[Doc #1]

"He'll never be presented a bill......he won't have to sign it.

Spokesmen for GW say he supports the ban....making the issue local and keeping it in the hands of the Congress.

The Congress is where this issue is best exploited by the GOP and NRA.

This is a VERY good issue for the GOP in next years elections.........and neither of these bills will pass."

Exactly correct. The Bush team has neutralized a potential Democratic campaign issue. Both houses of Congress are in Republican control. Even if the RINOs in the Senate fold and this measure passes there, it will never be passed in the House. This is an excellent way to handle it.

[OldPossum]

Exactly right! This is great political strategy on behalf of the Bush Administration. Make those stupid Democrats vote for an unpopular piece of legislation in September and beat 'em in the election in November.

[Jack Black]

I guess it depends on whether you believe everything political is just an "issue to be exploited by the GOP" or whether you think some things, like the Bill of Rights, are worth defending based no principle. Bush has huge political capital, much of it avilable to him due to the work of pro-second ammendment citizens. Strangely, some of us would like to see him return the favor, even if there is some cost associated.

[Tauzero]

"The Bush team has neutralized a potential Democratic campaign issue."

I don't think so.

Suppose congress doesn't pass it.

Well, the congress happens to be held by Republicans.

Since he's the leader of his party, Democrats can criticize Bush for not working hard enough to bring congress into line and pass the bill. By not actively working for what he claims to support, he will be cast as either impotent or feigning impotence, of being disingenuous.

Either way, a Democratic candidate can claim to be a better alternative.

Being disingenuous appears to be the core of the "strategery" advocated by some here. I don't think most Americans will be fooled by this tactic.

I also don't think Bush is being disingenuous, actually. My hunch is that the ban will be renewed, Bush supports it like his spokesmen say he does, and he is merely aligning himself to get out in front of that event. Late support, too, would be cast as disingenuous.