
A card-carrying member of the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby, Palin is a keen hunter who told USA Today when she was running for Alaska governor in 2006 that her freezer was "full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska."
She applauded the US Supreme Court's decision earlier... (GunPolicy.org)
Sarah Palin Brings God, Guns, Anti-abortion Views to McCain Campaign
1 September 2008
Reuters
Conservative Republican prayers for the November 4 presidential election may have been answered.
John McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate sends a clear message to the party's conservative religious base: God and guns are on the ticket.
Conservative Christians and analysts say the 44-year-old devout born-again evangelical and mother of five has the "right stuff" to energize this base, from her staunch opposition to abortion... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobbyist Charged for Wearing Loaded Handgun to Obama Rally
31 August 2008
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh)
A Beaver County man who regularly wears a pistol on his hip says police violated his rights by arresting him before a rally featuring Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama.
"I am a threat to no one. Mr. Obama doesn't trump my constitutional rights. The president of the United States doesn't trump my constitutional rights," said John Noble, who was handcuffed, questioned for about two hours and then told by state police that he would receive two citations by... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain's Running Mate, Lifetime NRA Supporter Promotes Wolf, Bear Kill
29 August 2008
Newsweek (USA)
Like many Alaskans, Gov. Sarah Palin is a lifelong hunter and strong proponent of Second Amendment rights. A longtime member of the National Rifle Association, she told USA Today when she was running for governor as a Republican in 2006 that "We hunt as much as we can, and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska." Her own parents had just returned from hunting caribou when they learned that she had been tapped as Sen. John McCain's... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama 'Most Anti-gun Big-party Candidate Ever Nominated for President'
29 August 2008
Washington Times, Opinion
Sen. Barack Obama's campaign just won't let the gun issue rest. Mr. Obama and his campaign surrogates continue to assure gun owners that he is on their side, and it appears to be paying off. John McCain only leads Mr. Obama among hunters by 14 percentage points, just about half the 27-point lead that President Bush held over John Kerry in 2004. If Mr. McCain had a similar lead, he would be ahead in most polls, particularly in many battle ground states.
Yet, despite... (GunPolicy.org)
Visiting Columbine High: Gun Control Now a Silenced Issue in America
29 August 2008
National Post (Toronto)
The long, low halls of Columbine High School are lined with blue lockers and crimson history, decked with hand-drawn posters for Bible Study and the Knitting Club, cruised by laughing teens in Hollister and Aeropostale, then eerily silent when the classroom doors swing closed. We are nine years removed from the mass murder-suicide that happened here, and 10 miles south of a national political gathering at which the quieting of America's guns has never been... (GunPolicy.org)
US Democrats Discuss Courting Hunters, Gun Owners for Their Votes
28 August 2008
National Journal (USA)
Stepping gingerly back into the thicket of gun politics, some Democrats are offering up a few proposals to make them less on the defensive on an issue that many claim cost former Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the presidency.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., spoke at a National Wildlife Federation briefing Wednesday afternoon, pushing efforts to expand conservation areas for hunting and fishing grounds as well as... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain 'No Comment' on Staff Gun Lobbyist, 'Terror Gap' Gun Loophole
23 August 2008
Newsweek (USA)
Sen. John McCain portrays himself as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights. But does that extend to gun rights for suspected terrorists? His campaign won't say where he stands on a bill to eliminate a gun-control loophole that even the Bush administration wants closed: a gap in federal law that inhibits the government from stopping people on terrorist watch lists from buying guns. The bill was inspired by an official audit covering a five-month period in 2004... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Distances, Embraces Lobby Boss Linked to NRA Paid Spy Caper
22 August 2008
Mother Jones (USA) / MojoBlog, Blog
Earlier this week, ABC News reported that the McCain campaign was seeking to distance itself from adviser James Jay Baker, a onetime NRA official and current lobbyist for the gun rights group, who is reportedly a member of McCain's "kitchen cabinet." Questioned by ABC, the campaign played down his involvement, describing him as a "high level volunteer."
It stands to reason why the campaign would want to draw a wide berth around Baker. Until 2002, Baker was the... (GunPolicy.org)
Heavyweight 320-Mayor Group Backs Illinois Republican on Gun Control
19 August 2008
Lake County News-Sun (Illinois)
NORTHBROOK — John McCain and Barack Obama might be winnowing their list of potential running mates, but New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg — a former Democrat and current Republican whose name has been included in the vice-presidential guessing game — had no bombshells to announce as he passed through the North Shore on Monday.
"If either (future) administration asks me for advice, I'd be happy to give it," Bloomberg told a gathering of Chicago press at the... (GunPolicy.org)
Republicans Strive to Discredit Obama on Chicago Gun Law, Gun Crime
16 August 2008
Chicago Tribune
Few presidential candidates in modern times have been identified with a large urban area like Barack Obama is with Chicago. And sometimes, that can present a problem.
This election season, for instance, the residents of Obama's hometown are being murdered at a clip not seen in five years.
Murders have risen 18 percent over a year ago. Assaults in the city involving guns are also rising. City officials, Police Supt. Jody Weis and the police force are increasingly... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama a 'Poster Child of Extremist, Elitist Gun Control Movement' - NRA
13 August 2008
Associated Press
HELENA, Montana — The National Rifle Association said Wednesday that Barack Obama's campaign is trying to mislead voters about his past support of gun control, calling the Democratic candidate "a poster child of the extremist, elitist gun control movement."
The group was responding to recent remarks by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat who supports gun rights and told reporters this week that Obama "ain't ever going to take your gun away." Schweitzer, who has... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'Gun Show Loophole' Sales Thwart Gun Violence Reduction - JAMA
13 August 2008
Journal of the American Medical Association / JAMA. 2008;300(6):640-641.
Last spring, a group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a coalition of US mayors who want more stringent regulation of firearm sales, unveiled a television commercial featuring clips from speeches by the 3 leading presidential candidates. In these clips, Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton (D, NY), Sen Barack Obama (D, Ill), and Sen John McCain (R, Ariz) said they oppose a "gun show loophole" that allows individuals to purchase firearms without a background check.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Journal of the American Medical Association / JAMA. 2008;300(6):640-641.
McCain, Obama 'No Advantage' on Gun Issues, Says Montana Governor
12 August 2008
Associated Press
HELENA — Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Tuesday that he doesn't think Republican John McCain has an advantage over Barack Obama on gun issues, suggesting those who vote solely based on gun issues may have to vote for someone else.
"Neither of these guys is the favorite of the (National Rifle Association)," Schweitzer said. "If guns are your primary issue, you may not like either of these guys."
Schweitzer, who hangs a gun on his wall in apparent defiance of an ordinance... (GunPolicy.org)
US Sportsmen Back McCain Over Obama, But Only by Small Margin - Poll
12 August 2008
Politico (Washington, DC), Blog
Few hunters are pining for a day in the woods with Barack Obama but a surprising number of sportsmen say they'll vote for him — far more than backed Al Gore or pheasant-hunting John Kerry.
According to a Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation poll to be released Wednesday, John McCain leads Obama by a 45 to 31 percent. That's only about half the 27-point edge respondents say they gave George W. Bush over Kerry four years ago and far short of the 65-to-15 percent margin... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Firearm Lobby, Dealers Talk Up Gun Demand, Cite Fear of Obama
28 July 2008
American-Statesman (Texas)
Austin-area firearms dealers may have the Democrats to thank for brisk sales this summer.
The prospect that the next presidential administration might favor new gun-control laws has gun enthusiasts bringing dollars and concerns to local firearms stores ahead of the November election.
Lately, some Central Texans have been talking about laws from the 1990s — passed under a Democratic president and Congress — that restricted semiautomatic rifles, governed the sale... (GunPolicy.org)
American Gun Owners Seem Wary of Obama, Lukewarm on McCain
27 July 2008
Houston Chronicle (Texas)
WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is selling a yard sign plastered with the slogan: "I'm a bitter gun owner and I vote."
The dig at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama — who once suggested working-class people are bitter about their economic circumstances and "cling to guns and religion" — is part of a planned $40 million NRA push to defeat Obama in a number of swing states with large numbers of hunters, including Ohio, Michigan and... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Ruling 'Will Lead to More Deaths,' Say US Doctors, Major Med Journal
9 July 2008
Reuters
WASHINGTON — Last month's Supreme Court ruling striking down a strict gun control law in the U.S. capital will lead to more deaths and accidental injuries, the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine said on Wednesday.
They joined a growing clamor from medical doctors, especially emergency room physicians, who fear a surge of accidental deaths, murders and suicides if handguns become more easily available than they already are.
The ruling struck down a law in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Rights Ruling Will Cost Lives, Both in America and Canada
3 July 2008
Red Deer Advocate (Alberta), Opinion
It's amazing how well-educated, intelligent people can so often do stupid things.
Consider, for instance, the United States Supreme Court's decision to shoot down the 32-year-old ban on handguns in Washington, D.C. last week — declaring it unconstitutional.
By a 5-4 margin, the nine justices effectively ruled every American has the right to own guns for self-defence and for hunting.
Not surprisingly, supporters of the National Rifle Association are claiming victory... (GunPolicy.org)
Disintegration of US Democrats' Gun Control Push 'Pretty Much Complete'
30 June 2008
New York Times / Campaign Stops, Blog
The Obama campaign Web site's "In the News" section, which chronicles Barack Obama's recent statements on the 36th anniversary of the passage of Title IX and the Juneteenth holiday celebration, does not include his reaction to the United States Supreme Court decision last week to strike down the District of Columbia's ban on handguns. Though I couldn't find it on the Web site, the campaign did issue a statement — albeit a fairly tepid one — on the Court ruling.
"I... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama May Prove Biggest Winner in Wake of US Gun Rights Decision
29 June 2008
Boston Globe, Column
When it comes to gun control, the Democratic Party is a house divided against itself. That helps explain Barack Obama's dizzyingly inconsistent positions on District of Columbia v. Heller, the landmark Second Amendment case decided by the Supreme Court last week.
As a candidate for the Illinois Legislature in the 1990s, Obama had supported legislation to "ban the manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns," so it wasn't surprising that he endorsed the gun ban being... (GunPolicy.org)
DC Handgun Ban Decision 'Offered Something for Both Sides'
28 June 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
NEW YORK, WASHINGTON — A fortnight ago the Mayor of Washington, Adrian Fenty, instructed his police to set up roadblocks and search everyone entering the suburb of Trinidad, three kilometres from the White House.
There had been 22 murders in Trinidad in the first five months of this year. Most were drive-by shootings associated with the drug trade.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the District of Columbia's ban on handguns, introduced in 1976, was... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Decision Retains Wide Latitude for Restricting Gun Use in America
28 June 2008
Press-Telegram (California), Editorial
Some of the reaction to the Supreme Court's historic decision on gun control has been extreme, even to the point of laying thousands of future deaths directly at the court's door. More likely, in most places, it will make no immediate difference at all.
Long Beach's police chief, Anthony Batts, had it mostly right last week when he said the court's decision wouldn't change much in California. (Actually, it will matter in places like San Francisco, where strict local... (GunPolicy.org)
US Republicans, NRA Vow to Make Gun Rights a Defining Election Issue
27 June 2008
The Hill (Washington DC)
Republicans believe Thursday's Supreme Court ruling striking down Washington D.C.'s handgun ban has revived gun rights as a campaign issue, benefiting the GOP up and down the November ticket.
"The gun issue is not going away," said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the Republican presidential candidate. "We are going to drive it. We are going to keep talking about this issue."
Republicans will be aided by the National Rifle Association, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Pundits Say US Supreme Court Made Gun Control an Election Non-issue
27 June 2008
New York Magazine
What were the candidates' reactions to yesterday's landmark decision on gun rights by the Supreme Court? John McCain supported it, and Barack Obama… kind of supported it.
There's a paper trail suggesting Obama was for the D.C. ban, but yesterday he claimed to have "always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms" — while also seeing the need for "common-sense, effective safety measures" to protect "crime-ravaged... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Ideology 'Wiped Away Years of Lower Court Decisions'
27 June 2008
Washington Post
The Supreme Court struck down the District of Columbia's ban on handgun possession yesterday and decided for the first time in the nation's history that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual's right to own a gun for self-defense.
The court's landmark 5 to 4 decision split along ideological grounds and wiped away years of lower court decisions that had held that the intent of the amendment, ratified more than 200 years ago, was to tie the right of gun possession... (GunPolicy.org)
Supreme Court Justices 'Went Head to Head' in Narrow 5-4 Gun Opinion
27 June 2008
New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday embraced the long-disputed view that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own a gun for personal use, ruling 5 to 4 that there is a constitutional right to keep a loaded handgun at home for self-defense.
The landmark ruling overturned the District of Columbia ban on handguns, the strictest gun-control law in the country, and appeared certain to usher in a new round of litigation over gun rights throughout the... (GunPolicy.org)
Political Impact of Gun Ruling on US Election Politics 'Has Been Immediate'
27 June 2008
BBC News
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Washington DC handgun ban is likely to have legal and political consequences.
The legal ones are not yet clear. Much depends on whether this federal ruling is seen as applying to other states or cities, which have similarly tough gun laws.
In his majority brief, Justice Antonin Scalia predicted future, complex legal arguments about some of the restrictions, which the court had ruled were valid, such as denying the sale... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Debate Pushed Back to the Forefront of America's Political Agenda
27 June 2008
Washington Post
With yesterday's decision, the Supreme Court pushed the gun issue back to the forefront of the nation's agenda, opening a new chapter in what has been one of the most contentious and divisive debates in American politics for the past four decades.
Advocacy groups braced for new skirmishes, both in courts and in legislatures. Gun rights advocates, hailing what they called a historic milestone, immediately targeted other jurisdictions with laws similar to those in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ruling Reverberates in Presidential Campaign - McCain, Obama
27 June 2008
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON — Democrat Barack Obama offered a guarded response Thursday to the Supreme Court ruling striking down the District of Columbia's prohibition on handguns and sidestepped providing a view on the 32-year-old local gun ban, leading Republican rival John McCain's campaign to accuse him of an "incredible flip-flop" on gun control.
Obama issued a carefully worded written statement that applauded the court for providing "much-needed guidance to local... (GunPolicy.org)
US Court 'Unwisely Opens Door to Legal Attacks on Effective Gun Control'
27 June 2008
Los Angeles Times, Column
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled for the first time that the 2nd Amendment explicitly protects Americans' right to own guns for self-defense — resolving one of the Constitution's oldest disputes and reviving the debate over gun rights, crime and violence.
The landmark decision struck down a District of Columbia ordinance, the strictest in the nation, that barred homeowners from keeping handguns. The ruling brought immediate court challenges to... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Ensures Even More Americans Will Die by Gunshot
27 June 2008
New York Times, Editorial
Thirty-thousand Americans are killed by guns every year — on the job, walking to school, at the shopping mall. The Supreme Court on Thursday all but ensured that even more Americans will die senselessly with its wrongheaded and dangerous ruling striking down key parts of the District of Columbia's gun-control law.
In a radical break from 70 years of Supreme Court precedent, Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, declared that the Second Amendment... (GunPolicy.org)
Conservatives Could Now Find it Harder to Whip Up US Election Gun Fear
27 June 2008
Salon (USA), Web Page
WASHINGTON — "God, gays and guns" have been pretty good to Republicans over the last few campaigns. The Karl Rove playbook says not to worry if the war in Iraq has been a disaster or the economy is tanking — just fire away at your opponent's liberal views on a few wedge issues and then waltz your way into Washington.
To listen to John McCain's campaign, Thursday's 5-to-4 landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning a law banning handguns in Washington, D.C., played... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Decision 'Frightening,' Chicago Mayor Braces for NRA Attack
27 June 2008
New York Times
WASHINGTON — Gun-control advocates across the country reacted with shock and outrage at the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the District of Columbia's ban on handguns today, saying the ruling would threaten gun-control measures in other states.
If there was any doubt that other bans would be in peril, the National Rifle Association quickly put those questions to rest when it announced shortly after the ruling that it would file a flurry of lawsuits... (GunPolicy.org)
Close US Gun Show Loophole, Tighten Background Checks - Obama
27 June 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
American mayors and legislators are closely studying today's Supreme Court ruling which clarifies the constitutional right of an individual to have a gun and may make many cities' gun control efforts invalid..
The 5-4 landmark ruling is the first time the Supreme Court has clarified what the second amendment means. The majority concluded that the "right to bear arms" extends to the individual, not just the rights of states to maintain militias, like state guards and... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Launches Anti-Obama Broadside Over 'Sacred' Right to Guns
27 June 2008
Agence France Presse
WASHINGTON — Republican John McCain opened fire with a full-bore political attack on Democratic White House rival Barack Obama after the Supreme Court upheld individuals' right to bear arms Thursday.
McCain, bidding to taint Obama's candidacy among gun-owners and rural voters, used the historic ruling to highlight how the Democrat's view of the US constitution's second amendment on gun rights had evolved down the years.
But Obama said the Supreme Court had backed... (GunPolicy.org)
In Election Run-up, Obama Moves His Gun Control Views to the Centre
26 June 2008
Time (USA)
WASHINGTON — When the Supreme Court issues rulings on hot-button issues like gun control and the death penalty in the middle of a presidential campaign, Republicans could be excused for thinking they'll have the perfect opportunity to paint their Democratic opponent as an out-of-touch social liberal. But while Barack Obama may be ranked as one of the Senate's most liberal members, his reactions to this week's controversial court decisions showed yet again how he is... (GunPolicy.org)
Reported Gun Control Positions of US Presidential Candidates
26 June 2008
Reuters
The Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday that Americans have the right to own guns for personal use could become an issue in the U.S. presidential race.
Here are the positions of the two candidates in November's election:
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE SEN. BARACK OBAMA
Wants tighter background checks on gun buyers, making gun locks mandatory and holding parents criminally responsible for children who injure someone with a gun found at home. Supports reinstating assault-weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Joins Wide Range of Reaction to American Gun Law Decision
26 June 2008
Bloomberg (USA)
A divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled for the first time that the Constitution protects individual gun rights, striking down the District of Columbia's handgun ban and raising questions about weapons restrictions elsewhere.
The 5-4 ruling resolves a constitutional question that had lurked for two centuries: whether the Second Amendment covers people who aren't affiliated with a state-run militia.
"The enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain... (GunPolicy.org)
US Court Ruling 'Clear Victory for Gun Advocates,' But Debate Rages On
26 June 2008
US News & World Report
The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling today upholding an individual right to bear arms is a clear victory for gun advocates. But the court's divided decision is unlikely to end debate over myriad other gun control proposals across the country.
In a 5-to-4 decision, the majority opinion, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, held for the first time that the Constitution provides an individual right to bear arms, such as for self-defense, rather than a right that applies only to... (GunPolicy.org)
US Right to Own Guns Remains Subject to 'Reasonable Limitations'
26 June 2008
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court tossed out a handgun ban in the nation's capital on Thursday, holding for the first time that the Second Amendment does protect an individual right to self-defense and gun ownership.
But in its first hard look at gun rights in nearly 70 years, the court also held — in a narrow, 5-4 ruling — that the right is subject to some reasonable limitations.
"Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right... (GunPolicy.org)
'Dangerous and Unusual' Guns Can Still Be Controlled in America
26 June 2008
Economist
After 217 years, the Supreme Court appears at last to have settled one of the most hotly disputed questions in American constitutional law: who has the right to pack heat? The second amendment says: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The odd punctuation makes it unclear what this means. Can anyone own a gun, or only those who serve in a militia?
On Thursday... (GunPolicy.org)
Moderate US Hunter-shooter Lobby Joins NRA in Opposing DC Gun Ban
24 June 2008
New West (Montana), Column
Even when you're the biggest and toughest of them all there's always somebody there to challenge you, as the National Rifle Association (NRA) has learned. The NRA's two-year-old nemesis, the American Hunters and Shooters Association (ASHA) just won't go away.
"I'm here to tell you we're alive and well and plan to continue being a viable alternative to the NRA," announced AHSA President Ray Schoenke at a news conference at the annual conference of the Outdoor Writers... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control 'Removed from US Agenda:' NRA's Political Clout is Waning
14 June 2008
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — Eight years after a national debate over gun control helped keep Democrat Al Gore out of the White House, the National Rifle Assn. and its Republican allies are launching a new campaign to defeat Barack Obama.
But this time, the issue that GOP strategists once relied on to provide crucial votes in close elections has lost much of its political punch.
Congress hasn't passed major legislation to restrict gun use in 14 years. Democrats — scarred by past... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Gun Control Boss Braces for Loss in Supreme Court, New Strategies
12 June 2008
ABC News (USA)
The nation's leading gun control group filed a "friend of the court" brief back in January defending the gun ban in Washington, D.C. But with the Supreme Court poised to hand down a potentially landmark decision in the case, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence fully expects to lose.
"We've lost the battle on what the Second Amendment means," campaign president Paul Helmke told ABC News. "Seventy-five percent of the public thinks it's an individual right. Why... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama, McCain on Gun Control, Gun Shows and Banning Assault Weapons
3 June 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A look at where Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stand on a selection of issues as they go head-to-head for the presidency:
…
GUN CONTROL
McCain: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons but in favor of requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and dealers from civil suits. "I believe the Second Amendment ought to be preserved — which means no gun control."
Obama: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain on Gun Control, Gun Shows, Assault Weapons, the UN and the NRA
1 June 2008
America's 1st Freedom / National Rifle Association of America
To say that the 2008 elections will be crucial for the future of the Second Amendment would be an understatement. Future efforts to preserve our gun rights and our hunting heritage hinge on who will take the helm at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next January. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox recently sat down with presumptive Republican nominee Senator John McCain. They asked him some direct questions about his record... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: America's 1st Freedom / National Rifle Association of America
Hillary Clinton No Longer Favours Handgun Registration, Owner Licensing
31 May 2008
Billings Gazette (Montana)
HELENA — Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton told Montana reporters Friday that she no longer favors national handgun registration and licensing, even as she supports such measures in her adopted state of New York.
"What I came out for was the New York law," the U.S. senator said in a noon conference call Friday. "I don't think there is any contradiction between defending Second Amendment rights and trying to keep guns out of the hands of"... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Campaign Aims to Split McCain and the 'Suffering' NRA
22 May 2008
Washington Times, Blog
The Brady Campaign, the group that campaigns for stricter gun control laws, is hoping to rain on Sen. John McCain's overtures to the National Rifle Association, arguing the two are an unlikely fit for each other.
Brady President Paul Helmke, in a new blog, says the NRA must be suffering since the candidate it's stuck with having to support, McCain, has earned only a "C+" grade from the NRA.
Helmke reminds his readers exactly why some gun control groups were thrilled... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Fronts for Republicans, Fails its Members, Says Moderate Rival Group
21 May 2008
Herald-Leader (Kentucky), Column
Last weekend's National Rifle Association convention in Louisville could easily have been mistaken for a Republican campaign rally.
"If either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk my friends — and have no doubt about it," John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, told the crowd.
Former Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee also spoke, with Huckabee making — and later... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control's Political Backers Not Confident of Gains, Even in 2009
20 May 2008
The Hill (Washington DC)
Lawmakers who favor gun control are not optimistic about next year even though Democrats may be running Congress and the White House.
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), the sponsor of legislation that would reinstate the expired federal assault weapons ban, dismissed the idea that her bill might pass in the 111th Congress.
"It's a pro-gun House, a pro-gun Senate and [Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)] won't want to deal with it," McCarthy... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA Fears Disaster for American Gun Owners if Democrat Wins Election
19 May 2008
Herald-Leader (Kentucky)
LOUISVILLE — Using Kentucky as a stage, a string of high-profile speakers at the National Rifle Association's 137th annual meeting painted the 2008 presidential race as a showdown over the right to bear arms.
But the fall election also could prove to be a key test of the NRA's political muscle.
The group focused much of its meeting this weekend on gearing up its members, especially the 60,000 who traveled to Louisville, to defeat the Democratic nominee in November,... (GunPolicy.org)
'Sense of Siege' as US Gun Owners Voice Fear of Presidential Candidates
19 May 2008
Toronto Star (Ontario)
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — They stood in long lines to pay homage to icons such as Ted Nugent and Oliver North, they got emotional during a tribute to their fallen hero, Charlton Heston, and they vowed to fight to the death for their cherished right to bear arms.
But there was a sense of siege hanging over the annual National Rifle Association convention here this weekend.
It didn't all stem from booth after booth advertising firearms as the best method of dealing with... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Weighs In on White House Race, Targets Obama, Clinton
18 May 2008
Agence France Presse
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — The powerful US gun lobby has painted the 2008 presidential race as a showdown over the right to bear arms, but the election could also prove to be a key test of its political firepower.
At its annual meeting in Kentucky this weekend, the National Rifle Association focused most of its energy on gearing up its members to defeat the Democratic nominee in November, whether it is Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
NRA leaders warned that both risk... (GunPolicy.org)
Secret Service Strips NRA of Guns, Hundreds of Knives at McCain Speech
17 May 2008
New York Daily News, Column
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — A small but startling sign welcomed the gun lovers who arrived at the National Rifle Association's annual gathering Friday.
"Firearms WILL NOT be allowed in Hall A during the Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum."
Beyond this sign at the Kentucky Exposition Center was a row of 10 metal detectors. They were manned by uniformed Secret Service officers deployed because the scheduled speakers included presumptive Republican nominee... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Says He Doesn't Own a Gun, Then Strongly Courts US Gun Lobby
17 May 2008
New York Times
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Senator John McCain reached out to the National Rifle Association on Friday and warned 6,000 people at the group's annual convention that a President Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton would put the rights of "law-abiding" gun owners at risk.
In a speech in one of two states where political primaries are to be held on Tuesday, Mr. McCain mocked Mr. Obama before the gun lobbying group he has tangled with in the past, but whose endorsement he... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Shows Strong Pro-Gun Side, Tries to Mend Fences with Gun Lobby
17 May 2008
Washington Post
LOUISVILLE — Sen. John McCain, once derided as one of the "premier flag-carriers for the enemies of the Second Amendment" by the National Rifle Association, enthusiastically embraced the group's pro-gun agenda at its annual convention here Friday.
In front of a crowd of about 6,000 people who gave him two standing ovations, McCain also mocked Democratic Sen. Barack Obama as a liberal, anti-gun politician and made a direct appeal to the "bitter" voters Obama said were... (GunPolicy.org)
Trying to Mend Fences with US Gun Lobby, McCain Attacks Democrats
17 May 2008
Los Angeles Times
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Sen. John McCain, working to mend a frayed relationship with some of the Republican Party's most dedicated foot soldiers, went to the National Rifle Assn.'s annual conference here Friday to assure wary members he is a friend of the 2nd Amendment.
The Arizona senator and presumptive GOP presidential nominee may still have some work to do.
McCain, who asked to speak to the group despite past battles with the organization over restrictions on... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Tells US Gun Lobby Members They Should Fear Obama and Clinton
16 May 2008
Los Angeles Times
Sen. John McCain moved to mend some political fences today, reaching out to reassure gun rights supporters that he will make a better president than his possible Democratic opponents.
At a stop at the annual meeting of National Rifle Assn. in Louisville, Ky., McCain acknowledged that he had differed with the group on some forms of gun regulation and on campaign financing. But the presumptive GOP presidential nominee insisted that he was a better choice that either Sen.... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Says Obama and Clinton Threaten Americans' Right to Bear Arms
16 May 2008
Reuters
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Republican presidential candidate John McCain warned gun owners on Friday that his Democratic opponents Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would threaten their right to bear arms, as he sought to rally conservatives' support in the November election.
The right to bear arms in the Constitution's second amendment is considered sacred by many U.S. gun owners. Both Obama and Clinton tout their support for it, although they also say ways must be... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Courts US Pro-gun Lobby, Visits Gun Shop Before NRA Speech
16 May 2008
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Courting his sometime critics within the gun lobby, John McCain told the National Rifle Association on Friday that Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton would both undermine the rights of gun owners.
"If either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk my friends — and have no doubt about it," the Republican nominee-in-waiting told a crowd of several thousand.... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handguns NOT Allowed at McCain Speech to NRA - Secret Service
15 May 2008
WHAS-TV News (Kentucky)
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — It's expected to bring some 60,000 people to Louisville and some prominent political figures, including presidential candidate John McCain.
The NRA convention starts Friday at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
We first told you on WHAS11 news that guns would be allowed at Friday's event with McCain. Now we've learned that's changed.
The south wing was bustling with activity Thursday, the day before the National Rifle Association Convention... (GunPolicy.org)
US Mayors Air Gun Control TV Ads Just as McCain Courts NRA in Kentucky
15 May 2008
New York Times / City Room, Blog
Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a coalition founded by Mayors Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Thomas M. Menino of Boston, announced today that it was placing a television advertisement in Kentucky, which is holding Democratic and Republican presidential primaries on May 20. But anyone who expected the nonpartisan group to take a stand that could affect the fortunes of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama or John McCain is likely to be disappointed.
The ad is intended... (GunPolicy.org)
Only John McCain 'Has a Pro-gun Record of Any Kind,' Says US NRA Chief
14 May 2008
Courier-Journal (Kentucky)
America's largest gun-rights lobby expects up to 70,000 people to gather for its annual convention that opens this week in Louisville, an event that will include an address by Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
The Courier-Journal sat down yesterday with Wayne LaPierre, the National Rifle Association's executive vice president, to discuss the presidential election, gun laws and other issues.
Question: What are the NRA's concerns as you... (GunPolicy.org)
US NRA Chief Stresses Common Ground with Republican John McCain
13 May 2008
Washington Post / AP
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — A top official of the National Rifle Association said Republican John McCain has been a reliable ally of gun owners despite divisions with the powerful lobbying group on some issues.
"We've had our disagreements, everybody knows it," NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. "I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on those. We're not foolish enough to ignore the vast areas of agreement... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle Cop Killing, Easy Access to Guns Has Philadelphia Reeling
6 May 2008
Philadelphia Inquirer, Editorial
The cold-blooded killing of Philadelphia Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski is yet another sad reminder of the violence that rages on the streets, thanks to the easy access of guns and a disregard for human life.
Sgt. Liczbinski should be celebrating his 40th birthday today with his wife and three children. Instead, his family is preparing for his funeral.
Sgt. Liczbinski was gunned down Saturday while trying to stop a band of thugs fleeing from a harebrained bank robbery... (GunPolicy.org)
Nashville Gun Dealer Applauds Mayors Trying to Close Gun Show Loophole
27 April 2008
City Paper (Nashville)
A national movement among urban mayors against illegal guns and the so-called "gun show loophole" has made its way to Knoxville and Memphis. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said he is exploring joining that cause.
Over 250 mayors from 40 states have signed on to the coalition, which seeks to cut down on the illegal purchasing and selling of guns. The first battlefront is eliminating the so-called "gun show loophole," which allows individual gun owners to sell to other... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama's 9yrs on Board of 'Pro-gun Control' Joyce Foundation Dissected
19 April 2008
Politico (Washington, DC)
Barack Obama's presidential campaign has worked to assure uneasy gun owners that he believes the Constitution protects their rights and that he doesn't want to take away their guns.
But before he became a national political figure, he sat on the board of a Chicago-based foundation that doled out at least nine grants totaling nearly $2.7 million to groups that advocated the opposite positions.
The foundation funded legal scholarship advancing the theory that the Second... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton, Obama Campaign for Tough, Untrusting Crowd of US Gun Owners
18 April 2008
Chicago Tribune
ALBURTIS, Pennsylvania — Their passion is on display, table by table, row by row.
Six-shooter revolvers, World War II-era rifles, plastic automatics, AK-47s, knives as long as your forearm, Nazi memorabilia, sniper scopes, hunting shotguns, bullets, shells, stickers ("If You Come In This Door, You Will Be Killed").
It's a drizzly, chilly morning in this tiny eastern Pennsylvania town, but the muddy parking lot outside the low-slung cinder block community center for... (GunPolicy.org)
Baltimore, Boston, New York Mayors in US Election TV Ads for Gun Control
16 April 2008
Baltimore Sun
Mayor Sheila Dixon appears in a TV ad that's running around the country. In it, she's identified as a Barack Obama supporter. But the Illinois senator isn't likely to welcome the gesture.
Appearing in the same ad are Jacksonville, Fla., Mayor John Peyton, who backs John McCain, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who's in Hillary Clinton's camp. All three mayors urge the presidential candidates to support closing a loophole that allows felons to buy guns at gun shows. So... (GunPolicy.org)
Wal-Mart, US Mayors Pressure Presidential Hopefuls on Gun Trafficking
15 April 2008
New York Times
A coalition of mayors in favor of gun control, led by Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Thomas M. Menino of Boston, said on Monday that it had reached a 10-point agreement with Wal-Mart, the country's largest seller of guns, to track the sale of firearms more closely.
The agreement between Wal-Mart and the group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which Mr. Bloomberg helped to organize in 2006, calls for turning a more watchful eye on firearm sales, including videotaping... (GunPolicy.org)
Declared Policies of Three US Presidential Candidates on Gun Control - AP
14 April 2008
Associated Press
A look at some of the presidential candidates' positions on gun control:
- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY: Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows. Calls for renewing the ban, which expired in 2004. Favored leaving gun-makers and dealers open to civil suits. In 2000, supported proposals for a federal requirement for state-issued photo gun licenses, as well as a national registry for handgun sales.
- Sen. Barack Obama,... (GunPolicy.org)
Big-City US Mayors Dare Presidential Hopefuls to Stop Avoiding Gun Control
14 April 2008
ABC News (USA)
A group of 300 mayors from across the nation have banded together to produce an advertisement aimed at forcing the three remaining presidential hopefuls — Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain — to tackle gun control.
The ad is being released nationwide today and will appear on television, radio and the Internet. The release coincides with the third annual Mayors Coalition Against Illegal Guns in Washington, D.C., which... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Mayor Corners All 3 US Presidential Hopefuls on Gun Show Sales
14 April 2008
Washington Post / The Trail, Blog
A coalition of big-city mayors is using the words of the three presidential candidates as backing for their mission to enforce stricter gun control.
The group, called Mayors Against Illegal Guns, has released a television ad that shows Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain each calling for legislation to close the loophole that allows guns to be sold at gun shows without the same checks as in a store. The release coincided with the group's 2008 annual summit in... (GunPolicy.org)
Wal-Mart Toughens Gun Sale Policies, Joins US Mayors Against Illegal Guns
14 April 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Wal-Mart, the nation's largest seller of firearms, announced Monday it will toughen rules for gun sales, from storing video of purchases to creating an internal log of which guns they sell that are later used in crimes.
J.P. Suarez, the chief compliance officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., appeared with outspoken gun control advocate Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York to announce the changes at a gathering of Bloomberg's group Mayors Against Illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Belittles Gun Owners, 'Annie Oakley' Clinton Jumps to Their Defence
14 April 2008
Associated Press
STEELTON, Pennsylvania — Accused of being elitist, a defiant Sen. Barack Obama lashed out at rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying "Shame on her" and mocking her vocal support for gun rights as their political tempest threatened to consume the Democratic presidential race.
It was a startling twist Sunday to the three-day controversy that erupted after the publication of comments the Illinois senator made at a San Francisco fundraiser a week earlier. At that... (GunPolicy.org)
Republicans Want McCain, So Florida Suffers 'Take Your Gun to Work' Bill
12 April 2008
Palm Beach Post (Florida), Editorial
Florida will have Take Your Gun To Work Day because Republicans want John McCain to be president.
Twice before, the National Rifle Association demanded that the Legislature prevent private businesses from making their property firearms-free. Both times, the NRA failed. But this election year, with most NRA members likely McCain voters, the bill whizzed through. Gov. Crist, who for weeks has paid more attention to Sen. McCain than to Florida, will sign it because... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain No Longer Supports Closing US Gun Show Loophole - Democrats
10 April 2008
Baltimore Sun
In polling swing voters about Sen. John McCain, the Democratic National Committee gave them information that seems decidedly at odds with the facts.
During a briefing this afternoon, Democratic pollster Allan Rivlin said that swing voters in 17 states reacted negatively when they learned that McCain no longer supported closing the gun show loophole and opposed any new gun control laws.
In fact, McCain continues to support closing the gun show loophole, which he... (GunPolicy.org)
McCain Must Please US Gun Owners in 'Most Important Year in NRA History'
9 April 2008
The Hill (Washington, DC)
If Sen. John McCain expects the support of gun owners in this year's presidential race, the Arizona Republican must make an effort to overcome some decisions the National Rifle Association (NRA) has found troubling.
"John McCain still has some work to do to give them a comfort level," Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA, said during an interview with The Hill. "Truth be told, he's not there yet."
Cox said McCain and the anti-gun control group have endured some... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Aims for Pro-gun Vote, Courts Firearm Owners in US Heartland
7 April 2008
Politico (Washington, DC) / Capitol News
Barack Obama did not hunt or fish as a child. He lives in a big city. And as an Illinois state legislator and a U.S. senator, he consistently backed gun control legislation.
But he is nevertheless making a play for pro-gun voters in rural Pennsylvania.
By highlighting his background in constitutional law and downplaying his voting record, Obama is engaging in a quiet but targeted drive to win over an important constituency that on the surface might seem hostile to... (GunPolicy.org)
Barack Obama Comes Out Against Hidden Handguns, Gun Law Loopholes
3 April 2008
Townhall (USA), Web Page
Barack Obama is embracing anti-gun policies in the run-up to a Democratic presidential debate scheduled on the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings.
"I am not in favor of concealed weapons," Obama told the Pittsburgh Tribune. "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations."
These remarks break from Obama's previous moderate rhetoric on gun control.
While campaigning in Idaho in February,... (GunPolicy.org)
Presidential Hopefuls' Gun Control Positions May Count in Pennsylvania Vote
2 April 2008
Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh)
Chad Ramsey likes what he sees.
That worries Kim Stolfer.
Ramsey, the associate director of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, says each of the three presidential candidates has, to some degree, supported the center's efforts to regulate the gun trade. That hasn't been the case in an election year for a long time.
Stolfer says gun rights advocates such as himself shouldn't seriously consider Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, but added he has... (GunPolicy.org)
Barack Obama, 1996: 'Ban Manufacture, Sale, Possession of Handguns'
31 March 2008
CBS News (USA) / Politico (Washington, DC)
During his first run for elected office, Barack Obama played a greater role than his aides now acknowledge in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion — positions that appear at odds with the more moderate image he's projected during his presidential campaign.
The evidence comes from an amended version of an Illinois voter group's detailed questionnaire, filed under his name during his 1996 bid for a state Senate seat.
Late last year,... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Have Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama Ducked the Gun Control Issue?
25 March 2008
McClatchy Newspapers (USA)
WASHINGTON — When Supreme Court justices debate the legality of the District of Columbia's ban on handguns in coming weeks, their file will include a legal brief from Vice President Dick Cheney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and 54 other senators asking that the law be overturned.
But they won't find anything from Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York or Barack Obama of Illinois. They didn't sign the rival brief from other members of Congress who back the tough... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Could Get Sticky for US Democratic Hopefuls in Pennsylvania
25 March 2008
National Journal (Washington, DC)
When Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton square off in an April 16 debate in Philadelphia, they may be forced to spend time discussing an issue neither has talked much about in this campaign: gun control. April 16 will mark one year since the murder of 32 students at Virginia Tech, the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence will stage events around the country that day calling for stronger gun regulations, and for the... (GunPolicy.org)
US High Court Fails to Join Clamour for Pro-gun Reading of 2nd Amendment
19 March 2008
International Herald Tribune / Boston Globe
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court took up the politically charged issue of gun-control laws for the first time in 69 years, as a Washington man asked the justices to strike down a local law that prevents him from keeping a handgun in his home.
In one of the most closely watched cases of the term, Dick Heller, a security guard who carries a gun while on duty but cannot bring it home at night under a 1976 handgun ban, on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to deliver a... (GunPolicy.org)
Reactions to US Supreme Court Gun Ban Arguments - Selected Quotes
18 March 2008
Associated Press
Some quotes about arguments before the Supreme Court on the District of Columbia's gun ban:
"As mayor of the District of Columbia, more guns anywhere in the District of Columbia is going to lead to more crime. And that is why we stand so steadfastly against any repeal of our handgun ban." — Mayor Adrian Fenty.
"This morning the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether or not the Second Amendment actually means anything. Is it some sort of a relic of the past that... (GunPolicy.org)
Will US Supreme Court Accept or Overturn the DC Gun Ban? - BBC Q&A
18 March 2008
BBC News
The US Supreme Court is grasping the thorny issue of Americans' right to bear arms for the first time in almost 70 years. At issue is a challenge to one of the nation's toughest gun laws — but the justices' ruling could have far wider ramifications.
What is the case before the Supreme Court?
The nine justices are to hear a challenge to one of the toughest gun laws in the nation - a virtual ban on private handgun ownership in the city of Washington DC, passed in... (GunPolicy.org)
Landmark Gun Control Case Re-opens Right/Left Split in US Supreme Court
18 March 2008
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
WASHINGTON — The opening shots in a gun law case that may pepper this year's presidential race were fired yesterday when the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments about whether the constitutional right to bear arms means Americans can keep handguns at home.
In an unusually long oral argument session, several of the nine justices seemed to hint at their differing positions on the meaning of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which enshrines the right to bear... (GunPolicy.org)
US Weighs Individual Gun Rights Against Community's Right to Public Safety
18 March 2008
Agence France Presse
WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court will Tuesday begin weighing an individual's right to bear arms against a community's right to restrict gun ownership for public safety, an emotional issue that has long divided Americans.
The conservative-leaning court's first decision on gun ownership in almost 70 years is expected to have a far reaching impact on US gun control laws, experts say.
Since 1939, the high court has not ruled on the interpretation of the second... (GunPolicy.org)
US Supreme Court Nears 'Up-or-down Vote on the Limits of Gun Control'
16 March 2008
Washington Times
WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia's fight to preserve its nearly 32-year-old ban on handguns before the U.S. Supreme Court has drawn nationwide attention as an up-or-down vote on the limits of gun control.
"Regardless of who wins and loses, the crucial thing is really going to be what [the justices] are going to say about the Second Amendment," said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Combat Gun Violence. "It will set the ground rules for analyzing... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Advocates, Opponents Ready for Supreme Court Argument
16 March 2008
Fox News (USA)
WASHINGTON — The nine justices of the highest court in the land will meet Tuesday to hear arguments on who the Founders Fathers intended when they called for the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms: a well regulated militia or all individuals.
Tuesday's arguments in front of the Supreme Court — the focal point for gun rights advocates and foes alike — will be the first significant Second Amendment case in front of the high court since 1939. Supporters... (GunPolicy.org)
Historic Gun Control Case to Be Heard Tuesday by US Supreme Court
16 March 2008
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON — It's a shooting war, for certain.
Democrats versus Republicans, cities versus states, cops versus cops, scholars versus scholars, and most bizarrely, the Bush administration against itself.
The root of the conflict lies in a case that will be argued before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, one as dramatic as any in recent memory.
For the first time in almost 70 years, the court will consider whether the 2nd Amendment grants an individual the right to own a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Should Be, But Is Not a Hot Topic for US Presidential Aspirants
16 March 2008
International Herald Tribune / Bloomberg News
This Tuesday is a rare one in the United States, without a presidential primary. The political fireworks instead will be at the Supreme Court, which will hear a case on whether the government can limit firearms.
In a country racked by gun violence, this should be a hot topic among presidential aspirants. It isn't.
The Democratic candidates, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, and, less surprisingly, the likely Republican nominee,... (GunPolicy.org)
Supreme Court Case May Set Broad Precedent for Gun Control in America
16 March 2008
Washington Post
Despite mountains of scholarly research, enough books to fill a library shelf and decades of political battles about gun control, the Supreme Court will have an opportunity this week that is almost unique for a modern court when it examines whether the District's handgun ban violates the Second Amendment.
The nine justices, none of whom has ever ruled directly on the amendment's meaning, will consider a part of the Bill of Rights that has existed without a definitive... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control - Stated Positions of US Presidential Candidates
11 March 2008
Reuters
Following are the positions of the leading U.S. presidential candidates on gun control.
Democrats
Sen. Hillary Clinton
She has said law-abiding citizens should be able to own guns but laws are needed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. She cosponsored legislation to reinstate for 10 years a ban on assault weapons.
The National Rifle Association gives her a failing grade of F for her position on guns.
Sen. Barack Obama
Wants tighter background checks on gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Why It's Been Years Since US Politicians Supported Any Real Gun Control
6 March 2008
US News & World Report
The scenario is all too familiar: A disturbed gunman opens fire in a school, an office, or a shopping center and, before horrified spectators, slaughters innocent men, women, and even children. After the massacres at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, and Omaha's Westroads Mall, the question is always the same: How could this tragedy have been prevented? Inevitably, there are calls for tougher gun control, and routinely they are followed by arguments about... (GunPolicy.org)
Close US Gun Show Loophole, Ban Assault Weapons - Hillary Clinton
3 March 2008
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
AUSTIN — Hillary Rodham Clinton, locked in a fierce battle for Texas, said Monday that as president, she would not try to impose New York-like gun restrictions at the national level.
Mrs. Clinton said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News that she would like to see bans on assault weapons and the end of loopholes that allow weapons to be sold at gun shows without required background checks.
"There can be a meeting of the minds between lawful gun owners and... (GunPolicy.org)
US: Close Gun Show Loophole, Ban Assault Weapons, Limit 1-gun-a-month
1 March 2008
New York Times, Editorial
The Valentine's Day massacre at Northern Illinois University, like the killings at places such as Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, has evoked expressions of horror and sympathy and familiar questions about the killer's motives and mental health. Atrocities like these make Americans feel angry and perhaps helpless.
Our political leaders are not helpless. They could match public shock with prompt, concerted and effective action to make mass shootings a less... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Americans Believe Constitution Guarantees Guns: Courts 'Out of Step'
26 February 2008
USA Today, Poll
WASHINGTON — Guns, and questions about how much power the government has to keep people from owning them, are at the core of one of the most divisive topics in American politics.
Nowhere is that divide more pronounced than in the gap between Americans' beliefs about their rights under the Second Amendment, and how courts have interpreted the law.
Nearly three out of four Americans — 73% — believe the Second Amendment spells out an individual right to own a... (GunPolicy.org)
To Appease Pro-gun Voters, US Presidential Hopefuls Brag of Killing Critters
23 February 2008
New York Times, Opinion
"I shot a banded duck," said Hillary Clinton.
Who says we have heard everything there conceivably could be to say from the presidential candidates?
There is something about an election year that makes politicians start bragging about how many furry or feathered critters they've killed. Otherwise, God forbid, voters might think they were interested in doing something about gun control.
So far, the most memorable gun comments during this campaign have been:
"I'm... (GunPolicy.org)
US Politicians Creeping Around a Debate That Has Citizens Up in Arms
23 February 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
On the third day at his new school in Montgomery County, Maryland, my nine-year-old son came home and excitedly told me they had spent the morning practising code red and code blue.
Code blue, he told me, was when there was a threat outside the school. The school would be locked down, the blinds closed but lessons would continue.
"And code red?" I asked, horrified. "That's when the threat is inside the school, Mum. That's when we have to be really quiet, the teacher... (GunPolicy.org)
Silence on U.S. Domestic Gun Terrorism: Let's Fight the Enemy Within U.S.
18 February 2008
Chicago Tribune, Column
If a man or woman campaigning to be the next president of the United States didn't have a detailed plan to fight foreign terrorists, we'd think he or she was wasting our time.
So why is it that we aren't demanding the Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and Republican front-runner Sen. John McCain have a plan to fight homegrown terrorists?
Why does it take the type of violence that occurred Thursday at Northern Illinois... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama, Clinton, Illinois Shooting Generate Litmus Test of US Gun Politics
18 February 2008
USA Today, Editorial
It may seem callous to say so, but there's no better litmus test for where the USA stands on gun violence than a deadly school shooting during a closely fought presidential race. After Thursday's senseless rampage at Northern Illinois University — where police say Steven Kazmierczak, 27, fatally shot five before shooting himself — reporters sought out the two Democrats, presumably more sympathetic than Republicans to gun control. What they said was instructive.
... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'Guns in Parks' Bill Ramps Up as Attempt to Embarrass Clinton, Obama
16 February 2008
San Jose Mercury News (California) / AP
WASHINGTON — An election-year dispute over whether to allow loaded guns in national parks is holding up a vote on a massive bill affecting public lands from coast to coast.
Democrats accuse Republicans of trying to score political points by injecting a "wedge" issue like gun rights into a noncontroversial bill.
Republicans counter that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to protect the two leading Democratic candidates for president by shielding them from a... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Supports Individual Gun Rights, DC Handgun Ban, Gun Regulation
15 February 2008
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE — Barack Obama said Friday that the country must do "whatever it takes" to eradicate gun violence following a campus shooting in his home state, but he believes in an individual's right to bear arms.
Obama said he spoke to Northern Illinois University's president Friday morning by phone and offered whatever help his Senate office could provide in the investigation and improving campus security. The Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the Illinois... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Policies of Leading US Presidential Candidates - AP Update
4 February 2008
Associated Press
The stands of these 2008 presidential candidates on a selection of issues:
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, Democrats; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Republicans.
(Snip)
GUN CONTROL:
Clinton: Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows. Favored leaving gun-makers and dealers open to civil suits. Also, in 2000 supported... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lover Wonders Why Most of the Neighbors Are Voting Democrat
1 February 2008
Seattle Times
ABERDEEN — Charles Laier has lived here since he was born 65 years ago.
He knows the political players and relishes his run-ins with some of the state's greatest — like the day in 1968 when he gave Warren Magnuson an uncensored piece of his mind to go along with the cocktail the senator was downing at the Morck Hotel.
But there's one thing he just doesn't understand: Why are people here so committed to voting for Democrats?
"You could put Mickey Mouse on the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Presidential Hopefuls Have Mixed Views on Gun Control - List of Policies
18 January 2008
Baxter Bulletin (Arkansas) / Gannett News Service
On Feb. 5, Arkansans will be among those voting in the "Super Duper Tuesday" presidential preferential primaries. This is part of a series on presidential hopefuls' views on different issues.
Democrats
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Clinton said law-abiding citizens should be able to own guns but laws are needed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Clinton supports legislation to provide incentives to states to forward records of prohibited gun buyers to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Baxter Bulletin (Arkansas) / Gannett News Service
Gun Control Policies of US Presidential Candidates - Associated Press
16 January 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The stands of these 2008 presidential candidates on a selection of issues:
Democrats: New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
Republicans: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson.
(Snip)
GUN Control:
Clinton: Supports gun control.
Edwards:... (GunPolicy.org)