Kerry Tells Bush to 'Get Real' on Assault Weapons

By Patricia Wilson

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) on Friday said President Bush (news - web sites)'s failure to fight for a renewal of a ban on assault weapons will make it easier for terrorists to get the lethal weapons.

Campaigning in Missouri, where he trails Bush in opinion polls less than two months before the Nov. 2 election, Kerry said as a hunter and outdoorsman he vowed he would never try to change the Second Amendment to the Constitution giving Americans the right to bear arms.

Under a 10-year ban enacted in 1994, weapons such as AK-47s, TEC-9s, and Uzis were outlawed, as were high capacity ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. That law expires on Monday and Congress does not plan to extend it.

Kerry rebuked Bush and others for "talking about the war on terror, trying to scare Americans." Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) said this week that if the Democrat were elected the United States could be hit by another attack like the on one Sept. 11, 2001.

"It's real, we've got a war," Kerry said. "But we should do more than just talk about it and try to scare people about it and make it a political issue."

Citing the 9/11 commission and other reports, Kerry said that al Qaeda, blamed for the attacks on America three years ago, had issued a manual that urged followers to "come to America and buy assault weapons."

"Why is George Bush (news - web sites) making the job of terrorists easier and making the job for America's police officers harder?" he asked in a separate written statement.

The Massachusetts senator told a town hall meeting in St. Louis: "You can't fight a war on terror and you can't make our streets safe ... (by) selling assault weapons in the streets of America.

"But George Bush who says 'Oh, I'm for that' never asked the Congress to pass it, never pushed the Congress to pass it, never stood up, caves into the NRA (National Rifle Association), gives into the special interests and America's streets will not be as safe because of the choice George Bush is making."

TRIES APPEAL TO GUNOWNERS

Kerry, a New England blueblood who served 20 years in the Senate after two decorated tours in the Vietnam War, has tried to appeal to the more conservative voters in important battleground states by presenting himself as a lifelong outdoorsman.

In the past week, he has been photographed trap shooting in Ohio and holding a gun given to him by a supporter at a rally in Racine, West Virginia.

"I mean, heavens to Betsy folks, we've had that law on the books for the last 10 years and there's not a gun owner in America who can stand up and say they tried to take my guns away," Kerry said. "I mean, let's get real. Let's get real."

He told several hundred supporters of his pheasant hunting trip in Iowa earlier this year when he was trailing in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never."

Bush has said he would sign an extension of the assault weapons ban but he did not press for its renewal by the Congress. The politically powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby has made killing it a top priority, and some lawmakers are fearful of crossing the NRA weeks before congressional elections. Polls show a majority of Americans support renewing the ban.

The NRA has not yet formally endorsed Bush's re-election bid. A Kerry aide said the senator had never been a member of the NRA because he did not agree with its policies.

i love how uzis always come up.

Oh come on, this douche doesn't know anything about firearms.

Hey John, I bet you didn't know that Americans aren't that stupid.

I know, why can't the truth get out about the Clinton ban. This pisses me off the most

Skerry is a POS.

This shit gives me a heartburn. I love the whining of the left. The ban is dead, they know it, and now its time to blame bush. - Its always his fault -

"I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never."

Why the F*ck does an "AK-47 or Uzi" always have to be associated with hunting?

"And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never."

How does one hunt without something to kill with? Bow, or knife or hands at least?

"Heavens to Betsy" ????

Who even SAYS that?

Someone should have told this fuck - "Uh, Mister Senator Flip-flop? Are you aware that semi-automatic 'AK-47's are still available to buy?'

show me where in the constitution where hunting is refrenced?

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.

Quoted: "I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never." Why the F*ck does an "AK-47 or Uzi" always have to be associated with hunting?

Why the fuck does hunting always have to be associated with the 2nd Ammendment?

Ass. Wipe.

Quoted: "It's real, we've got a war," Kerry said. "But we should do more than just talk about it and try to scare people about it and make it a political issue."

Does anyone else see the comically blatant irony in this statement?

Kerry, a New England blueblood who served 20 years in the Senate after two decorated tours in the Vietnam War, has tried to appeal to the more conservative voters in important battleground states by presenting himself as a lifelong outdoorsman.

How about here?

Fuck you John Kerry!

Quoted: Fuck you John Kerry!

But that's impossible! All of the GOP bashers told me that there's no difference between Bush and Kerry!

These asswipes are operating off the same (lying) playbook.

All their responses and rhetoric is word-for-word and phrase-for-phrase parroting of the same lies they've spouted for years, and no one seems to question their "zombie-like" presentations.

Gun owners would be called to task for mindlessly repeating the "rhetoric of the Gun Lobby" and asked "Who keeps feeding you this stuff?" if we did the same thing.

Yeah, media isn't biased or agenda driven at all, is it.  

Oh hell, and I thought I would vote for him as he hunts....

Another link story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=1&u=/nm/20040910/pl_nm/campaign_kerry_dc

"I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never."

Well, I'm a hunter, too, probably spend a whle lot more time at it than Kerry ever will, and I have never thought about carrying ANY semi-auto hunting......but I fail to see how that's relevant.

how the hell can you get two tours out of 1 months training and 3 months of somewhat, half-assed, cowardly duty?

Quoted: "I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never." Well, I'm a hunter, too, probably spend a whle lot more time at it than Kerry ever will, and I have never thought about carrying ANY semi-auto hunting......but I fail to see how that's relevant.

I grew up in rural Idaho and have only used anything other than semi auto rifles and shotguns one season!

As usual, the designed intent of the 2nd is ignored. It's always hunting this, hunting that...blah, blah, blah,...

Here's the "dirty" truth: The prime reason for the existence of the 2nd Amendment is to recognize the individual right to arms that citizens of this country have in order to be able to prevent &/or fight authoritarian dictatorships & other regimes which might come into being within the government, & which would exist in violation of the Constitution. Hunting is not the primary intent behind our recognized right to keep & bear arms. To argue otherwise is pure denial.

Quoted: As usual, the designed intent of the 2nd is ignored. It's always hunting this, hunting that...blah, blah, blah,... Here's the "dirty" truth: The prime reason for the existence of the 2nd Amendment is to recognize the individual right to arms that citizens of this country have in order to be able to prevent &/or fight authoritarian dictatorships & other regimes which might come into being within the government, & which would exist in violation of the Constitution. Hunting is not the primary intent behind our recognized right to keep & bear arms. To argue otherwise is pure denial.

INDEED!

Quoted: "Heavens to Betsy" ???? Who even SAYS that?

someone trying to avoid the blasphemous "Jesus Christ"

Quoted: i love how uzis always come up.

I love the part about how all the "polls" show that people want it extended.  No poll ever asked me what I thought?

Quoted: But that's impossible! All of the GOP bashers told me that there's no difference between Bush and Kerry!

Didn't Kerry use the assault women to kill innocent women and children in vietnam?  And now he's against them?  This sounds like a flip flop.

Anyone  from here still posting on www.johnkerry.com? I haven't been back over in a while, but maybe its time to vent again over there on this issue......edit to add:

Here is their current thread on gun issues:

http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=71446

UPDATE: American gun owners tell Kerry to sit on a railroad spike and rotate.

I am a hunter and I'm a gun owner and I have hunted since I was about a teenager and I respect it ... and I believe in the Second Amendment," he said. "And I'll tell you this, as a hunter, I've never ever thought about going hunting with an AK-47 or an Uzi or anything else. Never

Really? I have. And done it. Minus the Uzi. And that's kuz I just don't have one. Racoons and deer cower at the mention of my name.

Oh, and Kerry is an asshat. Thank you for your time.

Guys, guys.  This isn't about the AWB....

Pity the poor fool, John F(lip-flop) Kerry.

His campaign is flailing.

The core appeal of his campaign, his Vietnam War "experience," has become an albatross around his neck.

He is attacking, but it's not working.

His poll numbers are down across the country.

He is restaffing, reorganizing, rewording, rethinking.

He pontificates, but no one's listening.

He speaks, but nothing worth remembering, nothing specific, nothing positive, comes out of his mouth.

He nuances himself into paralysis.

His messages don't resonate outside a narrow band of the confused.  

His core constituency is lukewarm at best.

He is boring.

His speeches are boring.

He is finding out the hard way that America isn't like Massachusettes.

His friends in the media can't seem to help him.

He has to grasp at any issue, anything at all to attack his opponent, the President of the United States, and everytime he does he looks smaller and smaller beside a man of stature and real character.

Look away, my friends.  It's looking more like a complete meltdown every day.  Look away.  

He will be next year's Al Gore.