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Obama and Guns: Two Different Views (John R. Lott, Jr.)
foxnews.com ^ | April 07, 2008 | John R. Lott, Jr.

Posted on 10/07/2008 9:00:42 PM PDT by neverdem

Something happens to Democrats on the gun issue when they run for president. For John Kerry during 2004, it was awkwardly posing in brand new hunting gear at a seemingly endless series of hunting photo-ops.

But in what will probably be the most improbable change, the Politico reported on Saturday that Barack Obama was making a big play for gun votes in Pennsylvania. It is not particularly surprising that this change is occurring with the crucial Pennsylvania primary soon approaching.

With about one million of the country’s 12.5 million hunters, Pennsylvania is number one in the nation in the amount of time its citizens spend hunting. With about 600,000 people with permits to carry concealed handguns, Pennsylvania also has more permit holders than any other state.

Others, such as Jim Kessler, vice president for policy with Third Way, a progressive think tank, view Obama as starting to position himself for the general election.

Yet, it should be a hard sell.

Obama has consistently supported gun control legislation that came up while he was in the Illinois state legislature and the U.S. Senate.

For example, when Obama ran for the Illinois state senate the political group, Independent Voters of Illinois (IVI), asked him if he supported a “ban [on] the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns” and he responded “yes.”

Realizing how damaging this could prove in the general election, his presidential campaign “flatly denied” Obama ever held...

--snip--

In fact, I knew Obama during the mid-1990s, and his answers to IVI’s question on guns fit well with the Obama that I knew. Indeed, the first time I introduced myself to him he said “Oh, you are the gun guy.”

I responded “Yes, I guess so.” He simply responded that “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns.”

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; 2ndamendment; banglist; barackobama; bo; democats; democrat; electionpresident; elections; gunvote; issues; johnlott; nobama08; obama; yobama
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1 posted on 10/07/2008 9:00:43 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

We’ve done such a great job of keeping drugs and illegals out of this country, it’s obvious to me a gun ban will work just as well.


2 posted on 10/07/2008 9:12:06 PM PDT by FlyVet
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To: FlyVet

He was on the board of the Joyce Foundation. Come on!


3 posted on 10/07/2008 9:20:12 PM PDT by proudtobeanamerican1 (God Bless Sarah Palin and her Family.)
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To: neverdem
In fact, I knew Obama during the mid-1990s, and his answers to IVI’s question on guns fit well with the Obama that I knew. Indeed, the first time I introduced myself to him he said “Oh, you are the gun guy.”

I responded “Yes, I guess so.” He simply responded that “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns.”

The NRA has got to use this in their ads, pronto!

4 posted on 10/07/2008 9:22:12 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
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To: neverdem
With about 600,000 people with permits to carry concealed handguns, Pennsylvania also has more permit holders than any other state.

Hold on thar. Pennsylvania has more holders of ccw permits than both Texas AND Florida? Not buying this one.

5 posted on 10/08/2008 3:17:00 AM PDT by ExSoldier (Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.)
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To: neverdem

We live in Pike County - - extreme Northeast of PA. We are being bombarded with ads showing an alleged NRA member saying he is for Obama and that Obama won’t take away our guns. The ads are playing on CNBC and USA and several other networks running on Blue Ridge Cable TV (affiliated with Penteledata). I have written to the NRA about this.


6 posted on 10/08/2008 3:35:25 AM PDT by finnsheep
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To: neverdem
Obama's "General Candidate Questionnaire" (.pdf), dated September 10, 1996, and completed during his first run for the Illinois State Senate makes for some interesting reading.

Among his responses are the following:

Do you support state legislation to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns? Yes.

Do you support state legislation to ban assault weapons? Yes.

Do you support state legislation to mandatory waiting periods and background checksYes.

Questionnaire Extract


7 posted on 10/08/2008 4:47:06 AM PDT by Beckwith ('Typical White Person')
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To: Inyo-Mono

But you aren’t a member since I don’t see the initials in your tagline.

If you aren’t a member, why do you expect the NRA to do what you want?


8 posted on 10/08/2008 5:12:05 AM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (NRA - Vote against the dem party)
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To: finnsheep

Did you send in a membership application when you wrote to them?


9 posted on 10/08/2008 5:13:19 AM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (NRA - Vote against the dem party)
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To: Shooter 2.5

Just because I don’t say it in my tagline doesn’t mean I’m not one.

CholeraJoe - NRA Life Member since 1978.

(I own shotguns older than you, boy);-)


10 posted on 10/08/2008 5:17:06 AM PDT by CholeraJoe (McCain signs now outnumber Obama signs in my neighborhood)
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To: Shooter 2.5

I am a member, just took it out of my tag line some time ago.


11 posted on 10/08/2008 6:30:10 AM PDT by Inyo-Mono (No longer holding my nose to vote - McCain/Palin 2008!)
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To: finnsheep
We are being bombarded with ads showing an alleged NRA member saying he is for Obama and that Obama won’t take away our guns.

Are you sure the guy claims to be an NRA member? I think it might be Ray Schoenke of the American Hunters and Shooters Association. They are a front for the Brady Bunch.

12 posted on 10/08/2008 6:39:45 AM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: neverdem

Exact content may be new, but the core information has been known & widely reported for a long time: BHO wants a ban, said he wants a ban, and of late has played word games to pretend he holds the “reasonable restrictions” view - which in his code words IS a ban, just with delayed rollout in some jurisdictions.


13 posted on 10/08/2008 6:53:28 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (The average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. - Ratatouille)
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To: ExSoldier
"Hold on thar. Pennsylvania has more holders of ccw permits than both Texas AND Florida? Not buying this one."

Oh, believe it!! The only thing you have to do to get a CCW permit is to have 3 people vouch for your character on the form and $25 paid to process the form and get the license and wallah, you are a concealed carry permit holder. They make it easy for you to get a permit here. We also are first or second in NRA membership.

I'm a member of the Marine Corps League and Pennsylvania is the only state (that I'm aware of) where the Marine Corps League holds a yearly pistol and rifle competition. It's at Indiantown Gap and a lot of fun. There are teams from all over the country that come and compete.
14 posted on 10/08/2008 6:59:01 AM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: neverdem
In fact, I knew Obama during the mid-1990s, and his answers to IVI’s question on guns fit well with the Obama that I knew. Indeed, the first time I introduced myself to him he said “Oh, you are the gun guy.”

I responded “Yes, I guess so. He simply responded that “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns.”

15 posted on 10/08/2008 7:39:49 AM PDT by Osage Orange (" I did not have radical relations with that man, William Ayers. " -Barack Hussein Obama)
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To: CholeraJoe
(I own shotguns older than you, boy);-)

Ha!!

16 posted on 10/08/2008 7:41:44 AM PDT by Osage Orange (" I did not have radical relations with that man, William Ayers. " -Barack Hussein Obama)
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To: neverdem

The only place I found a historical take on Obama and guns/handguns was when he was a “law professor” at Harvard.

You have to ff to the last 15 min of the show to get that perspective

http://wgnradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44075&Itemid=467


17 posted on 10/08/2008 7:45:08 AM PDT by downwdims
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To: Osage Orange

Shucks, I own shotguns older than ME.


18 posted on 10/08/2008 7:46:04 AM PDT by CholeraJoe (Clinging bitterly to religion and guns. My Bible cover has a holster on the back.)
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To: Osage Orange

my post backs you up. Obama has no record! It’s truly disturbing


19 posted on 10/08/2008 7:46:24 AM PDT by downwdims
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To: CholeraJoe
I have a few long guns older than me.....also.

: )

20 posted on 10/08/2008 7:48:50 AM PDT by Osage Orange (" I did not have radical relations with that man, William Ayers. " -Barack Hussein Obama)
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