Posted on 05/16/2008 2:25:31 PM PDT by neverdem
Presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), looking to shore up support with the once-hostile National Rifle Association (NRA), used his speech to the group’s national convention to blast Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.).
Seizing on what has come to be known as Obama’s “bitterness” comments, McCain on Friday said the Second Amendment “isn’t some archaic custom that matters only to rural Americans who find solace in firearms out of frustration with their economic circumstances.”
In his prepared remarks, McCain also hit Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), though to a noticeably lesser degree.
McCain said Democrats will dress up “in camouflage and pose with guns to demonstrate they care about hunters, even though few gun owners fall for such obvious political theater.”
McCain had some fence-mending to do with the group, which he said has had some “high-profile disagreements” with the senator in the past. McCain’s standing with the NRA was hurt by his support for closing the so-called gun show loophole and his role in championing campaign finance reform.
The senator addressed both issues in his speech, standing firm on his positions.
“Over the years, I haven’t agreed with the NRA on every issue,” McCain acknowledged.
On the gun show loophole, McCain said he believes “an accurate, fair and instant background check at gun shows is a reasonable requirement.”
McCain said he supported campaign finance reform “because I strongly believed our system of financing campaigns was influencing elected officials to put the interests of ‘soft money’ donors ahead of the public interest.
“It is neither my purpose nor the purpose of the legislation to prevent gun owners or any other group of citizens from making their voices heard.”
The NRA was expecting as many as 70,000 attendees at its national convention in Louisville, Ky., where former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, both former GOP presidential rivals to McCain, also spoke.
Did McCain refer to it as “the gun show loophole” in his speech?
The loophole actually is an attempt to ban or restrict private sale between citizens. They are talking “gun show loophole” but when the bill gets passed and signed by hillary, John or Barry guess what? All sales must be recorded.
Straight talk express is lying through his teeth again. That's exactly what his legislation was meant to do.
He’s got some cajones showing up to an NRA meeting and talking about the “gun show loophole”.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of the U.S. involvement in Iraq, here's a sobering statistic:
There has been a monthly average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theatre of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of 2,112 deaths. That gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers.
The firearm death rate in Washington D.C. is 80.6 per 100,000 persons for the same period. That means that you are about 30% more likely to be shot and killed in the U.S. Capital than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion: The U.S. should pull out of Washington.
Um, who give a rip what the purpose of legislation is? The only thing that matter is the result of legislation.
Every time McCain speaks he loses thousands more of voters. He may have a chance if he would just shut up. It makes me sick to think of how the Republicans screwed themselves this year with the two Marxist far left Liberals on the Democratic side, if we had somebody, anybody with any balls we would have a clean sweep. And if we had a strong conservative running instead of Crazy Legs, we would not be in the pickle we are in at the House and Senate.
The lawyers who make up a good chunk of our congresscritters often forget to account for one absolute law: the Law of Unintended Consequences.
I went looking for, but could not find a copy of the transcript of McCain's speech.
How can that be true? Isn’t it illgeal to own a handgun in D.C.?
Why, yes! Must be people from Virginia, then, coming in from the Beltway.
You're saying he wasn't supposed to go to the NRA convention and blast Obama?
I just write em, you interpret how you wish.
Thanks for the link.
Funny I never noticed the words "except when it's reasonable" after "shall not be infringed", or before for that matter.
Why isn’t there prominent mention of Obama ‘s S2433 bill in Congress? This bill would force the U.S. to sign onto the U.N.’s Millennium Declaration, which would commit us not only to “banning small arms and light weapons” but also to adhere to the International Criminal Court Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol. Basically it would give the UN the authority to seize all privately owned firearms.
http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/government/united_nations/news.php?q=1210170368
Most of those deaths were due to explosives, not firearms. The Jihadies don't like to get within range of US troops, because if the troops are in range, so are they. Mostly they use roadside bombs and other IEDs, but also mortars and IIRC, rockets.
Yes, or next thing to it, but probably not for long. In fact technically not now, since the Appeals Court overthrew the law. However I believe a stay has been granted on allowing that to go into effect pending the City's appeal now being deliberated by the Supreme Court.
It’s been posted on another thread. And it is an excellent speech.
Blue helmets make such great aiming points. And they won't stand up to 7.62x51 (AKA .308, AKA 7.62 NATO) FMJ rounds either.
“Obama ‘s S2433 bill in Congress? This bill would force the U.S. to sign onto the U.N.’s Millennium Declaration, which would commit us not only to “banning small arms and light weapons” but also to adhere to the International Criminal Court Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol. Basically it would give the UN the authority to seize all privately owned firearms.”
He is the enemy of America.
“On the gun show loophole, McCain said he believes “an accurate, fair and instant background check at gun shows is a reasonable requirement.”
Someday, when he actually knows what the hell he is talking about regarding this matter, I’ll take him seriously.
There.
Fixed.
To hell with you, John McCain!
Before you go mindlessly parroting some "statistic" that someone e-mailed you, you need to pull out your calculator and check the math, and see if any of the numbers are right.
2112 deaths (if that number is anywhere near correct) over 22 months = 1.83 years, over 160,000 troops - 1.6 100,000s - works out to 720 deaths per 100,000 per year.
Somewhat worse than DC's 80, right?
Even by your math, right?
When he knows what he's talking about on ANY issue, I'll take him seriously.
It bothers me that we're so desperate to elect a man we know to be an absolute looney-tune to the highest office in the land...
Not doubting you at all, but having sources instantly available would greatly help in shutting down the gun control argument.
As eloquently written by John Ross.
Obama challenged Bush and McCain to debate.
Someone should tell “the annointed one” that Bush isn’t running for office.
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