Co-sponsor of the McCain- Lieberman Bill to provide background checks on all guns sold at gun shows.
Co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Legislation, which the gun lobby opposes as an infringement of First Amendment rights.
In 2000, McCain acknowledged his position on the gun issue had "evolved," and he was featured in a new advertising campaign urging voters in Oregon and Colorado to support statewide ballot initiatives, requiring background checks at gun shows, both of which passed (Oregon Measure 5 and Colorado Amendment 22).
In 2004, he was C rated by the NRA and was not endorsed, despite voting with them on most issues.
Opposed the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Law.
Quotes From a speech to the NRA in Louisville, Kentucky on May 16, 2008
…When I first ran for Congress in 1982, I was proud to have the support of gun owners. For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines, and dismiss gun owners as some kind of fringe group unwelcome in "modern" America. The Second Amendment isn't some archaic custom that matters only to rural Americans, who find solace in firearms out of frustration with their economic circumstances. The Second Amendment is unique in the world. It guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. To argue anything else is to reject the clear meaning of our Founding Fathers…
…Over the years, I haven't agreed with the NRA on every issue. I have supported efforts to have NICS background checks apply to gun sales at gun shows. I recognize that gun shows are enjoyed by millions of law-abiding Americans. I do not support efforts by those who seek to regulate them out of existence. But I believe an accurate, fair and instant background check at guns shows is a reasonable requirement. I also oppose efforts to require federal regulation of all private sales such as the transfer between a father and son or husband and wife. I supported campaign finance reform because I strongly believed our system of financing campaigns was influencing elected officials to put the interests of "soft money" donors ahead of the public interest. It is neither my purpose nor the purpose of the legislation to prevent gun owners or any other group of citizens from making their voices heard in the legislative process.
Those disagreements do not detract from my long record of support for the Second Amendment and the work we have done together to protect the rights of gun owners from the political attitudes of the moment in Washington that view the Second Amendment as a once quaint custom that must now yield to the judgment of modern enlightened opinion. We have real differences with the Democratic candidates for President. They have learned something since 2000. They don't talk about their plans for gun control. They claim to support hunters and gun owners. But just because they don't talk about gun control doesn't mean they won't support gun control. Let's be clear. If either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is elected President, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk. They have both voted as Senators to ban guns or ban ammunition or to allow gun makers to be sued out of existence…
From his campaign website on April 11, 2008
On High Capacity Magazines: John McCain opposes bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines and has voted against such limitations.
On Gun Locks: JohnMcCain believes that every firearms owner has a responsibility to learn how to safely use and store the firearm they have chosen, whether for target shooting, hunting, or personal protection. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger locks in product packaging.
On Ammunition Regulation: John McCain believes that banning ammunition is just another way to undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an amendment that would have banned many of the most commonly used hunting cartridges on the spurious grounds that they were "armor-piercing."
On Background Checks: John McCain supports instant criminal background checks to help prohibit criminals from buying firearms and has voted to ensure they are conducted thoroughly, efficiently, and without infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens.
On the Gun Show Loophole: At a time when some were trying to shut down gun shows in the name of fighting crime, John McCain tried to preserve gun shows by standardizing sales procedures. Federal law requires licensed firearm sellers at gun shows to do an instant criminal background check on purchasers while private firearm sellers at gun shows do not have to conduct such a check. John McCain introduced legislation that would require an instant criminal background check for all sales at gun shows and believes that such checks must be conducted quickly to ensure that unnecessary delays do not effectively block transactions.
On Waiting Periods: John McCain has opposed "waiting periods" for law abiding citizen's purchase of firearms. The confiscation of firearms after an emergency John McCain opposes the confiscation of firearms from private citizens, particularly during times of crisis or emergency. He voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by Senator David Vitter prohibiting such confiscation. Stiffer Penalties for Criminals who use a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime John McCain believes in strict, mandatory penalties for criminals who use a firearm in the commission of a crime or illegally possess a firearm. Enforcing the current laws on the books is the best way to deter crime.
From a speech at the American Conservative Union's annual CPAC conference, February 7, 2008
I have defended my position on protecting our Second Amendment rights, including my votes against waiting periods, bans on the so-called assault weapons, and illegitimate lawsuits targeting gun manufacturers.
From a speech to NRA members at a D.C. Event, Sept 21, 2007
When I first ran for Congress in 1982, I was proud to have the support of gun owners and the National Rifle Association. For more than two decades, I've opposed the efforts of the anti-gun crowd to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines, and paint gun owners as some kind of fringe group; dangerous in 'modern' America. Some even call you 'extremists.' My friends, gun owners are not extremists, you are the core of modern America.
From his Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
John McCain believes that the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. “We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals--criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.”
John McCain opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm, and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry. McCain says, "Neither justice nor domestic peace are served by holding the innocent responsible for the acts of the criminal."
Each Congress he introduces legislation to repeal all of the federal gun laws, as well as legislation to allow concealed weapons in National Parks.
Has never supported any restrictions or regulations on gun ownership (Ron Paul website).
Quotes From the 2007 GOP debate at UNH, sponsored by Fox News, Sep 5, 2007
Q: You have said that the 9/11 attackers might have had second thoughts if they'd felt that some of the passengers aboard the airplanes might have been armed.
A: You're quoting me incorrectly. I said the responsibility for protecting passengers falls with the airline, not the government--and not the passengers. The airline's responsible for the aircraft and the passengers. If we wouldn't have been dependent on the federal government to set all the rules, which meant no guns & no resistance, then the terrorists may well have had second thoughts, because the airlines would have had the responsibility. But we assumed the government was going to take care of us. After 9/11, instead of moving toward the direction of personal responsibility and private property and Second Amendment, we moved in the opposite direction. We turned it over to the federal government. Private industry protects their property all the time. But here is one example when the federal government was involved and they messed it up.
From The Politico, April 17, 2007
People are a little more cautious if somebody might have a gun there, a concealed gun carried by a responsible person -- that might have ended the problem that they had at Virginia Tech with one person being killed or two people being killed.
It's the lack of access to law-abiding citizens to have guns in many places that increases our crime rate. We just can't prevent every tragedy of a maniac. So to pretend this happened because of lack of laws would be the wrong thing to assume.
I know there will be a call for, 'Boy, we've got to take hold of every single gun and register the gun.' It's sort of like after 9/11, we had to worry about terrorists, but what we've done is register every American.
With national ID cards, inspection and loss of our liberties, warrantless searches, we've attacked law-abiding citizens. So, no, I don't think we need more gun control for law-abiding citizens.
Paul suggested that the Sept. 11 attacks could have been avoided if the pilots on the hijacked airliners had been armed. If terrorists knew that every pilot had a gun in the cockpit, they wouldn't have done it. They would have all been shot and wouldn't have accomplished their mission.
From a Campaign Statement Mar 12, 2007
An appeals court in Washington DC issued a ruling that hopefully will result in the restoration of 2nd Amendment rights in the nation's capital. It appears the Court rejected the DC's nonsensical argument that the 2nd Amendment confers only a "collective right," something gun control advocates have asserted for years. Rights, by definition, are individual. "Group rights" is an oxymoron.
When the 2nd Amendment speaks of a "well-regulated militia," it means local groups of individuals operating to protect their own families, homes, and communities. They regulated themselves because it was necessary and in their own interest to do so. The Founders themselves wrote in the Federalist papers about the need for individuals to be armed.
Gun control makes people demonstrably less safe--as any honest examination of criminal statistics reveals. It is no coincidence that violent crime flourishes in the nation's capital, where the individual's right to self-defense has been most severely curtailed.
A strong supporter of the Brady Law, Assault Weapons Ban, closing the gun show loophole, trigger locks and prohibiting special legal protection for the gun industry.
Signed onto a letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Byrd and Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Chair Mikulski opposing the Tiahrt Amendments and any attempts to attach them to Justice Department Appropriations (April 13, 2007).
Quotes From the Philadelphia Democratic primary debate, ABC, April 16, 2008
Q: Both of you, in the past, have supported strong gun control measures. But now when I listen to you on the campaign, I hear you emphasizing that you believe in an individual's right to bear arms.
Both of you were strong advocates for licensing of guns. Both of you were strong advocates for the registration of guns.
Why don't you emphasize that now, Senator Clinton?
A: Well, Charlie, on Friday, I was with Mayor Nutter, who's here, in West Philadelphia at the YMCA there, to talk about what we could do together to bring down the crime rate that has ravaged Philadelphia.
You know, more than one person, on average, a day is murdered in Philadelphia. And Mayor Nutter is very committed, as the mayor of this great city, to try to do what he can to stem the violence.
And what I said then is what I have been saying, that I will be a good partner, for cities like Philadelphia, as president. Because I will bring back the COPS program, the so-called COPS program, where we had 100,000 police on the street, which really helped drive down the crime rate and also helped create better community relations.
I will also work to reinstate the assault weapons ban. We had it during the 1990s. It really was an aid to our police officers, who are now once again, because it has lapsed -- the Republicans will not reinstate it -- are being outgunned on our streets by these military- style weapons.
I will also work to make sure that police departments in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, across America get access to the federal information that will enable them to track illegal guns, because the numbers are astounding. Probably 80 percent of the guns used in gun crimes are in the hands of that criminal, that gang member -- unfortunately, people who are sometimes, you know, mentally challenged -- because it got there illegally. And under the Republicans, that information was kept from local law enforcement.
So I believe that we can balance what I think is the right equation. I respect the Second Amendment. I respect the rights of lawful gun owners to own guns, to use their guns, but I also believe that most lawful gun owners whom I have spoken with for many years across our country also want to be sure that we keep those guns out of the wrong hands.
And as president, I will work to try to bridge this divide, which I think has been polarizing and, frankly, doesn't reflect the common sense of the American people.
So we will strike the right balance to protect the constitutional right but to give people the feeling and the reality that they will be protected from guns in the wrong hands.
On the D.C. gun ban:
Q: Senator Clinton, you have a home in D.C. Do you support the D.C. ban?
A: You know, George, I want to give local communities the opportunity to have some authority over determining how to keep their citizens safe.
This case you're referring to, before the Supreme Court, is apparently dividing the Bush administration. You know, the Bush administration basically said, we don't have enough facts to know whether or not it is appropriate.
And Vice President Cheney who, you know, is a fourth special branch of government all unto himself -- (laughter) -- has actually filed a brief saying, oh, no, we have to, you know, we have to prevent D.C. from doing this.
Q: But what do you think? Do you support it or not?
A: Well, what I support is sensible regulation that is consistent with the constitutional right to own and bear arms.
Q: Is the D.C. ban consistent with that right?
A: Well, I think a total ban, with no exceptions under any circumstances, might be found by the court not to be. But I don't know the facts.
But I don't think that should blow open a hole that says that D.C. or Philadelphia or anybody else cannot come up with sensible regulations to protect their people and keep, you know, machine guns and assault weapons out of the hands of folks who shouldn't have them.
Q: But do you still favor licensing and registration of handguns?
A: What I favor is what works in New York. You know, we have a set of rules in New York City and we have a totally different set of rules in the rest of the state. What might work in New York City is certainly not going to work in Montana. So, for the federal government to be having any kind of, you know, blanket rules that they're going to try to impose, I think doesn't make sense.
Q: But Senator, you were for that when you ran for Senate in New York.
A: I was for -- I was for the New York rules, that's right. I was for the New York rules because they have worked over time. And there isn't a lot of uproar in New York about changing them, because I go to upstate New York, where we have a lot of hunters and people who are collectors and people who are sport shooters; they have every reason to believe that their rights are being respected. You walk down the street with a police officer in Manhattan; he wants to be sure that there is some way of protecting him and protecting the people that are in his charge.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on April 1, 2008
I ... think we should reinstate the assault weapons ban in order to give our police officers a fighting chance against the criminals on the street with these military-style assault weapons.
From an interview with the Dallas Morning News on March 3, 2008
There can be a meeting of the minds between lawful gun owners and those who believe we can protect Second Amendment rights without giving in to the bad guys.
From a Wisconsin Campaign Event on February 16, 2008
I've actually gone hunting. I know. I know you may not believe it, but it's true. My father taught me to shoot 100 years ago. We need to protect the rights of lawful gun owners under the Second Amendment, there is no doubt about that, and as you've said, we've got to figure out how to get guns out of the hands of bad people. So what we've got to figure out how to do is make it absolutely clear that no lawful gun owner is going to have anything to worry about.
From a Ohio Campaign Event on February 15, 2008
Obviously we have to first and foremost do everything we can to take reasonable steps to keep our children safe. And while safeguarding and respecting our Second Amendment rights, we have to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists, gang members and people with mental health problems.
From the 2008 Nevada Democratic primary debate, MSNBC, January 16, 2008
Q: Senator Clinton, when you ran for the Senate in 2000, you said that everyone who wishes to purchase a gun should have a license, and that every handgun sale or transfer should be registered in a national registry. Will you try to implement such a plan?
A: Well, I am against illegal guns, and illegal guns are the cause of so much death and injury in our country. I also am a political realist and I understand that the political winds are very powerful against doing enough to try to get guns off the street, get them out of the hands of young people.
The law in New York was as you state, and the law in New York has worked to a great extent.
I don’t want the federal government preempting states and cities like New York that have very specific problems.
So here’s what I would do. We need to have a registry that really works with good information about people who are felons, people who have been committed to mental institutions like the man in Virginia Tech who caused so much death and havoc. We need to make sure that that information is in a timely manner, both collected and presented.
We do need to crack down on illegal gun dealers. This is something that I would like to see more of.
And we need to enforce the laws that we have on the books. I would also work to reinstate the assault weapons ban. We now have, once again, police deaths going up around the country, and in large measure because bad guys now have assault weapons again. We stopped it for awhile. Now they’re back on the streets.
So there are steps we need to take that we should do together. You know, I believe in the Second Amendment. People have a right to bear arms. But I also believe that we can common-sensically approach this.
Q: But you’ve backed off a national licensing registration plan?
A: Yes.
From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: I think it's important to remember that the crime rate was driven down, & gun violence was driven down in the 1990s because of a combination of policies, like 100,000 police on the street and getting assault weapons off the street, and because of a growing economy. 22 million new jobs gave people who were hopeless a better chance for a future. So I want to get back to what works. This administration has tried to kill the 100,000 police. You've got mayors whose police force is outgunned by the criminals and the gang-bangers. Assault weapons are back on the street. We've got to go and do what works again. In addition to having policies that will get guns off the street, we do have to give young men particularly a better chance of a future that includes educational & economic opportunities & second chances when they get caught up in the criminal justice system.
From the South Carolina 2007 Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC, Apr 26, 2007
Q: Did any role that federal government plays fail those students at Virginia Tech?
A: Yes. You know, I remember very well when I accompanied Bill to Columbine after that massacre and met with the family members of those who had been killed and talked with the students, and feeling that we had to do more to try to keep guns out of the hands of the criminal and of the mentally unstable. And during the Clinton administration, that was a goal--not to, in any way, violate people's Second Amendment rights, but to try to limit access to people who should not have guns. Unfortunately, we saw the tragedy unfold at Virginia Tech. We now know that the background check system didn't work, because certainly this shooter, as he's called, had been involuntarily committed as a threat to himself and others. And, yet, he could walk in and buy a gun.
From Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton p. 503-4, (2003)
A month after the Columbine shootings, Bill & I went to Littleton Colorado to visit with the families of victims & survivors. The Columbine tragedy was not the first, nor the last, episode involving gun violence at an American high school. But it ignited a call for more federal action to keep guns out of the hands of the violent, troubled and young--a lethal combination. Bill and I announced a proposal to raise the legal age of handgun ownership to 21, and limit purchases of handguns to one per month.
From CNN, 6/2/2000
Clinton has offered her support for a legislative proposal to license handguns. The legislation sponsored by Senator Charles Schumer, would require anyone who wants to purchase a gun to obtain a state-issued photo gun license. “I stand in support of this common sense legislation to license everyone who wishes to purchase a gun,” Clinton said. “I also believe that every new handgun sale or transfer should be registered in a national registry, such as Chuck is proposing.
From a Speech at the Newspaper Association of America Convention, 5/9/2000
"We have to do more to stand up to those who refuse to believe the reality that guns do kill and that common-sense gun measures can make a difference.”"I believe we need a comprehensive plan to stop gun violence, and it is one of the reasons I am running for the Senate.”
On gun licensing: "We license drivers before they get behind the wheel to make sure they can drive safely. We register cars to make sure someone is responsible for every vehicle on the road. But we don't do the same for deadly weapons.”
On ballistic fingerprinting: "What we would have is a national database of these images that law enforcement officers could use to quickly track down the origins of guns found at their crime scenes and the criminals who use them."
On gun safety regulation: "It doesn't make much sense that we regulate toy guns but not real guns.”
From a Clinton Press Release, 7/31/99
I think it does once again urge us to think hard about what we can do to make sure that we keep guns out of the hands of children, criminals, and mentally unbalanced people. I hope we will come together as a nation and do whatever it takes to keep guns away from people who have no business with them.
From Good Morning America, 6/4/99
If you own a gun…make sure it’s locked up and stored without the ammunition. In fact, make it stored where the ammunition is stored separately. We’ve made some progress in the last several years with the Brady Bill and some of the bans on assault weapons, but we have a lot of work to do.
From a Speech at the Newspaper Association of America Convention, May 9, 2000
"We have to do more to stand up to those who refuse to believe the reality that guns do kill and that common-sense gun measures can make a difference.”"I believe we need a comprehensive plan to stop gun violence, and it is one of the reasons I am running for the Senate.”
On gun licensing
"We license drivers before they get behind the wheel to make sure they can drive safely. We register cars to make sure someone is responsible for every vehicle on the road. But we don't do the same for deadly weapons.”
On ballistic fingerprinting
"What we would have is a national database of these images that law enforcement officers could use to quickly track down the origins of guns found at their crime scenes and the criminals who use them."
On gun safety regulation
"It doesn't make much sense that we regulate toy guns but not real guns.”
Signed onto a letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Byrd and Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Chair Mikulski opposing the Tiahrt Amendments and any attempts to attach them to Justice Department Appropriations (April 13, 2007).
Supports restricting purchases of weapons and ammunition at gun shows, establishing a national database that would capture and record imprints left by bullets, and making gun locks mandatory (Baltimore Sun, 9/15/2004).
As a state Senator, Obama voted to allow concealed weapons to be carried by retired police officers and some military personnel (Baltimore Sun, 9/15/2004).
Obama regularly supported gun-control measures, including a ban on semiautomatic "assault weapons" and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month. (CBS News 1/17/2007).
As a state senator, he opposed letting people use a self-defense argument if charged with violating local handgun bans by using weapons in their homes. The bill was a reaction to a Chicago-area man who, after shooting an intruder, was charged with a handgun violation (CBS News 1/17/2007).
Quotes From an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times on April 25, 2008
Q: Have you been following the news of all the gun deaths?
A: The news has just been heart-breaking. I've asked my staff to contact the Chicago Police Department. and I'm going to put in a call to the mayor just to find out just what is accounting for this huge uptick.
Q: Is there anything the federal, state, or local government can do?
A: There's a bunch of things we can do. I've already said as president I want to restore [federal] COPS funding, which will put police on the streets. Additional police improves public safety. New York has seen a huge drop in crime over the last decade, more than even other cities, and part of it is they've got more cops than anybody else per capita. We've got to help local communities put more police on the streets. We want to make sure we provide state and local government with the targeting information they need, the technology they need to make sure police are going to the places most at risk for gun violence. We've got to tighten up our gun laws. I've said before we should have a much tougher background check system, one that's much more effective and make sure there aren't loopholes out there like the gun show loophole. [Or] The Tiahart Amendment [requiring destruction of gun-purchase records.] Here's an example of something common-sense: The ATF [federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms] should be able to share info with local communities about where guns are coming from, tracing guns that are used in criminal activity. It's been blocked consistently in Congress. As president, I'm gong to make sure we know if guns are being sold by unscrupulous gun dealers not abiding by existing laws. We should know about that.
Finally, we've got to deal with the underlying social issues that are causing this gun violence as well. You've got gangs of young men who are lost, who are involved in the drug trade. Starting early with early childhood education, improving our K-through-12 education, having after-school programs or summer-school programs so we are providing pathways for young people to move in the right direction.
As president, we've got to be able to help local communities put those programs in place.
Q: In Gary [Ind.,] and in Beaumont, Texas, you talked about parents doing a better job parenting. Is that applicable here?
A.: Absolutely. That's what I refer to when I say we've got to get to the underlying problems here. Children have to be taught right and wrong and violence isn't a way to resolve problems. Kids have to be kept off the streets at night. Transmitting those values is important. A lot of these kids unfortunately they might not have parents at home who are helping to give them guidance. Their communities themselves are wracked with violence. They're seeing it every day going down the streets. The role of the community, the churches, other institutions, instilling a different sensibility in our young people -- that's got to be part of the solution as well.
Q: The Washington, D.C. [handgun ban] case before the U.S. Supreme Court you were asked about at the debate -- have you have a chance to look into that more?
A: My view continues to be that the constitution, I believe, does provide a right to bear arms; but that local communities, and state governments, as well as the federal government, have a right to common-sense regulations and firearm ownership [rules.] The truth is, obviously, the ban here in Chicago, the ban in D.C. is not keeping the guns out of our cities, and so I'm interested in just figuring out what works and I'm confident we can come up with laws that work and that pass constitutional muster and don't infringe on the rights of lawful gun owners whether it's in Downstate Illinois or rural Montana.
Q: As a state legislator, you voted against a bill which would let people with orders of protection [against others] carry guns and another that would have barred municipalities from punishing people who kept guns in their homes. Why?
A: I felt that [the first one] was a precedent for conceal-and-carry laws. There has not been any evidence that allowing people to carry a concealed weapon is going to make anybody safer. [The second one] is relevant to the D.C. handgun issue. I wanted to preserve the right of local communities to enforce local ordinances and this would have overturned municipalities being able to enforce their own ordinances. We can argue about whether the ordinances work or not. But I wanted to make sure that local communities were recognized as having a right to regulate firearms.
Q: But you don't want to take a stand on the D.C. gun-ban law?
A: I don't like taking a stand on pending cases.
From a Campaign statement, April 16, 2008
One year after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, families are still mourning, and our nation is still healing. As Americans gather today in vigils and 'lie-ins' – or pray silently alone – our thoughts are with those whose lives were forever changed by the shootings. But one year later, it’s also time to reflect on how violence – whether on campuses like Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University or on the streets of Chicago and cities across this nation – can be prevented. Clearly, our state and federal governments have to strengthen some laws and do a better job enforcing others. But we all have a responsibility to do what we can in our own lives and communities to end this kind of senseless violence. That is still our task one year later, and it will be our ongoing task in the years to come.
From the Philadelphia Democratic primary debate, ABC, April 16, 2008
Q: Senator Obama, the District of Columbia has a law, it's had a law since 1976, it's now before the United States Supreme Court, that prohibits ownership of handguns, a sawed-off shotgun, a machine gun or a short-barreled rifle. Is that law consistent with an individual's right to bear arms?
A: Well, Charlie, I confess I obviously haven't listened to the briefs and looked at all the evidence.
As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right, and, you know, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.
And I think that it is going to be important for us to reconcile what are two realities in this country.
There's the reality of gun ownership and the tradition of gun ownership that's passed on from generation to generation. You know, when you listen to people who have hunted, and they talk about the fact that they went hunting with their fathers or their mothers, then that is something that is deeply important to them and, culturally, they care about deeply.
But you also have the reality of what's happening here in Philadelphia and what's happening in Chicago.
Q: But do you still favor the registration of guns? Do you still favor the licensing of guns?
And in 1996, your campaign issued a questionnaire, and your writing was on the questionnaire that said you favored a ban on handguns.
A: No, my writing wasn't on that particular questionnaire, Charlie. As I said, I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns.
What I think we can provide is common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.
The point is, is that what we have to do is get beyond the politics of this issue and figure out what, in fact, is working.
Look, in my hometown of Chicago, on the south side of Chicago, we've had 34 gun deaths last year of Chicago public school children.
And I think that most law-abiding gun owners all across America would recognize that it is perfectly appropriate for local communities and states and the federal government to try to figure out, how do we stop that kind of killing?
From the Associated Press annual meeting on April 14, 2008
Is there a way for us on the one hand to acknowledge the importance of gun ownership in huge swaths of the country, and recognize... that at the same time recognize that for us to put in place strong, tough background checks, to close the gun show loophole, to be able to trace guns that have been used in crimes to the gun dealers who sold those guns to see if they're abiding by the law, making sure that they're not working with straw purchasers to dump illegal handguns into vulnerable communities - that those two visions are compatible - that they're not contradictory.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on April 1, 2008
I do think we have to do a better job sharing information [on guns] between local and federal officials. I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could [get shot during] altercations.
From a Pennsylvania Campaign Event on April 1, 2008
I believe in the Second Amendment…I believe in the lawful use of firearms for hunters and sportsmen and people wanting to protect their families.
From an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 13, 2008
Q: How do you differ from Sen. Clinton on the issue of gun control? A: I think our positions are fairly similar. I'd let her characterize her own position. I certainly believe in the Second Amendment right, that people have the right to bear arms. But I also believe it is important to have some common-sense gun laws in place to make sure that straw purchasers aren't being used to fill up our streets with illegal firearms, and that we have stronger background checks so we keep firearms out of the hands of people with mental health problems or young people or those who have committed crimes. I think it is important for us to strengthen our ability to trace guns that have been used in crimes to gun dealers to make sure they are not operating in an illegal way. I think it's possible to reconcile the tradition of gun ownership, and the rights of sportsmen, hunters and those who want to protect their families, with keeping handguns that are used in crime off the streets. You can protect the rights of gun owners and at the same time keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
From a News conference in Milwaukee, WI, February 15, 2008
In response to the NIU shooting: We offer them [the victims and their families] our determination to do whatever it takes to eradicate this violence from our streets, from our schools, from our neighborhoods and our cities.... [by doing a] more effective job of enforcing our gun laws, strengthening our background check system, being able to trace guns that are used in violent crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers -- so that we can crack down on them -- closing gun show loopholes.
On microstamping: There was a discussion today about a law that has just passed in California that allows micro-tracing of bullets that have been discharged in a crime so that they can immediately be traced. This is something that California has passed over the strong objections of the NRA… That's the kind of common sense gun law that gun owners as well as victims of gun violence can get behind.
On the Second Amendment: There is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation.
On local gun laws: I think that local jurisdictions have the capacity to institute their own gun laws…The City of Chicago has gun laws, as does Washington, D.C.... I think the notion that somehow local jurisdictions can't initiate gun safety laws to deal with gang-bangers and random shootings on the street isn't born out by our constitution.
From a Campaign Appearance at Boise State, February 2, 2008
“And then there are people who say, 'Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state – we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns.”
From the 2008 Nevada Democratic primary debate, MSNBC, January 16, 2008
Q: Senator Obama, when you were in the state senate, you talked about licensing and registering gun owners. Would you do that as president?
A: I don’t think that we can get that done. But what I do think we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. One good example — this is consistently blocked — the efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers.
That’s not something that the NRA has allowed to get through Congress. And, as president, I intend to make it happen.
But here’s the broader context that I think is important for us to remember. We essentially have two realities, when it comes to guns, in this country. You’ve got the tradition of lawful gun ownership, that all of us saw, as we travel around rural parts of the country.
And it is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot.
And then you’ve got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago.
We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets.
From Ebony Magazine, December 31, 2007
As president, my first act on this issue will be the restoration of full funding for COPS (the Community Oriented Policing Services program). I also support reasonable, common sense measures to limit the occurrence of gun violence that has taken the lives of too many Americans, and that has particularly ravaged Black communities.
These measures include closing the gun-show loophole and requiring mandatory background checks on purchasers at gun shows .… I also believe that we have to make guns in this country childproof .... I support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent. I believe that these weapons, such as AK-47s, belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets. These are also not weapons that are used by hunters, sportsmen, and sportswomen.
From a Campaign statement (not a quote from the Senator), November 20, 2007
Senator Obama believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.
From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: You know, when the massacre happened at Virginia Tech, I think all of us were grief stricken and shocked by the carnage. But in this year alone, in Chicago, we've had 34 Chicago public school students gunned down and killed. And for the most part, there has been silence. We know what to do. We've got to enforce the gun laws that are on the books. We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit. But what we also have to do is to make sure that we change our politics so that we care just as much about those 30-some children in Chicago who've been shot as we do the children in Virginia Tech. That's a mindset that we have to have in the White House and we don't have it right now.
From a rally in Milwaukee, WI on April 16, 2007. www.realclearpolitics.com
There is gonna be discussion about how did this person get the firearms that he used. And there are already reports that potentially the semi-automatic weapons he used would have been banned under an assault weapons ban that was allowed to lapse. There'll be discussion about security on college campuses. There will be speculation as to what caused this young man to snap. But I hope that it causes us to reflect a little bit more broadly on the degree to which we do accept violence, in various forms, all the time in our society. We glorify it, we encourage it, we ignore it, and it is heartbreaking and it has to stop.
From The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.215 (2006)
I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manufacturer’s lobby. But I also believe that when a gangbanger shoots indiscriminately into a crowd because he feels someone disrespected him, we have a problem of morality. Not only do we need to punish that man for his crime, but we need to acknowledge that there's a hole in his heart, one that government programs alone may not be able to repair.
Senator Biden has been a consistent supporter of the Brady Campaign.
In 2004 he spoke at a press conference with Sarah Brady and John Kerry in favor of renewing the Assault Weapons Ban.
Voted for the Brady bill that provided a waiting period for the purchase of a handgun (passed 63-36 on November 20, 1993) and background checks at gun shows. (Bill S.1805/H.R.1036; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004)
Voted against special legal protection for the gun industry (Bill S.1805/H.R.1036; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004).
He is “F” rated by the NRA.
Quotes From the South Carolina 2007 Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC, Apr 26, 2007
Q: Sen. Biden, what could the federal government have done to save those kids at Virginia Tech?
A: What they could have done is three things. In the so-called Biden crime bill, we put 100,000 cops on the street. I've worked with law enforcement for the past 30 years, with armor-piercing bullets, waiting periods, etc. But the one thing that's clear: We should not have let the assault weapons ban lapse. We should close this so-called gun show loophole, so you can't go into a gun show and buy a gun that you couldn't buy walking into a gun shop. We have let the country down in the way in which we have not focused on mental illness. We should know that your kid is safe at college. If teachers determine that a child is a danger, the school should be able to take them off the campus.
“F” rated by the NRA and a lifetime supporter of the Brady Campaign’s positions.
Voted against special legal protection for the gun industry (Bill S.1805/H.R.1036; March 2, 2004).
Gave a strong speech on the Senate floor against special legal protection for the gun industry (July 22, 2005).
Signed onto a letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Byrd and Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Chair Mikulski opposing the Tiahrt Amendments and any attempts to attach them to Justice Department Appropriations (April 13, 2007).
Quotes From www.cnn.com. 4/16/2007
Today's events at Virginia Tech mark a very sad day in American history. My prayers are with the families who lost loved ones. My thoughts are also with the innocent victims who were injured, and I pray that they stage full and speedy recoveries. I am deeply saddened by this unnecessary loss of life, but I believe our nation will find the strength to support those touched by this tragedy.
Voted to renew the Assault Weapons Ban and close the gun show loophole (Lautenberg Amendment #362; Bill S.254; May 20, 1999).
Voted against loosening licensing and background checks at gun shows.
Supports the Brady Law (Bill S.254; May 11, 1999).
Quotes From the 2008 Nevada Democratic primary debate, MSNBC, January 16, 2008
Q: Senator Edwards, Democrats used to be out front for registration and licensing of guns. It now appears that there’s a recognition that it’s hard to win a national election with that position. Is that fair?
A: I think that’s fair, but I haven’t changed my position on this. I’m against it. Having grown up where I did in the rural South, everyone around me had guns, everyone hunted. And I think it is enormously important to protect people’s Second Amendment rights.
I don’t believe that means you need an AK-47 to hunt. And I think the assault weapons ban, which Hillary spoke about just a minute ago, as president of the United States I’ll do everything in my power to reinstate it. But I do think we need a president who understands the sportsmen, hunters who use their guns for lawful purposes have a right to have their Second Amendment rights looked after.
From his campaign website, www.johnedwards.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
Statement on Protecting Lawful Gun Ownership: In small towns across America, hunting and gun ownership is a way of life. John Edwards believes that law-abiding citizens have the right to defend their families and respects the long American tradition of hunting. We can protect Second Amendment gun rights while also stopping criminals from using guns. Edwards will protect the right of law-abiding citizens to participate in gun shows, while ensuring all that all weapons sold there are subject to an instant check.
From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: There are problems with the instant background check system that we have today. That needs to be fixed. Those problems became obvious with the shooting at Virginia Tech. There are other things that need to be done, like closing the gun show loophole, and I believe in the Second Amendment, but I don't believe you need an AK-47 to hunt. And I think we need to renew the assault weapons ban for that reason. But I also want to join in the idea that in addition to guns specifically and trying to do something to limit gun violence, we also need to create hope for so many young African-American men who think they're either going to die or go to prison. They don't see any hope whatsoever in their lives, which means we need to bring good jobs into the inner city so that they can support themselves, support their families.
From the Democratic 2004 Primary Debate at St. Anselm College, Jan 22, 2004
Q: How will your gun stance play among Southern voters?
A: I grew up in the rural South. Everyone around me hunted, everyone had guns. I respect and believe in people's Second Amendment rights. That does not, however, mean that somebody needs an AK-47 to hunt. It does not mean that somebody who's been convicted of a violent crime should be able to walk out of prison, walk across the street and buy a gun. It does not mean that we shouldn't take every step that we can take to keep guns safe and keep guns out of the hands of kids. So, my belief is, first, I defend people's Second Amendment rights, but I don't think it's without limit
In Keene, NH Giuliani said he believes that individual states should decide who could carry concealed weapons (Newsday, 5/23/07).
On June 20, 2000, Giuliani announces the New York City lawsuit against 30 gun manufacturers, saying the companies are to blame for allowing their weapons to fall into the hands of criminals.
Quotes From the CNN/Youtube Republican Debate, 11/28/2007
Q. Considering the constitution gives us the right to bear arms as a means of protection, why do you believe that citizens should be required to pass an exam in order to exercise their right to protect themselves and their families?
A. Andrew, what I believe is that we have to be very aggressive in enforcing the gun laws that exist. I had a city that, when I took over, there were 2’000 murders a year, 10’000 felonies a week. And I enforced the gun laws very aggressively.
I enforced all laws very aggressively. And that’s the reason we reduced shootings by 74%. We reduced homicide by 67%. And we went from being one of the most dangerous cities in the country to being one of the safest.
As far as that’s concerned, what I believe is, the Second Amendment gives people an individual right to keep and bear arms. Government can impose reasonable regulations, generally those regulations would be about….(Audience Booing)
Let me finish. Generally, those regulations would be about criminal background, background of mental instability, basically the ones that are outlined in the opinion of the judge who wrote the Parker decision, Judge Silberman. And if those regulations go beyond that, then those are unconstitutional.
I think States can have a little bit of leeway. New York can have a somewhat stricter rule than, lets say, Kentucky. Texas might have different rules than Ohio. But generally, you’ve got to comply with this rule.
Now, the Supreme Court’s going to decide this. The Supreme Court’s going to decide this probably within the next six months. The Parker case has been taken to the Supreme Court. They’re going to decide whether it’s a right that pertains to the militia, which I don’t believe it is, or is it a right that is a personal right. I believe that it is.
And I will live by that. And people will be allowed to have guns. I’m not going to interfere with that. Generally, decisions are going to be made on a State basis. And they’re going to have to comply to the Constitution.”
From the same debate, countering Fred Thompson’s repost –
I agree with the Senator that it didn’t make it a safer city. And some of these gun laws do not make a city a safer city.
The things we did in New York, indisputably, made New York City a much safer city. And the law in the District of Columbia and the law in New York are different.
The law in the District of Columbia made it impossible for you to have a firearm. And if New York City went that far, it should be declared unconstitutional.
The Second Amendment clearly gives you the right to carry and to bear arms. In my reading of it, it’s an individual right, and I believe the Supreme Court will declare that. And that protection comes from the Constitution, not just a President.
From a speech to NRA members at a D.C. Event, Sept 21, 2007
I believe, and I'm sure you do, that law enforcement should focus on enforcing the laws that exist on the books, as opposed to just passing new laws or new extension of laws . . . . You should know I understand that the right to bear arms is just as important a right in that Constitution as the right of free speech and the other rights.
From the 2007 GOP debate at UNH, sponsored by Fox News, Sep 5, 2007
Q: Some gun owners say they never felt safe in your city because of its gun control laws. What do you have to say to them?
A: I would say to them the FBI would disagree with that. New York City was, during the years that I was mayor, the safest large city in the United States. For example, in Boston, there was a 59% greater chance you'd be the victim of a crime than in New York City. In many other cities, there was 100% to 300% greater chance that you'd be a victim of a crime than in New York City. One of the things I accomplished as mayor of New York City was the impossible. I took a city that was the crime capital of America, and I made it not only the safest large city in America, I made it safer than 189 small cities. So, I mean, people have their right to their own feelings. The reality is, you were safer in New York than just about any other city in the United States after I was mayor for about three or four years.
From Fox News Sunday, 2007 presidential candidate interviews, May 14, 2007
I'm a strict constructionist, or I try to be. The Second Amendment is about as clear as it can be. It gives people the individual right to bear arms. I agree with that. I think that is a correct interpretation. That means that any restrictions have to be reasonable. And those restrictions largely have to do with criminal background, background of mental illness, and they should basically be done on the state-by-state level. And that's the guidelines that I would use in dealing with it as president.
Q: One of the raps against you is that as mayor you did things that pleased your city but that weren't necessarily good for the nation. Case in point: Gun control. You now say that what works in New York doesn't necessarily work in Montana. But as mayor, you supported the nationwide Clinton assault weapons ban. You supported nationwide federal licensing. And you actually joined a lawsuit to make gun manufacturers liable if someone used their gun to shoot somebody.
A: I did everything I could as mayor o New York City to reduce crime. And the strategy against guns, both civil and criminal, was very aggressive.
Q: But that wasn't just tough in New York City, it was tough around the nation. A: But so was the strategy I utilized in New York City on everything. I was criticized for being too aggressive about the enforcement of the laws, including the gun laws. But the reality is I began with the city that was the crime capital of America. When I left, it was the safest large city in America.
Q: As mayor, you supported the nationwide Clinton assault weapons ban, & you supported nationwide federal licensing.
A: The quote that I have from the time I was mayor is that the conditions in New York and the things you do in New York about guns may be different than Texas. And the reality is I've always looked at it that way.
Q: But at the time you said, in fact, that weak gun laws in other states might actually end up producing guns on the streets of New York, so you needed nationwide laws.
Q: What we were doing was using civil remedies to try to help New York, as well as using criminal remedies to help New York. The reality is as mayor of New York, I looked to do all the things that I could do to protect the people of my city.
Q: And as president?
A: As president, my interest is going to be how to protect the people of the United States of America. When I take that oath of office, it'll be real clear to me who the people I have to protect are.
From The New York Times, 3/7/97
I really do think there comes a point at which you cannot reduce crime much more when you are being overwhelmed by the rest of the United States. Ninety percent of the guns we’ve been able to trace come from outside the city. That tremendous problem is being created for us by the rest of the country.
From Giuliani’s Citizens Crime Commission Speech, 3/6/97
In fact, a recently released study indicates that of 2,225 guns confiscated in New York City, more than 92 percent of the guns were originally purchased out of state — and more than 60 percent of them came from five states, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. When looking at the FBI total index crimes list, which shows numbers of crimes on a per capita basis for cities with population more than 100,000, its not a coincidence that 4 of the top 10 are in Florida, and 6 are in the South, where gun control laws are very lax. New York City on the contrary, where the requirements for purchasing a gun are more rigorous, ranks 144th on that list.
Perhaps we should require insurance for handguns. If liability insurance were required to purchase and own a handgun, you better believe that the insurance industry would promulgate a pretty rigorous licensing and purchasing process to control the risk.
From the Mayor’s Radio Address, 3/2/97
We need a federal law that bans all assault weapons, and if in fact you do need a handgun you should be subjected to at least the same restrictions – and really stronger ones – that exist for driving an automobile.
The United States Congress needs to pass uniform licensing for everyone carrying a gun. Congress must do more to prevent a tragedy like the one that happened at the Empire State Building from ever happening again.
From a News Conference with Jim and Sarah Brady, March 31 1995
It’s really amazing that we’re still here debating what has to be done about handguns and what has to be done about guns in general.
From Meet the Press, 11/93
Giuliani says he supports “a uniform licensing system” for states that would include background checks, lessons, tests, and required renewals every two years.
As Governor, he signed a law providing legal protection to the gun industry, he also removed restrictions on carrying concealed weapons, including allowing former law enforcement officers to carry them in public places.
Said in a radio interview that a student or teacher carrying a concealed weapon might have reduced the death toll from the Virginia Tech shooting spree.
Opposes the Brady Law, reauthorizing the Assault Weapons Ban, background checks at gun shows, child safety locks, and a ban on armor piercing ammunition (Gun Owners of America).
As President, he would issue an Executive Order directing that carrying weapons in national forests and parks be governed by local laws (Gun Owners of America).
In April 2007, David Huckabee, son of the former Governor, was given a one year suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay $855 in fines and costs after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for having a loaded Glock pistol in his carry-on bag at the Little Rock airport. The younger Huckabee said he made a “silly mistake.” (USA Today, 4/07).
Quotes From a Speech in Little Rock Arkansas, February 5, 2008
We're here tonight because a lot of people in the South and across America know that the Second Amendment is to be respected as much as the First Amendment. And they know that there's only one candidate who has a consistent record of making sure we do that
From an appearance in Fort Dodge Iowa, January 2, 2008.
People are looking for some consistency when it comes to the support of the second amendment. They’re not going to find that I once supported some gun control measure and now I’ve changed my mind because the polls say I should or because the playbook says I should. I do it because it’s a conviction. I think that that’s a constitutional right. It’s not about hunting; it’s about our freedom. It’s about protecting ourselves, our families, and our futures. If we don’t have the Second Amendment, we lose the First as well.
From a speech to NRA members at a D.C. Event, Sept 9, 2007
I'm a hunter. But that's not what the Second Amendment is about. First of all, it protects our families. We have a constitutional right, granted to us, in the wisdom of our forefathers, to protect our families—to protect them from criminals, to protect them from whatever might harm them. And it is as much of a constitutional right as it is the right to speak out against our government.
From Fox News Sunday, 2007 presidential candidate interviews, Aug 26, 2007
Q: You introduced yourself to New Hampshire voters this way, "Here's a guy who didn't just read the latest issue of NRA Magazine and decide he's going to be for the Second Amendment."
A: Voters want someone whose views on the Second Amendment understand that the basic issue is one of freedom and it's not hunting.
From his book From Hope to Higher Ground, by Mike Huckabee, p.126-127 (2007)
Q: What about assault weapons, or what is called assault weapons in the law? Should Americans be allowed to have them?
A: Absolutely. Americans ought to be allowed to have anything they want to have, as long as they’re law abiding, legal citizens. The 2nd Amendment was not there for hunting. I get so offended when Democrats talk about it as if you don’t need an assault weapon to hunt. Well truthfully, most Democrats wouldn’t know an assault weapon from a BB gun. I’m a hunter; I have been my whole life. But the 2nd Amendment is not just about hunting. It’s about protecting your family, your property, and it’s honestly about defending ourselves against a tyrannical government, should it ever go haywire on us.
Q: What about machine guns, Governor?
A: I’ve got friends who own them. They have the legal process to own them. But once again, I’m not afraid of a law-abiding citizen owning anything. I’m afraid of a criminal getting his hands on a gun. That’s where the crackdown needs to be. This country’s gone crazy. It’s cracking down on law-abiding citizens, and turning their heads at people who break the law. That’s the polar opposite.
My position on the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution is as clear for me as the position held by most journalists toward the 1st Amendment. While I do not consider myself a "gun nut," I proudly own a variety of firearms and enjoy hunting as well as sports shooting. But even if I were not a hunter or did not enjoy shooting, I would still be a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment right of Americans to own firearms for self-protection and as a matter of principle.
There are 700,000 physicians in the US and the number of accidental deaths caused by them per year is 120,000, making the accidental death rate per physician 17%. Using the same logic, there are about 80 million gun owners, and the number of accidental gun deaths per year among all age groups is 1,500. The same calculation reveals the number of accidental deaths per gun owner to be 0.00188%. In other words, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 more times more dangerous than gun owners. Yet, I hear no one suggesting we ban doctors.
From the Arkansas News Bureau, 1/5/06
Supports “Shoot First”, the law that states that any person has the right to “stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm.”
Opposed the Brady Bill, the Assault Weapons Ban, trigger locks, background checks at gun shows and supported special legal protection for the gun industry.
Quotes From the 2007 GOP Presidential Forum at Morgan State University, Sep 27, 2007
Regarding the Second Amendment: I thoroughly enjoy hunting, having just recently spent a great weekend hunting elk in Arizona. But, the Second Amendment is not about hunting. It is about the right of you and me to be secure in our homes. We must vigorously defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment. You know as well as I do that there is one thing criminals prefer over any other: unarmed victims.
From his Campaign website, www.gohunter08.com, "Core Principles" Sep 1, 2007
Q: Do you support giving the District of Columbia voting representation?
A: You know, I might be a little more open to statehood for DC if they would allow their citizens to be able to keep and bear arms in their houses to protect their safety. And I offered that amendment a couple of years ago. It passed and when it passed, the Democrats brought down the entire crime bill rather than let DC residents have the right to keep and bare arms.
Has a perfect record of voting with the Brady Campaign.
Is a strong advocate for stricter gun laws including renewing the Assault Weapons Ban, closing the gun show loophole and repealing special legal protection for the gun industry.
Chaired House Subcommittee on Housing and Gun Violence.
Quotes From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: I was mayor of Cleveland and I grew up in the city and you could sometimes hear gunshots as part of the music of the night. We know that there's a Virginia Tech happening in this country every day. At least 32 people are killed every day with handguns. We know that over a period of 100 days, as many people are killed by handguns as died in 9/11 in this country. We know that there is a crisis of public safety and security. We have babies dying in the streets because of these handguns. Now, we've got to give a direct answer. It is time that we ban handguns. We have to do that in order to protect our cities. It is time that we took a position that says that the 14th Amendment, you know, that right to life, liberty, is just as important as the 2nd Amendment. It's time that we took a stand on behalf of the health and safety of the American people and, as president, I'm ready to do that.
Richardson is “A” rated and was endorsed by the NRA.
Governor Bill Richardson chose the NRA’s Whittington Center as the backdrop to sign his concealed carry legislation. This law lowered the minimum age for concealed carry permits to 21 from 25, extended the license term to four years from two and allowed the waiver of license fees for law enforcement personnel and retirees. It also removed the requirement that reciprocity be extended only to states with “substantially similar” laws (April 2005, westerndemocrat.com).
In 1991, Richardson opposed a seven-day waiting period for handgun purchases.
Opposed the Brady Bill in 1991 and 1993.
Quotes From the 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC, Jul 23, 2007
Q: You have one of the highest NRA ratings.
A: The issue here, I believe, is instant background checks. Nobody who has a criminal background or is mentally ill should be able to get a weapon. That is the key, and that includes gun sales. That includes gun sales at gun shows. The key is going to be also attacking poverty, dealing with those kids in the ghettos that are heavy users of gun violence and that are victims of gun violence, to make sure that this country attacks the core problems of poverty.
From a speech to NRA member at a D.C. Event, Sept 21, 2007
In recent years, our civil and personal rights have come under attack. As president, I will lead an all-out effort to restore and protect our rights, including the Second Amendment. Just as I do not hide from my audience my support for responsible gun ownership, I will not downplay my belief that we can, and must work together to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. We must work diligently to enforce existing laws and improve communications among law enforcement agencies. If we do, we will crack down on the real criminals. Then there will be less pressure on the rights of law abiding citizens like you and me who wish to own guns for protection, hunting or other recreation.
From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum, Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: I believe the key to reducing gun violence, which is a scourge in our cities and all over America, is to have strong instant background checks, to keep guns away from those that shouldn't have them, those with criminal backgrounds, those that have mentally ill problems. But the key in eliminating gun violence is eliminating poverty, eliminating hate. What I would do as president is I would dramatically increase the minimum wage. I would expand child care. I would expand the earned income tax credit. I would have programs in this country to deal with those that are incarcerated, rehabilitation, treatment, education. Gun violence is a scourge, but we have to attack the core and that is poverty.
From Meet the Press: Meet the Candidates 2008 series, May 27, 2007
Q: As president, would you seek to ban assault weapons?
A: It didn't work. What I would do is I would focus more of our efforts on, for instance, background checks with those with criminal backgrounds and the mentally ill. We have to tighten up those background checks. The problem is the states don't have the database & the resources.
Q: You received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association running for governor. Would you accept the endorsement of the NRA for president?
A: Yes, I would. I'm a gun owner. I am for reasonable controls --I don't want to see Uzis when you're hunting, obviously.
Q: But you wouldn't ban them.
A: I'm a western governor. It's a cultural issue. I am for strong law enforcement [but not a ban].
Q: Being the NRA's man is not going to be popular in some Democratic primaries.
A: Gun control shouldn't be a litmus test in the Democratic Party. I don't change my positions to run for president.
Q: Well, you did on assault weapons [having voted for the assault weapon ban and then later for its repeal].
A: But that was a vote as part of an overall bill that President Clinton proposed [the assault weapon ban was part of a larger crime bill].
From the South Carolina 2007 Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC, Apr 26, 2007
Q: You are currently the NRA's favorite presidential candidate declared in either party, based on their rating system. Did anything about the massacre at Virginia Tech make you rethink any part of your position on guns?
A: The first point I'd want to make is my sincerest condolences to the families of those loved ones that perished. It was an unspeakable tragedy. You're right; I'm a Westerner. The 2nd Amendment is precious in the West. But I want to just state for the record, a vast majority of gun owners are law-abiding. This is an issue that deals with two fundamental problems in our system. The first is mental illness. We should ensure that all federal and state initiatives deal with making sure those with mental illnesses cannot get a gun. We should find ways to ensure that our schools get the help that they need to detect these mentally ill patients. Secondly, I'm for instant background checks. We have to make sure states are properly funded to be able to detect those problems.
Signed into law the MA State Assault Weapons Ban on July 1, 2004, modeled after the federal Assault Weapons Ban. The MA law also extended the term of a firearm identification card and license to carry weapons from four years to six years. Additionally, it created a Firearm License Review Board to provide an appeals process for people whose license applications had been denied.
In 2005, Romney designated May 7th as “The Right to Bear Arms Day” in MA.
In 2006, he signed NRA-backed legislation creating exemptions for the makers of customized target pistols who had found it too expensive to sell their guns in MA because of a state regulation requiring them to test at least five examples of new products “until destruction.”
He was “B” rated by the NRA in 2002 and was not endorsed.
He now touts his work as Governor to ease restrictions on gun owners. At his campaign’s request top officials of the NRA and the Shooting Sports Foundation led him around one of the country’s biggest gun shows.
Quotes From Meet the Press with Tim Russert, December 16, 2007
Q: Let me turn to gun control. Here's the headline: "Romney retreats on gun control. Romney, who once described himself as a supporter of strong gun laws, is distancing himself from that rhetoric now as he attempts to court the gun owners who make up a significant force in Republican primary politics. In his '94 Senate race, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rife Association and other guns rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons. 'That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA,' Romney told the Boston Herald.' At another campaign stop, he told reporters, 'I don't line up with the NRA.' Suddenly Romney decides to run for president and signs up for a lifetime membership in the NRA."
A: You know, it's, it's wonderful, and you'll appreciate this. There is a great effort on the part of, in some cases, my opposition, in some cases, just folks that are interested in writing an interesting article to, to try and find any change at all. And my position on guns is the same position I've had for a long, long time. And, and that position is that I don't line up 100 percent with the NRA. I don't see eye to eye with the NRA on every issue.
Q: You're still for the Brady Bill?
A: I supported the assault weapon ban.
Q: You're for it?
A: I signed -- and I -- let me, let me describe it.
Q: But you're still for it.
A: Let's describe what it is. I signed -- I would have supported the original assault weapon ban. I signed an assault weapon ban in Massachusetts as governor because it provided for a relaxation of licensing requirements for gun owners in Massachusetts, which was a big plus. And so both the pro-gun and the anti-gun lobby came together with a bill, and I signed that. And if there is determined to be, from time to time, a weapon of such lethality that it poses a grave risk to our law enforcement personnel, that's something I would consider signing. There's nothing of that nature that's being proposed today in Washington. But, but I would, I would look at weapons that pose extraordinary lethality.
Q: So the assault ban that expired here because Congress didn't act on it, you would support?
A: Just as the president said, he would have, he would have signed that bill if it came to his desk, and so would have I. And, and, and yet I also was pleased to have the support of the NRA when I ran for governor. I sought it, I seek it now. I'd love to have their support. I believe in the right of Americans to bear arms.
Q: How about the Brady Bill?
A: The Brady Bill has changed over time, and, of course, technology has changed over time.
Q: But the idea of a waiting period.
A: Well, we have, we have a background check. That's the key thing. I support background checks to, to -- for people who are going into a store or whatever and buying a weapon, I want them to have a background check to make sure...
Q: But you stand by your support of the Brady Bill.
A: ...to make sure, to make sure that the, that the crazies don't buy guns. The, the current Brady Bill is, is a different measure than the original. The original had a waiting period because it took a long time to check on people's backgrounds. Today we can check instantly on backgrounds. I don't want to cause a waiting period that's not necessary based upon today's technology. But my position is we should check on the backgrounds of people who are trying to purchase guns. We also should keep weapons of unusual lethality from being on the street. And finally, we should go after people who use guns in the commission of crimes or illegally, but we should not interfere with the right of law-abiding citizens to own guns either for their own personal protection or hunting or any other lawful purpose. I support the work of the NRA. I'm a member of the NRA. But do we line up on every issue? No, we don't.
From a Romney Campaign Press Release, Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007
Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to review District of Columbia v. Heller: ”It is my hope that the Supreme Court will reaffirm the individual right to keep and bear arms as enshrined in the Bill of Rights and protect law abiding gun owners everywhere. To further guard this fundamental liberty, as President, I will take care to appoint judges who will not legislate from the bench but will instead strictly interpret the Constitution.”
From CNN, 5/16/07
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney conceded he had signed legislation banning assault weapons but said, "Let's get the record straight." He said he is a supporter of the rights of gun owners under the Second Amendment.
From the 2007 Republican Debate in South Carolina May 15, 2007
Q: As governor you signed into law one of the toughest restrictions on assault weapons in the country.
A: Let's get the record straight. First of all, there's no question that I support 2nd Amendment rights, but I also support an assault weapon ban. Look, I've been governor in a pretty tough state. You've heard of blue states. In the toughest of blue states, I made the toughest decisions and did what was right for America. I have conservative values.
From the Washington Post, May 6 2007
We’re shocked by the evil of the Virginia Tech shooting, I opened my Bible shortly after I heard of the tragedy. Only a few verses it seems after the Fall, we read that Adam and Eve’s oldest son killed his youngest brother. From the beginning there has been evil in the world.
Pornography and violence poison our music and movies and TV and video games. The Virginia Tech shooter, like the Columbine shooters before him, had drunk from this cesspool.
From the Boston Globe, April 8, 2007
This week in Keene, N.H. Romney told a man in an NRA hat that he had “been a hunter pretty much all of my life,” the Associated Press reported. The Romney campaign later acknowledged that Romney, 60, hunted one summer as a teenager and once in his late 50’s. Earlier this year Romney said, ‘I have a gun of my own.’ It turned out his son owns guns, not Romney. After boasting about his membership in the NRA, Romney later admitted he joined the group less than a year ago.
From the AP, 4/5/2007
Romney who joined the NRA last August as a designated “Lifetime” member explained to an audience in Keene, NH, “I’m after the NRA’s endorsement. I’m not sure they’ll give it to me. I hope they will. I also joined because if I’m going to ask for their endorsement, they’re going to ask for mine.”
From the 2002 GOP Gubernatorial Debate
We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them. I won’t chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.
From the Boston Globe 1/14/07 (Quote from 1994)
In his 1994 Senate run Romney backed the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Ban, telling the Boston Herald, “That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA.” At another campaign stop in 1994, Romney told reporters: “I don’t line up with the NRA.”
Tancredo takes NRA money after swearing off of it. (Rocky Mountain News, October 17, 2002).
Even after Columbine, which took place in his district, he opposed closing the gun show loophole (HR 2122, 6/18/99).
Has consistently voted with the gun lobby including voting against child safety locks (HR 5672, 6/28/06).
Quotes From his Campaign website, www.teamtancredo.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
I fully and completely support the right of the people to keep and bear arms. The failure of the ACLU to defend this right, and of federal courts to make the second amendment binding on the states, as they have made the first amendment and most others, testifies to their intellectual hypocrisy.
From the Rocky Mountain News, October 18, 1999
Commenting on Columbine “…but I’m concerned we need to do something meaningful on gun control.”
From the Rocky Mountain News, June 18, 1999
Representative Tom Tancredo says the killings at Columbine High School have prompted a shift in his personal and political stance on gun control.
Wrote an op-ed in the National Review online opposing “gun-free school zones” particularly in the wake of Virginia Tech (April 20, 2007).
Consistently votes with the gun lobby, including opposing trigger locks, closing the gun show loophole, and banning the importation of large capacity ammunition feeding devices. The following are examples of such votes.
Voted against background checks at gun shows (Lautenberg Amendment #362; Bill S. 254; May 20, 1999).
Voted against more penalties for gun and drug violations (Hatch Amendment #344; Bill S. 254; May 14, 1999).
Voted for loosening license and background checks at gun shows (Bill S.254; May 11, 1999).
Voted for maintaining current law: Guns sold without trigger locks (Bill S 2260; Jul 21, 1998).
Quotes From the CNN/Youtube Republican Debate, 11/28/2007
Well, the Mayor (Giuliani) has supported a wide array of gun control laws. I’m not sure there’s ever one that didn’t come up for consideration in terms of legislation that he didn’t support – signing ceremonies with people from President Clinton’s and that sort of thing when they came up.
The Second Amendment is not a choice thing. I mean, it’s the Constitution of the United States- that’s the protection that the people have against….(applause)
The case that the mayor refers to is the Washington D.C case, and they were taking the same position, basically, that the mayor took, as far as the city of New York is concerned.
They said, “You know, it will make it a safer city if we outlaw law-abiding citizens having the right to possess a firearm.” It didn’t make them a safer city.
The D.C Court of Appeals held that it was in violation of their Second Amendment rights and, hopefully, the Supreme Court will uphold the D.C Court.
From Real Clear Politics, November 21, 2007
Here’s another reason why it’s important that we appoint judges who use the Constitution as more than a set of suggestions. On Nov. 21, 2007, the Supreme Court decided to hear the case of District of Columbia v. Heller.
Six plaintiffs from Washington, D.C. challenged the provisions of the D.C. Code that prohibited them from owning or carrying a handgun. They argued that the rules were an unconstitutional abridgment of their Second Amendment rights. The Second Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, provides, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The District argued, as many gun-control advocates do, that these words only guarantee a collective “right” to bear arms while serving the government. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected this approach and instead adopted an “individual rights” view of the Second Amendment. The D.C. Circuit is far from alone. The Fifth Circuit and many leading legal scholars, including the self-acknowledged liberal Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, have also come to adopt such an individual rights view.
I’ve always understood the Second Amendment to mean what it says – it guarantees a citizen the right to “keep and bear” firearms, and that’s why I’ve been supportive of the National Rifle Association’s efforts to have the DC law overturned.
In general, lawful gun ownership is a pretty simple matter. The Founders established gun-owner rights so that citizens would possess and be able to exercise the universal right of self-defense. Guns enable their owners to protect themselves from robbery and assault more successfully and more safely than they otherwise would be able to. The danger of laws like the D.C. handgun ban is that they limit the availability of legal guns to people who want to use them for legitimate reasons, such as self-defense (let alone hunting, sport shooting, collecting), while doing nothing to prevent criminals from acquiring guns.
The D.C. handgun ban, like all handgun bans is necessarily ineffectual. It takes the guns that would be used for self-protection out of the hands of law-abiding citizens, while doing practically nothing to prevent criminals from obtaining guns to use to commit crimes. Even the federal judges in the D.C. case knew about the flourishing black market for guns in our nation’s capital that leaves the criminals armed and the law-abiding defenseless. This is unacceptable.
The Second Amendment does more than guarantee to all Americans an unalienable right to defend one’s self. William Blackstone, the 18th century English legal commentator whose works were well read and relied on by the Framers of our Constitution, observed that the right to keep and bear firearms arises from “the natural right of resistance and self-preservation.” This view, reflected in the Second Amendment, promotes both self-defense and liberty. It is not surprising then that the generation that had thrown off the yoke of British tyranny less than a decade earlier included the Second Amendment in the Constitution and meant for it to enable the people to protect themselves and their liberties.
I strongly support the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms. Gun control is touted as a major crime-control measure. But some of the places with the strictest gun-control laws also have high violent-crime rates. Disarming law-abiding citizens does not prevent crime. The answer to violent crime is smart, effective, and aggressive law enforcement. The real effect of these gun-control measures is to place onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens who use firearms for such legal activities as self-defense, sport shooting, hunting, and collecting. I am committed to: Strictly enforcing existing laws and severely punishing violent criminals; Protecting the rights individual Americans enjoy under the Second Amendment.
From a speech to members of the NRA at a D.C. Event, Sept 21, 2007
I think we are winning on the interpretation of the Second Amendment. I've always taken the position that—kind of a complicated position that I've worked out—the Constitution means what it says.
From his Campaign website, www.Fred08.com, "Issues" Sep 20, 2007 [Giuliani] simply supported just about every gun control legislation that came down the pipe, and I just disagree with him on that. I saw he was at bill signing ceremonies with Chuck Schumer and President Clinton and others for gun control legislation over the years and was very outspoken about it. Of course, he’s not as outspoken about it anymore. But it’s a major differentiation.
He relates everything to New York City, well New York City is not emblematic of the rest of the country, I don’t think, and I think the sentiments of those people in the rest of the country are in strong support of the Second Amendment. It’s where I’ve always been, and I don’t think he’s ever been.
From Thompson's blog on ABCradio.com, "Signs of Intelligence?" Apr 19, 2007
How is it that one man with two handguns could reload time & time again, and go from classroom to classroom on the Virginia Tech campus without being stopped? Much of the answer can be found in policies put in place by the university itself.
Virginia allows citizens with training and legal permits to carry concealed weapons. That means that Virginians regularly sit in movie theaters and eat in restaurants among armed citizens.
The statistics are clear. Communities that recognize and grant Second Amendment rights to responsible adults have a significantly lower incidence of violent crime than those that do not. Incarcerated criminals tell criminologists that they consider local gun laws when they decide what sort of crime they will commit, and where they will do so.
But Virginia Tech administrators overrode Virginia state law and threatened to expel or fire anybody who brings a weapon onto campus. Those "Gun-free Zone" signs don't mean much to the sort of man who murdered 32 people.
From Fox News Sunday, 2007 presidential candidate interviews Mar 11, 2007
Q: Let's do a lightning round to see where you stand. Gun control.
A: Well, I'm against gun control generally. You know, you check my record. You'll find I'm pretty consistent on that issue.
Q: So you'd be perfectly happy to have people have handguns in their homes?
A: Yes. Absolutely. The court basically said the Constitution means what it says, and I agree with that.
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