Field and Stream interviews the candidates
Obama and McCain talk guns and conservation.
Obama seems to be taking the Rudy Giuliani approach to guns. That is, he was all for gun control but has since changed his mind. And, like Rudy, he’s using the right terms. The question becomes whether it’s out of expediency and a desire to get votes or if it’s genuine. If he had signed on to the congressional Heller brief, it may have lent him some credibility that he really did find his pro-gun Jesus. He also displays his ignorance about firearms while stating his support for a ban on weapons that look like assault weapons. He’s either 1) confused that they do mean machine guns or 2) shilling all the propaganda he learned while on the board of directors at the anti-gun Joyce Foundation.
McCain unequivocally says he does not support a ban on weapons that look like assault weapons nor does he support a ban on regular capacity magazines.
Update: More from Bitter.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:35 am
The question becomes whether it?s out of expediency and a desire to get votes or if it?s genuine.
He’s aiming to represent a different constituency. I don’t think gun issues were ever a real major driving issue for him.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:40 am
sure they were, when it came to banning them.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Was he ever the lead sponsor on a piece of gun legislation?
September 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
was he ever the lead sponsor of any legislation?
Head of the anti-gun Joyce foundation; said he supported banning handguns; voted for a sweeping gun ban; etc.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Obama was all for gun control but has since temporarily changed his rhetoric for the election.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:04 am
He sponsored about 800 bills int he State Senate.
I’m not arguing whether he was or wasn’t “anti-gun,” I’m simply saying I don’t think it was a driving issue for him.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:10 am
and was lead sponsor of what?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:13 am
And how could it not be a driving issue for him? He ran the Joyce Foundation.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Because I don’t quite feel like spending the next 5 hours doing research.
In 2000-01 he was the lead sponsor on dealing with issues related to post partum depression, employment security, long term medical care, income tax/venture capital?, medicaid prescription prices, children’s insurance, earned income credit, state employee diversity, utility prices, domestic violence, video taped interrogations, etc…
September 18th, 2008 at 10:26 am
He ran it or he was on its board?
But the Joyce Foundation is a multi-faceted organization dealing with environmental, cultural, employment, education, good government, and yes crime issues.
Your interest relates solely to the guns, so that is what you seem to presume the organization is entirely about.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:28 am
he was a director. crime issues? Puhlease. it’s a gun ban group that pays for some of the more ridiculous anti-gun organizations.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:40 am
In 2005, the Joyce Foundation paid grants in the amount of $8,385,304 in its Environment program, $7,888,380 in its Education program, $6,302,775 in its Employment program, $3,056,117 in its Gun Violence Program, $2,818,105 in its Money and Politics program, and $1,427,350 in its Culture program. Source: The Joyce Foundation 2005 Annual Report, Page 45
So, in 2005, 10% of their funding went towards gun violence programs.
So, the question remains, is it possible for someone to be on the board, or even director of, a group whose main focus is environmental and education policy, but who also deals somewhat in crime and gun issues, and still not have the issue of guns be a driving force in their legislative career?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:44 am
it’s possible. but obama’s record indicates otherwise.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Again, where is his record of guns being a driving issue in his legislative career. That is all I said, that I don’t think it was that important of an issue for him. When asked, he’s given his opinion; and when presented with bills, he’s voted on some, but his main focus has been on education, health care, campaign finance, etc…
September 18th, 2008 at 10:49 am
not relevant to me whether it’s driving. as prez, he’ll sign laws. and he has no issue signing gun bans.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:34 am
He was actually the sponsor on several anti-gun pieces of legislation:
http://www.sportsmenforobama.org/content/view/39/33/
He also had a lengthy diatribe against CCW:
http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST040401.pdf
pg 100
His legislative and historical record shows where he stands.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
The question becomes whether it?s out of expediency and a desire to get votes or if it?s genuine.
Obama has a long record of being anti-second ammendment. The fact that he picked one of the most rabidly anti-second ammendment people in the USA for his running mate confirms that. He’s claiming a change of heart to try and win gun owner’s votes.
After November 4th, win or lose, he’ll swing right back to his normal anti-gun self. I have no doubt about it.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Genuine??? There’s nothing genuine about him, it’s all a cultivated work in progress.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
If he’s using the correct termanology in reference to weapons it’s because someone has put it on the telepromter.