Responding to LaPierre's criticism, Kerry campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said, "The NRA leaders are tools of the Republican Party and out of touch with their members, so it's no surprise they're doing George Bush )'s dirty work."
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040909/ap_on_el_pr/nra_interview_3
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210590/posts
But..but..a lot of "experts" here on FR have been saying the NRA isn't doing anything to repeal the ban.
You will enjoy this AP article and I cannot say that about many of them:
GOP: Congress Won't Vote on Weapons Ban
By APARNA H. KUMAR
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress will not vote on an assault weapons ban due to expire Monday, Republican leaders said Wednesday, rejecting a last-ditch effort by supporters to renew it.
``I think the will of the American people is consistent with letting it expire, so it will expire,'' Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., told reporters.
The 10-year ban, signed by President Clinton in 1994, outlawed 19 types of military-style assault weapons. A clause directed that the ban expire unless Congress specifically reauthorized it.
Some Democrats and several police leaders said President Bush should try to persuade Congress to renew the ban. Bush has said he would sign such a bill if Congress passed it.
``If the president asked me, it'd still be no ... because we don't have the votes to pass an assault weapons ban and it will expire Monday and that's that,'' House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, told reporters later.
DeLay said the ban was ``a feel-good piece of legislation'' that does nothing to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals.
However, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said he would consider allowing the House to vote on legislation only if the Senate acted first.
Appearing at a news conference, chiefs of police from the District of Columbia, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Seattle predicted an increase in violent gun crimes if the bans does expire.
``Our streets, our homes, our citizens and our police officers will face great danger unless the federal ban on assault weapons is renewed,'' said Charles H. Ramsey, the police chief in the nation's capital.
In March, the Senate voted to add the ban to a bill that would have immunized gun manufacturers from liability suits stemming from violent gun crimes. But the Senate voted 90-8 against the final bill after the National Rifle Association urged its defeat.
NRA President Wayne LaPierre said in an interview with The Associated Press that his group is so confident that Congress won't renew the ban that it is not spending any more money on ads this year opposing it.
He said supporters of the ban could not muster the support needed to bring it to a vote in the House because several Democrats attribute losing their majority in the House in 1994 over votes then in favor of the ban.
09/08/04 21:27 EDT
Don't do a happy dance yet.
I know, I'm restraining myself too.
Called and spoke to Ed Royce today. He mentioned a hectic schedule for the last few days, and also mentioned a flood of calls in support of letting this bill lapse. Tried to get a hold of Rohrbacher, but the line was busy.
Told Royce's handler I knew he was a stand-up guy, and would do what was needed. No Illegal Alien Driver licenses, and no Clinton Gun Ban redux.
Unless Bush folds, looks like we're going to be ok.
I don't want to get too optimistic, but if it sunsets, this could be the most brillant move the Repubs have done. Albeit taking a chance that a 2nd Ammendment supporting Prez was in office in 10yrs. This "ban" eliminated the dems majority from the two houses in decades. And lost Gore the 2000 election. Now who's going to step up and say this was the plan all along?
There are enough girlie men around here who keep getting their panties in a wad because Ari Fleischer once said if the AWB hits Bushes desk, he would sign it.
That was politics. It completely neutered the issue as something that the press could demagogue against Bush, and now it is gone, just like anybody with two brain cells in a row knew all along.
But all the "conservative" girlie men wanted Bush to pound his chest and propound upon Thomas Jefferson, the Second Amendment, and the need to water the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants and patriots so that the press would really have something to foam at the mouth about and get the Liberal girlie men all riled up and get the AWB renewed.
Victory by obscurity works every time it is tried.
"Absent the president twisting arms, it's nil," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., of the chances to get a bill passed before midnight Monday, when the law expires.
Yahoooooo... I am still keeping my fingers crossed.
Just sent a quick note to my Republican congressman urging him to reject any additional firearms legislation that may come up for vote in the next few days.
My senators are full-blown gungrabbers...so I didn't waste my efforts contacting them. I'd rather remain "beneath their radar" so they keep sending me literature I can use to line the birdcage.
Sent a brief and supportive note to President Bush urging him to allow the terrible legislation to expire and wishing him the best of luck through election season.
~ Blue Jays ~
The NRA has my full support and too hell with those anti-gun dummies!
bttt
It really ends on Monday? Hot diggity.
I never knew that 5 days could take two weeks to go through. ;-)