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The National Rifle Association may have fond feelings for Houston, but that affection apparently does not extend to the mainstream news media. "We love Houston. It's a great facility. Great hotel. Great people in Texas. It was a very successful annual meeting," said NRA spokesman Jorge Amselle as the organization's three-day conference at the Brown Convention Center came to a close Sunday. Official figures were not available Sunday, but NRA officials had estimated that at least 50,000 people would attend. The event was expected to have a $50 million impact on the local economy. Members and visitors checked out nearly...

CBS Bob Schieffer doesn't have much of a sense of humor anymore, judging by his reaction to a quip from House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.All of the Sunday interview shows devoted segments to DeLays ethical problems, but only Schieffer was appalled by how DeLay had told the NRA convention in Houston on Saturday night that 'when a man is in trouble or is in a good fight, you want to have your friends around, preferably armed.' On Face the Nation, Schieffer read the quote to Republican congressman David Drier and demanded: 'Well, don't you find that rather inflamatory?'Schieffer then pressed...

Associated Press HOUSTON - Rocker and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent urged National Rifle Association members Saturday to be "hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense" and to work daily to recruit new members. Speaking at the group's annual convention in Houston, Nugent said the NRA's current record-high membership of 4 million was nothing to get excited about. He said each NRA member should try to enroll 10 new members over the next year. "Let's next year sit here and say, 'Holy smokes, the NRA has 40 million members now,'" he said, adding NRA members should only associate...

Leader Avoids Talk Of Ethics Claims House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, under fire for alleged ethics violations, accused liberal Democrats and the media of giving him a hard time in a keynote speech at the National Rifle Association's annual convention Saturday night in Houston. DeLay only briefly mentioned the ethics accusations, telling members of the gun-rights group that he appreciates their support. "When a man is in trouble or in a good fight, you want to have your friends around, preferably armed. So I feel really good," the Texas Republican said. Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the No. 3 Republican...

READY ON THE RIGHT - Speakers at the NRA convention complained of widespread media bias but largely failed to provide a contrary example of reason and facts. (SUCH A LONG TITLE!) ON a well-run rifle range, the range master will shout, "Ready on the left? Ready on the right? Commence firing." At the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Houston this weekend, most of the firing was on the right. The NRA prides itself on the patriotism of its members and its devotion to education, training and Americans' freedom to bear arms. It should show the same regard for civil...

Ted Nugent to Fellow NRAers: Get Hardcore Apr 17, 12:32 PM EST With an assault weapon in each hand, rocker and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent urged National Rifle Association members to be "hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense." Speaking at the NRA's annual convention Saturday, Nugent said each NRA member should try to enroll 10 new members over the next year and associate only with other members. "Let's next year sit here and say, 'Holy smokes, the NRA has 40 million members now,'" he said. "No one is allowed at our barbecues unless they are an...

With an assault weapon in each hand, rocker and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent urged National Rifle Association members to be "hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense." Speaking at the NRA's annual convention Saturday, Nugent said each NRA member should try to enroll 10 new members over the next year and associate only with other members. "Let's next year sit here and say, 'Holy smokes, the NRA has 40 million members now,'" he said. "No one is allowed at our barbecues unless they are an NRA member. Do that in your life." Nugent sang and played a...

HOUSTON (April 17) - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, under fire for alleged ethics violations, accused liberal Democrats and the national media of giving him a hard time in a keynote speech at the National Rifle Association's annual convention Saturday evening. DeLay only briefly mentioned the ethics accusations, telling members of the gun-rights group that he appreciated their support. "When a man is in trouble or in a good fight, you want to have your friends around, preferably armed. So I feel really good,'' the Republican from nearby Sugar Land said. About 2,550 NRA members paid $75 to hear DeLay's...

HOUSTON — House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (search), under fire for alleged ethics violations, accused liberal Democrats and the national media of giving him a hard time in a keynote speech at the National Rifle Association's (search) annual convention Saturday evening. DeLay only briefly mentioned the ethics accusations, telling members of the gun-rights group that he appreciated their support. "When a man is in trouble or in a good fight, you want to have your friends around, preferably armed. So I feel really good," the Republican from nearby Sugar Land said. About 2,550 NRA members paid $75 to hear DeLay's...

Majority leader urges diplomacy toward advocates of gun control House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, under attack in Washington in recent weeks, spoke to friends Saturday night at the National Rifle Association annual convention. "Thank you very much for the warm welcome. I hope the national media saw that," said DeLay, who has been accused of ethics violations and criticized for threatening the federal judges who refused to intervene in the case of a brain-damaged Florida woman whose feeding tube was removed. Speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 NRA members, DeLay said guns are imperative for a free society but...

Rep Tom DeLay will be giving the keynote speech at the NRA convention in Houston. FoxNews will be covering it.

HOUSTON (AP) -- The National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention this weekend in Houston. The event is expected to draw about 60,000 people including Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who will be the convention's keynote speaker tomorrow. There's a session tomorrow called "God, Guns and Rock-n-Roll," featuring rock star Ted Nugent. The NRA's executive vice president says the location for the convention is a good one because, "It's the heartland of the country." He says, "They love us." A spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence says the NRA's success is because they "have a...

NRA carries enormous clout in Washington Respected by allies, feared by enemies By RACHEL GRAVES Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle The guns are not what makes the National Rifle Association formidable in the eyes of politicians. It's the political firepower. With nearly 4 million members and millions of dollars to donate to political campaigns, many lawmakers and other observers say the NRA is the most powerful lobbying group in Washington. Some, including former President Clinton, attribute President Bush's 2000 victory to the NRA's work in several rural states. The NRA boasts of taking revenge on its political enemies, evicting more than...

WASHINGTON - With partisan shots fired at him in Washington, embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will find refuge this weekend among thousands of gun enthusiasts. DeLay, as keynote speaker for this weekend's National Rifle Association annual meeting at the George R. Brown Convention Center, will address a crowd he has fervently supported since joining Congress in 1984. "Tom DeLay is a champion on our issue," said Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist. But the congressman's address tonight comes at a time DeLay is in need of support. And given their shared history, gun rights advocates are the right ones...

AS TOM DELAY PACKS FOR NRA CONVENTION, HOUSE PANEL PLANS ACTION ON BILL TO BAR JUDGES FROM CONSIDERING GUN CASES On Eve of House Judiciary Committee Action, Eight Police Organizations, 62 Individual Law Enforcement Leaders Declare Opposition to Bill Giving Reckless Gun Sellers Legal Immunity For Immediate Release: 04-12-2005 Washington D.C. – On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to approve a bill that would grant gun sellers unprecedented immunity from legal action in Federal, state or local courts, despite fierce opposition from law enforcement leaders, legal scholars and gun violence victims across America. Because the Committee is packed...

SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2005 12:00 AM NRA defends gun rights at convention Speakers at 134th annual event critical of Democratic Party, media coverage Associated Press HOUSTON--The National Rifle Association opened its annual convention Friday with a clear and defiant message: Leave our guns alone. Speakers praised the NRA's work in preserving gun rights for Americans while criticizing the Democratic Party and what they described as a liberal media bias. "The American people have sent a strong and loud message to their elected leaders: The Second Amendment is not a loophole. Quit trying to fix it," Republican Gov. Rick Perry told...

First, the "good guys" and gals... "NRA04 FREEDOM'S STEEL" "4 Acres of Guns & Geer!" FReeper Badray displays "Don't Tread On Me" t-shirt TRT member/FReeper GunsareOK with a fan FReeper smokeyb with other "Pat Toomey for Senate" activists Conservative activists pass out "Arlen Specter, TOO LIBERAL FOR TOO LONG" fliers outside the convention center Tyranny Response Team (TRT-DC) observer, on the scene. ;-) And now, pictures of the anti-NRA protestors follow below... "ONE GUN is ONE TOO MANY!" sign behind anti-NRA protestors area border, protected by police Large "STOP GUN VIOLENCE" sign "NRA unwelcome", "The NRA is Dead Wrong"...

A young visitor to the final day of the 133rd National Rifle Association convention wears a shirt expressing his views as he looks at a rack of rifles on display Sunday, April 18, 2004, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By DAN NEPHIN, Associated Press Writer PITTSBURGH - Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) portrayed President Bush (news - web sites) and himself as champions of the Second Amendment — and Democratic candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) as a potential threat to gun owners — in a speech at the National Rifle Association's 133rd annual convention Saturday. AP Photo Latest headlines: · Cheney Takes a Shot at Kerry's Gun Ownership Stance Reuters - Sun Apr 18, 4:55 AM ET · Cheney Says Kerry a Threat to Gun Owners AP - Sun Apr 18, 4:04 AM ET...

<p>PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -- Vice President Dick Cheney used a speech to the National Rifle Association Saturday to paint Democrat John Kerry as a firearm industry foe bent on over-regulating gun makers and owners.</p> <p>Playing to conservative voters, Cheney appeared in the election battlefield state of Pennsylvania to pledge the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign's support for gun ownership.</p>