You are correct. I believe that we started winning when enough new media came into existence to make a difference. The inflection point was likely when the Reagan administration did away with the "fairness" doctrine.
I had been to a couple of small gun shows before but the first big one was the last one before the AWB went into effect. It was in Albuquerque at the Lujan building on the State Fair grounds. It is a very big event center type building. My buddy and I got there about a half hour after the doors opened. The building was already full and the line stretched about a half city block at least four abreast.
He had been to gun shows there before and he was shocked. He figured it would be packed given the onset of the AWB but still... The line moved pretty quickly and we got to the door in about twenty minutes. The line behind us was now even longer than the one we found when we got there.
Inside the place was shoulder-to-shoulder throughout. Every description of person was there, from the gangbanger type to the stockbroker type, and they were buying. Fathers and sons with several rifles slung over their shoulders wheeling dollies stacked with ammunition to their cars. (I wish I had had a dolly for my case of 7.62X39) We were probably there for at least two hours and there was a steady stream coming in and a steady stream going out and they weren't going out empty handed.
What a truly inspiring day that was for both of us. To see hundreds upon hundreds of ordinary Americans essentially saying "FUBC, come and take them!" gave us the same kind of feeling that touring an aircraft carrier or seeing a Blue Angels show does. But 0baMao has totally eclipsed Slick Willy as American Gun Salesman of all time. Adding to that warm feeling is the fact that guns last a very long time.