Posted on 06/13/2016 3:32:14 PM PDT by jazusamo
A former Republican senator is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., citing her support for gun control.
Former Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.) called for universal background checks on all gun sales and an assault weapons ban Monday in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
“I can’t believe I’m endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, but I am,” said Pressler, who spoke with The Hill on Monday after endorsing Clinton in a statement issued over the weekend.
“This morning, I woke up and told my wife, ‘Did I really do that?’” he said. "But I did.”
“If someone had told me 10 years ago I would do this, I wouldn’t have believed them."
Pressler, a moderate Republican who served three terms in the Senate before losing his seat to Democrat Tim Johnson in 1997, said he believes voting for Clinton is the “responsible thing to do.”
He said he feels disenfranchised by Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, and modern-day congressional Republicans who have opposed efforts to expand background checks for gun sales.
“We need to go the route of more gun control as a result of Orlando and all the other shootings that have occurred,” Pressler said. “But it’s almost as though Republicans are saying gun control shouldn’t be part of the conversation at all."
But gun control isn’t the only reason why Pressler is ready to join “Republicans for Clinton” — he’s also concerned about Trump’s rhetoric on Muslims.
“This election is starting to sound like the German elections in [1933],” Pressler said. “This is a very dangerous national conversation we’re slipping into.”
Pressler, a Mormon Sunday school teacher, said he understands all too well the dangers of signaling out a particular religious group.
In 1838, Missouri Gov. Lilburn Boggs ordered Mormons to be killed, which forced many to leave the state before eventually resettling in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Trump makes “Mormons very nervous,” Pressler said.
"Mormons are the only religious group besides the Jews who have been ordered by the government to be extinguished, killed,” he said.
“The worst thing is for Republicans to be silent,” Pressler added. “A lot of Republicans are just saying, ‘I’ll sit it out, I won’t vote.’ Or, ‘I’ll vote for a third-party candidate.’ But if they don’t vote, they are giving more power to dark forces.”
If I am recalling correctly, he isn’t even a Republican anymore - didn’t he run as an independent against the Republican nominee for Senate?
Somebody buy this drama queen a new dress. Pressler can go shopping with Lindsay Graham in the Women’s Section in K-Mart. Two cowardly snowflakes in the summer sun.
Wow, a former senator?! From South Dakota, no less??!!
Didn’t POS pass a background check?
“Former Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.) called for universal background checks on all gun sales and an assault weapons ban Monday...”
Which would’ve done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to stop the Orlando Murdering Muzzie from killing 50 people.
“This morning, I woke up and told my wife, ‘Did I really do that?’” he said. “But I did.”
Sounds like the “morning after reaction” of a drug or alcohol addict ... needs to cut back and try to re-interface with reality!!!
Thanks I had never heard of that before.
Mountain Meadows massacre
Hence: “Former”.
Between him and Mitt, I am now reticent to vote for a Mormon.
Amen Jim. Amen.
FMCDH(BITS)
Trump is smoking out the enemies who’ve been wearing our uniforms. To hell with them.
What the heck is wrong with the S.D. congressional delegation? Noem’s gorgeous but little more than tool. The rest are useless. And the governor... pathetic.
Gun control is a losing proposition among voters. I’ve known many 2A democrats in my life time. They will vote Trump or sit on their hands come election day.
Pressler couldn’t beat Tim Johnson. Shows you how tough he is. Go ahead and endorse Hitlery, failed RINO..
Bump!
Only sick minds can endorse that woman.
Jackass and publicity hound. No one cares who he endorses.
Show me the article that says the leader of the church says to be against Trump and Rino Romney is not the leader of the church.
why do you need an article... what I am going on is the historical record of the organization. the past history of the church dictating the positions that there leadership has taken to those in politics.... all that Romney is is a good Mormon fallowing the directive of there council and the president of the church...if you want to get a good idea of this interference get a hold of the letters of Ezra Taft Benson. the readings of them are quite interesting especially the stuff when he was younger and involved in politics before he became president of the council.
SaveFerris gets the gold star award for actual research leading to the conclusion of what kind of guy Mr Pressler might be. Nest feathering, being one of the many benefits of election to the office of Senator. I seem to remember voting for him at some point, back before we conclusively knew about GOPe. He is now considered way over the hill, but still gets to shout into the megaphone, based on “former senator”.
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