Posted on 09/21/2008 7:30:59 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3
US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama faces a tough battle in Ohio, where pro-second amendment voters fear their rights are being threatened. (Reuters: Jim Young, file photo)
Audio: Ohio gun trade strong despite US economic upheaval
The US state of Ohio has predicted the outcome of nearly every presidential election in the last century.
And with just 44 days until the election, Ohio remains the ultimate bellwether when it comes to American politics.
Opinion polls show the race in Ohio is very close, with some putting Republican John McCain in the lead and others showing Democrat Barack Obama out in front.
The economy is the number one issue with voters in Ohio, but some businesses are still doing a roaring trade, despite the financial upheaval buffeting much of the nation.
At a gun store and indoor shooting range in the central Ohio town of Lancaster, business is brisk.
Wes Disney has been working at the gun store and shooting range for five years and says it can accommodate a large number of shooters.
"Weekends, it pretty well smokes, we have 21 lanes to shoot on," he said.
It costs $10 for unlimited time, but you have to buy your own ammunition.
If you do not have your own gun, you can rent one.
Sharon Waller has been trying out her new Ruger pistol; it is tiny, just 10 centimetres long.
"I just wanted something small that I could carry in my purse," she said.
"I believe it was $299, I guess that's what they cost."
Ms Waller's fiance is buying the pistol for her.
She has already got her concealed carry permit but before the purchase is finalised, the gun store runs a background check with the FBI.
At another counter, salesman Tim White is showing customer Chris Krannitz a weapon that is much bigger and much more expensive.
"This is the semi-automatic version of the P-90, it guards the President, the secret service uses it, that's the semi-automatic version of it," Mr White explained.
Mr Krannitz says he has been saving for a while so he can afford the $1,900 weapon.
It does not take long to realise the customers nor the staff are fans of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Mr Disney says middle Americans are typically freedom-loving people who take their constitutional rights seriously, and Senator Obama is a threat to those rights.
"Mr Obama is a threat to the second amendment and he's a threat to many things in terms of how we run our lives," he said.
People like Mr Disney have not forgotten that Senator Obama once said that when times are hard people cling to guns and religion.
So it is probably no surprise that nobody either on the shooting range or in the gun store is an Obama supporter.
One man browsing the store was wearing a t-shirt with a photo of both Senator Obama and Osama Bin Laden on it.
There they go again, justa clingin’ to dere guns.
I wish that could be made into a commercial, but then that would be racist and offend Islamic extremists.
My kinda store, fer sure.
Kin I’ get be a bullshit license ?
Considering we were just one vote away from losing our 2nd Amendment rights, people should be very worried about gun rights with Obama as President. All 4 votes against the 2nd Amendment are people Obama has stated he would put on the court.
This (guns) is why we will win Ohio and Colorado. Has the NRA started their ad campaign yet? They’ve earmarked millions.
That and Obama comes off as an elitist clown in blue collar Ohio.
We all wish we had Harvard opportunities.
He wont wash with regular scrappers
clingin’ to their guns & religion!
They be BITTER folk!
Are you a member of the NRA? If you aren’t, I heard they ran out of money because you didn’t join so they’re sitting this election out. Better luck next time.
“We all wish we had Harvard opportunities.”
LOL. Not me. If one of my kids got a free ride from Harvard I’d file it in the round file. I don’t want my kids exposed to the claptrap they teach there.
They’re going to good conservative Christian colleges that won’t melt all the gray matter we’ve so carefully arranged over the years.
What good is it to gain the whole world, if you lose your eternal soul.
oh yes, very bitter </sarcasm>
Sometimes I’m truly thankful that the Dems never learn, for many many people the right to bear arms is a duty, and a way of life, to have 2 of the Senators who have the worst track records when it comes to infringing on that freedom is a political kiss o death.
Obama was a gun grabber in IL, Biden was one of the largest ones in the US Senate, they are not to be trusted with the securing our freedoms..period.
You know what I mean.
These folks hate his whining about how disenfranchised he was ....Boo Hoo Hoo
He has a real problem in Youngstown
Priceless!
obama = m*l*kas
I read it off a tellyprompter. ;)
*Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws. (Apr 2008)
* FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban. (Apr 2008)
*Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok. (Feb 2008)
*Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing. (Jan 2008)
*2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month. (Oct 2007)
*Concealed carry OK for retired police officers. (Aug 2007)
*Stop unscrupulous gun dealers dumping guns in cities. (Jul 2007)
*Keep guns out of inner cities--but also problem of morality. (Oct 2006)
*Bush erred in failing to renew assault weapons ban. (Oct 2004)
*Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions. (Jul 1998)
*Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
Zerobama claims to be a defender of the Second Amendment yet he has no problem banning guns.
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