Posted on 11/04/2006 12:32:18 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Campaigning on opposite ends of the state Friday, Republican Rep. Barbara Cubin and Democratic challenger Gary Trauner nevertheless were still facing off in a protracted gunfight of sorts over the Second Amendment.
Throughout the campaign, Cubin has accused Trauner in debates and in ads of supporting a national gun registry and being coy in his support of gun rights. Trauner has repeatedly denied supporting a gun registry and accused Cubin of intentionally misleading voters on his views.
In the final days leading up to next Tuesday's general election, the issue was still ricocheting between the campaigns.
Cubin's campaign this week fired off charges that Trauner, who founded and later sold an internet company in Jackson Hole, had failed to release the entire National Rifle Association election questionnaire that he had completed. Trauner's Web site only contained his answers to the multiple choice questionnaire and not the questions or alternative answers. Cubin's Web site contained the entire text of the questionnaire along with her answers.
``Gary Trauner is hiding his true stance on the Second Amendment because he knows he's out of step with the people of Wyoming,'' Cubin, who was campaigning in Sheridan, said in a statement issued by her campaign Friday.
Trauner's Web site states that his complete NRA questionnaire couldn't immediately be displayed because the file was too large so he has posted just the answers for now.
``It's not a question of what's on the Web site and what's not, it's a question of what I have said or not,'' Trauner, who was campaigning in Rawlins, said in a telephone interview.
Cubin has said Trauner's support for ``access to purchase records for a reasonable period of time'' is actually a national gun registry.
``Gary Trauner is like Bill Clinton quibbling over what the definition of `is' is,'' she said.
Trauner has said he believes there should be access to purchase records only so an effective background check system could make sure terrorists and convicted criminals don't get guns.
``I have no interest in having anyone go register their gun anywhere,'' he said.
The Cubin campaign also noted that Trauner had received campaign donations from four members of Congress whom the NRA had branded as opposed to gun rights.
Trauner said the donations had no relevance to his stance on the Second Amendment.
Trauner, whose Web site includes a picture of one of his sons aiming a rifle, has been steadfast in saying he believes in the individual right to bear arms.
``I have no interest in passing any further gun legislation whatsoever that limits people's rights any further,'' Trauner said in an interview with The Associated Press.
The NRA graded each candidate based on their questionnaire answers: Cubin, who is a member of the NRA's board of directors, received an A+, a grade that its bestows on those with an ``excellent voting record on critical NRA issues'' and those who ``made a vigorous effort to promote the Second Amendment;'' Trauner received a B, a grade that recognizes a ``generally pro-gun advocate'' who ``may have made some statements or taken positions against the NRA on some issues.''
All of Cubin's answers on the NRA questionnaire reflected NRA positions on 24 various gun related issues the organization advocates for or against.
Trauner sided wholeheartedly with NRA positions on 19 of the questions and on three answers he agreed with the NRA but provided further comment stating he supports effective, instant background checks to prevent terrorists and convicted criminals from obtaining firearms.
On a question about whether private citizens not engaged in ongoing gun sales should be subject to federal background checks, Trauner differed with Cubin and the NRA, selecting an answer that all gun sales at gun shows should be subjected to background checks. Individuals who are not federally licensed gun dealers currently are not subject to background checks at gun shows.
On a question about the federal government maintaining records of gun purchases, Trauner wrote that ``while I am not for a national registration system, I believe that having access to purchase records for a reasonable period of time is a common sense approach to balancing gun owner's rights vs. national security needs.''
``Nowhere do I say I am for a federal central database gun registry,'' Trauner said. ``If you look at that answer, nowhere do I say that. Nowhere do I imply it. Nowhere do I even hint at it.''
But that's the wording Cubin points to as evidence of his support for a gun registry.
``If Mr. Trauner is in favor of allowing the federal government to know what kind of gun you bought, where you bought it or where you keep it, for any period of time, that is a national gun registry,'' Cubin said.
Cubin is smart to drag Trauner into this trap even if he does support the Second Amendment. He's a DemocRAT. If elected, he will have to vote the way Pelosi demands that he vote if he wants to continue a career in politics.
Ok, so if there is a national gun registry who will be the first to jump up and fill out the forms and send them in???? Yeah, right .....
If a gun-grabber is in a close race for Congress from Wyoming then the West has started to go to hell.
Wyoming checking in:
I voted against Cubin in the primary, but will vote for her in the general... Only to keep the seat from voting for Pelosi for speaker... Advice for WyGOP, get another candidate next time..
BTW, I really like Enzi and Thomas, both stand-up guys...
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