Well, at least the gun issue is getting some traction in this election. I know we kind of sneer as groups like the Brady Campaign grasp for relevance, but the silence on the gun issue has actually hurt us too. The media is burying it, largely because it hurts Obama more than it helps him.
You might think that any gun owner worth his salt knows Obama’s record, but trust me, they don’t. A lot of them are concerned about other issues this election, and hearing Obama say he supports the Second Amendment is enough for them to vote on other issues that are concerning them. This is a big problem in Pennsylvania, where the unions have been active conspirators in convincing their membership that Barack Obama is an OK guy on guns. In a state where a lot of gun voters overlap with union voters, that can hurt when combined with media silence.
UPDATE: Chris Cox has an editorial in the Washington Times as well.
Where is Joe the Gun Owner?
I’d like to hear him ask Obama if he supports Chicago’s ban on handguns? Does he think the Second Amendment applies to Chicago as it does DC?
We’ve had a few Joe the Gun Owners. The incident that prompted Obama to say “Even if I want to take your guns, I don’t have the votes in Congress” happened in Pennsylvania, and was from a hand picked Democratic audience. When Obama gets questioned about guns, he reverts to talking points, which are bullshit. As much as I’d like to see McCain skewer Obama on guns, you have to remember that McCain’s record on the issue has some large holes in it too, and you don’t want to give Obama the chance to drive a bus through them. Obama is better off not talking about guns, and McCain is going to be better off letting NRA be the attack dog. The media climate right now is also not conducive to making guns an issue. They were eagar to jump on the issue in 2000 and 2004, but this time they aren’t going to do anything that will endanger Obama, like the gun issue damaged Gore and Kerry. They have an election to win.
Is it just me, or does Paul Helmke’s tone on the Fox site seem tentative and weak? It’s almost as if the piece was written reluctantly, because the victim disarmament folks know that their Chosen One has a profound anti-2A bias – and potential political weakness.
Sebastian, if the media climate is not conducive to making guns an issue now, when will it EVER be conducive?
Failing to advance the case that law-abiding citizens are being prohibited from defending themselves in Chicago (and throughout the US) is a fine issue and should always be advocated.
I imagine even John “Gun-show-loophole” McCain could fine some photogenic Chicago grandmothers who fear for their safety and have been waiting years to obtain government permission to buy, keep and bear arms if furtherance of their own personal safety. If McCain chooses not to it is because his support for RKBA is soft.
Bob Barr for President!
http://www.bobbarr2008.com/articles/?tag=Second%20Amendment
Bob Barr isn’t going to be president. I don’t even think he’s polling a percent at this point. We don’t control the media, and what the media is going to report. Truth be told, I think McCain should hit Obama on the gun issue, but because McCain is weak on that too, he’s probably reluctant. Obama’s perfect come back would be:
“I know you and I agree on sensible regulations John. You yourself have expressed support for closing the gun show loophole. Would you be willing to agree right now, that whoever wins this election, we can work together on this one?”
That would be the perfect way for Obama to back McCain into a corner on guns. Yes, this was a weakness of McCain. That’s why I didn’t vote for him in the primaries. But Bob Barr isn’t going to win even if every second amendment advocate votes for him. It’s either going to be McCain or Obama taking the oath of office on 1/20/09.