Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Second Amendment 42% Take the Bait!

From: www.washingtonpost.com

"NRA polling indicates that Kerry's many gun-carrying photo-ops have persuaded 42 percent of gun owners in the states that Bush won in 2000 that President Kerry would push for less gun control."

..................................................................................................

This could be seriously bad news, if not addressed by the Republican Party, NRA, informed gun owners, etc., before November rolls around. Kerry has alot of people fooled about his position on the 2nd Amendment.

Both parties seem to be avoiding the real 2nd Amendment issue, somewhat understandably. Makes me sick. (Not crazy, though. I will not vote for a 3rd party, at least not before one of them becomes a viable choice.) Sure would like to see the Republican party display a little more backbone, though.

..................................................................................................


In Swing States, Kerry Reaches For the Gun Votes


By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum

Monday, August 9, 2004; Page E01


Every time you turn around, Sen. John F. Kerry is shooting something. Not with a camera. With a gun.

At the Gunslick Trap Club in Wisconsin last month, the Massachusetts Democrat blew away 17 of 25 clay targets. On a recent flier put out by the Laborers' International Union, he's depicted as a "lifelong hunter." And in one of his own campaign commercials, he's pictured toting a shotgun.

Why so much macho? The answer is simple: The powerful National Rifle Association is determined to put a bullet in the heart of his presidential bid. The only way the Democrat can match its firepower is to fight back early and often.

It won't be easy. When it comes to elections, the NRA tends to get its way. It's widely credited with winning enough swing votes in key states to defeat Al Gore four years ago. And this year it plans to mount a relentless campaign against Kerry. "We're going to be very active," promises Wayne LaPierre, the gun lobby's longtime executive vice president. LaPierre says the NRA will spend $20 million this year, roughly the same amount it laid out in 2000 on behalf of George W. Bush and his allies. But this time, the money will be more targeted and will also be supplemented by a vastly expanded network of volunteer activists. Over the past two years, the NRA has recruited its most energetic members and directed them to organize voters in more than 400 congressional districts nationwide.

Those "election victory coordinators" have been preparing voting drives for months. Through telephone, e-mail and door-to-door canvassing, the coordinators have identified thousands of fellow NRA members and other sympathizers. And to each of them they've relentlessly depicted the Democratic nominee as what LaPierre calls "a Second Amendment phony."

Despite what Kerry's commercials imply, LaPierre says, the Democrat doesn't support the Constitution's Second Amendment right to bear arms. For two decades, LaPierre says, Kerry has voted consistently for gun-control legislation and against the gun lobby.

The NRA is making that case to the general public as well -- in newspaper, radio and television ads. The organization has prepared a 30-minute commercial, for airing in September, in which people from Kerry's home state of Massachusetts call him an elitist rich guy who may hunt occasionally but doesn't back gun-owners' rights. And in a NRA commercial that's already being broadcast in tossup states, LaPierre puts it this way: "Senator Kerry, how can you talk out of both sides of your mouth and keep a straight face?"

That's harsh, but so is the NRA. It has a well-deserved reputation for blasting its opponents and for stirring up its 4 million members enough to motivate them to vote. In an election that's expected to be close, such passion -- and such numbers -- could make a big difference.

Gun owners make up a disproportionate share of the electorate in many of the states that are most contested, including Tennessee, Arkansas, West Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Iowa. "There are hundreds of thousands of gun owners and hunters in those states and the gun issue is worth several percentage points on Election Day," LaPierre says.

Democrats agree. "In certain swing states the NRA is important," says Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

The last presidential election offers ample proof of the claim. In 2000, the NRA's aggressive electioneering probably cost Gore several rural states, any one of which could have sent him to the White House instead of retirement. At least that's what former president Bill Clinton told PBS's Charlie Rose in June. "The NRA had enough votes in New Hampshire, in Arkansas, maybe in Tennessee and Missouri to beat us," Clinton said. "And they whipped us in a few other places."

The memory of those losses has made Democrats super-cautious on the gun issue this year. Their presidential platform espouses support for the Second Amendment but is otherwise unspecific. And despite the many pictures of him shooting a gun, Kerry rarely says a word on the topic. In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Kerry said nothing about guns.

Such studied silence on the details of the issue is an obvious strategy. Democrats have seen the wrath of the NRA in action and want to keep it in check. At a Harvard University seminar after the 2000 election, Steve Rosenthal, a former political director of the AFL-CIO now running independent organizations that are trying to oust Bush, said the best course for Democrats on the gun issue would be to "shut the hell up."

So far this year, that approach has worked pretty well. NRA polling indicates that Kerry's many gun-carrying photo-ops have persuaded 42 percent of gun owners in the states that Bush won in 2000 that President Kerry would push for less gun control.

That's fine with Kerry aides who say the senator in fact is a strong supporter of the right to bear arms and, as a gun owner, has no interest in trying to take people's guns away. But to the NRA so general a statement is a deception that borders on blasphemy. "Kerry has tried to fog the issue," LaPierre says. "Our task is to clear up the atmosphere."

The NRA hopes that LaPierre's outrage is shared by the organization's rank and file. The lobby has several direct-mail appeals in circulation at the moment that ask for money to correct Kerry's record on gun control. "A lot of money will be coming in the next two months, and whatever people send we'll spend on this campaign," LaPierre says.

"The strength of the NRA is that we are there -- we never go away," he says. And that will certainly be true this year. Kerry would be well advised to keep firing back.

The NRA better reach down Kerry's throat on this one--if gun people start believing this guy is acceptable, we've got huge problems in the states that matter.

Steve,

This guy scares me, we have not seen gun control as we will see under a Kerry administration.

Count on several issues going the wrong way:

AWB will be reinstated. And just maybe expanding to all semi-automatic weapons regardless of magazine capacity or "evil" appearance.

Look for a ban on lead projectiles, not just lead shot.

Also, a minimum ten day waiting period for all guns.

Mario Cumo as Attorney General, suing the life out of gun manufacturers.

Bill Clinton as a Supreme Court Justice.

Folks can vote any way they please, but voting for a third party candidate to "teach them a lesson" will surely teach us all a lesson.

I could care less about Kerry's Vietnam service, it's his voting record that needs to be exposed.

Regards,
JB

Chances are that Kerry WILL get elected. A lot of people, many right here on this board, won't vote for Bush because he doesn't fit their idea of what a "Conservative" is. They don't care that a vote for anyone but Bush is a vote for Kerry because they're either too stubborn or too stupid to see that sending a message to the party in power doesn't mean a damn thing unless the party in power remains in power. Losers don't have a lot of influence in DC. They seem to think that if Bush doesn't get reelected that we can just float along in some sort of political vacuum until a real "Conservative" comes along at which time he will be elected and all the wrongs will be righted. Even if Kerry is unable to get much done via Congressional action can you imagine what a Supreme Court with 3 or 4 Kerry appointees would do to what's left of this country? When Kerry does win you can also thank, in some small measure, John Mcain for the fine "Campaign Finance Reform" fiasco which has effectively muzzled many organizations that support Bush.

What Kerry has done is support the "Right to hunt" whatever that is. I would bet a dollar to a pig's orifice that he has not ever hunted on public lands or used anything other than a very exensive european made O/U to hunt birds....never an 870 etc.

His approach to most things is very european....to the point he appears to be snake-bit by the french. He is probably in favor of hunting on expensive private reserves with very controlled protocol on the whole proceedings. How much you want to bet he has never dressed a gamebird or animal?

The Second Amendment isn't about hunting, which is subject to governmental regulation, but about gun ownership....the Right of a private citizen to bear arms.

You can bet that the Right to self-defense is going to come under attack, no matter who wins. Great Britains approach that self-defense is illegal is going to get some play in the future. GB's approach is that "society will protect you" horsehockey!

Kerry's and the democratic party's approach to gun ownership is transparent. Anyone that believes that some severe tests aren't ahead if Kerry wins is sadly mistaken

Doesn't matter what he stands for. This election will be so close that all it will take for Kerry to win is for a small number of "gun rights supporters" to vote third party or just sit this one out because they want to "send a message" to the Republicans or the Bushs. On the morning after election day they're going to look pretty ugly with a big hole in their faces where their noses used to be.

Well, if Kerry can convince some gun-owners/ hunters that he is one of them, how many of his anti-hunting, anti-gun, animal rights constituents is he alienating? In his effort to counter the NRAs power he may be driving away a like numberof his core supporters. Or, maybe both sides of that issue understand exactly what he is trying to do. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I suspect that Kerry's core supporters fully understand that running to the center will help regain the White House. His voting record speaks for itself, he is most certainly the far left of center.

Kerry's a very slippery sort. He seems to dodge every shot, and appears to have at least two sides to every issue.

I agree with what you are saying but I don't understand the exact ramifications of this act. In other words, I don't understand what we can or can't do and when we can or when we can't do these things. If someone has an easily understandable handle on these things, would you please educate us? miles

Very sKerry.

I have been a member of the NRA for more years than I care to remember. In those years I have seen them go from a Gun Rights organization to one of Comprimise and Self serving survival.
BTW I have never seen our President closer to a firearm than what the Secret Service is carrying.
I have never heard him state that He is a Hunter/Gun owner
either although Cheyney is known for his Duck Hunting escapades with Justice Scalia.
Did you ever think that if Kerry is elected and doesn't sign any new Gun laws, what use is the NRA then other than calling for donations once a week?
Unlike our President, I read a Couple of Newspapers every day and Have NEVER seen an ad for or against any Candidate in any Major news Paper. So I have to assume that the Money goes directly to Pro gun Candidates, and Waynes Mecedes lease.
I have seen NRA ads in G&A, Shooting Times and the other Gun rags but this is just preaching to the Choir and asking more people to join the organization.
I have said many times we need a Younger Leadership in the NRA that is recognizable to the American Public.
As it stands now only the members know what a LaPierre is , most Americans think it is some type of French Cheese, or an uncurable disease. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Newspapers reported that he hunted quail with his father in TX on New Year's Day.



Signing laws isn't all the president does -- in fact, if you look at the Clinton administration, a lot of the most troublesome things they did were done by regulation (published by political appointees under Janet Reno or in the Treasury Dept.



There are basically two reasons to advertise in politics:

1. Educate, activate and mobilize the base -- which is why NRA advertises in shooting publications, mails alerts to members, etc. You've got to preach to the choir because if they won't sing, you're in REAL trouble.

2. Sway the undecided -- which is why we advertise in TV, radio and newspapers in targeted areas of the country where the ads make a difference in elections.

Regards,

John Frazer

Notice the diff between that pic and the one of Kerry shooting trap - GW has her open and hands off the trigger. Like a man who has been around a few guns.

As to the NRA adverts in G&A, ect. may be preaching to the choir but given the ratio of gun owners vs active participation in the preservation of 2nd admendment rights - the choir NEEDS a bit of instruction.

teal325,

I looked at the picture posted by �Walker� and Kerry�s finger is NOT on the trigger and the shotgun is at the ready as one would be when getting ready to walk up on a bird. Is this the picture you are talking about? Lawdog
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

No - there was a pic of Kerry shooting trap or something in WI - he had his finger on the trigger and was not looking as to where his muzzles were - he had his head turned to teh camera laughing - the gun was held at teh "hip".

This one?



www.chronwatch.com

Kinda like Clinton with his "duck hunting" photo opps.

Yep - thats the one - notice the lack of hearing protection, ear protection too.

No sight protection, eye protection either. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

That gun club (Gunslick Trap Club, in Holmen, WI) has taken a lot of flak from people all over the country for inviting Kerry and his photo-op crew, and rightfully so.

Walker - I grew up in Green Bay WI - and if Kerry was invited to one of the gun ranges around there - it would not be for a photograph! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't believe he would walk out or have any pics of him laughing.
I can not fathom why a gun club would invite such an anti-gun person to be there - if that happened in GB - the club would be bankrupt in 2 months.

Here is an excerpt from the "Holmen Courier" article:



("Schultz" is a member of the Gunslick Trap Club, a member of the NRA, and a Democrat.)



..................................................................................................



Schultz said he shares Kerry's view that it is not an undue restriction of rights to keep people from owning assault rifles.



"You don't need a machine gun or a bazooka in your house," Schultz said.



Club member Terry Herbst, who let Kerry use his shotgun during Saturday's event and sold the Massachusetts senator a club membership, said he thought it was absurd to characterize Kerry as anti-gun.



"If he would have been anti-gun, why would he be out picking up a gun and shooting," he said.



Kerry's Staged Trap Shoot



..................................................................................................



<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

Which simply goes to show that simply because someone owns or uses a gun, it doesn't make them "pro-gun" or mean that they believe that the 2nd Amendment means what it says. Ted Turner and Jane Fonda are big shotgunners too.