Prez. Bush just anounced that he would support the renewal of the AW Ban next year! I think he's been doing a great job so far but after he has sided with the gun grabbers I don't know if I can vote again for him.

Christains are also mad at him for rubbing shoulders with the homosexuals. WHAT IS THIS GUY THINKING? HE'S GONNA HAND THE ELECTION TO THE DEMOCRATES!

MAN, I'M SO DISAPOINTED IN BUSH.

it's stratergy!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/iraq/20030508-11.html


Q Let me ask you something about the assault weapons ban. I realize the President was for the reauthorization back in 2000. Why does he support that?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President thought, and said so at the time in 2000, that the assault weapon ban was a reasonable step. The assault weapon ban was crafted with the thought that it would deter crime. There are still studies underway of its crime deterring abilities, but the President thought that was reasonable, and that's why he supported it. And that's why he supports the reauthorization of the current ban.

Q Does it work?

MR. FLEISCHER: There are, indeed, studies underway that will determine that. And we'll await those studies to make any final conclusions. But that's exactly what the President said in 2000.

Q But he's willing to disappoint a pretty big supporter here, the NRA, based on some ongoing studies, or does he have a more fundamental belief that these kinds of weapons should not --

MR. FLEISCHER: He believed it in 2000, before studies were completed; he continues to believe it now. We'll see if the studies provide any additional information. But the President focuses on this issue like he does on all -- he focuses it on the merits. He makes his determinations. Often the President will agree, of course, with the National Rifle Association. On this issue he does not.

Q One more point on this. Forgive me for wading into the politics of issues like this, but he doesn't think that there's -- is he concerned about taking steps that put him at odds with his Republican base, or does he feel like really he's built himself up so much it's not an issue?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think when you look across-the-board at the positions the President takes, the President evaluates the issues that come before him based on the facts, based on the merits. He makes the determinations, and then others are free to say whether they agree or disagree with the President. I think his view to whether it's an issue that's important to one party or another party, or to many people in the middle, his view is, do what's right, and let people interpret it from there. In this instance, you know what he said, as you pointed out, in 2000. He continues to believe it today.

Q Ari, on that, last night Karl Rove was in New Hampshire, and he spoke with one of the leading gun activists in the state, who says on his website today that Karl Rove said Congress isn't going to pass this extension anyway, and so gun owners don't have to worry, the President is going to be for the extension, but Congress isn't going to pass it anyway. Is that the President's attitude, that this bill isn't really coming his way?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think you can talk to any number of handicappers about any number of issues that are pending before the Congress and probably get an equal number of opinions. So this is a matter that the Congress will be taking up, and they will be taking it up now, knowing what the President's position is on it. And I can't make any predictions about what Congress ultimately will do. It's a business that outsiders engage in and insiders engage in; we'll see who's right.

Q According to this gentleman, Karl Rove was engaging in that. Given the fact that Republicans do control the Congress and that getting this passed, getting it onto the agenda will require Republican leadership, is the President willing to fight for this, to fight for the extension of the assault weapons ban?

MR. FLEISCHER: The President has made his position known. And during the course of the debate, I imagine that people will refer to the President's position and cite it, and I will continue to repeat it. The President, you will watch his actions and judge for yourself over time.

Q So no plan to make any calls on this, to spend political capital to get this done?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, as I indicated, I think you'll be able to judge the President's actions by observing them yourselves.

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all we need next is a good old fashiond massive school shooting and this one will be in the bag


we've got the grabbers introing their new bill, the president speaking up in support of renewal ... all that's missing is the terror to push it through. yeee haw.

Why cut off your nose to spite your face?

So if GWB supports renewal we're right where we are now which, given today's strong anti-gun climate, could be a helluva lot worse.

Vote Democrat to "teach Bush a lesson" and kiss your guns goodbye.

The way i see it, vote bush, guns gone, vote demonrat, guns gone. So damned if ya do, damned if you don't. The anti gunners are loving it

[b]i dont get it tactmaster. how do you figure that voting for GWB makes our "guns gone"?  the other side of your equation makes sense, however.  voting for GWB places us right where we are now! if the Prez does support that AWB (ludicrous as it is) i would be so much happier  voting for him than voting for the uninformed, ignorant, lying DemocRats.

so all you folks that would rather vote for the other side or not vote at all for spite....well, think about what you're doing will ya?[/b]

Maybe I give people too much "benefit of the doubt" (even some politicians), but could it be that they'll be "awaiting those final studies" until long after the AWB sunsets.  
And what a great excuse to derail the current Feinswine/Schumer crap: "Sorry, but I won't sign this bill until I see the 'final studies', which should be complete in about 10 more years". [;)]

Just a thought.

Yer smokin dope if you think renewing the AWB will cost him the election. And if you don't vote for him because of that one issue you were dropped on yer head as a child. I await the abuse.[BD]

So you're a Hillary backer now?

Will gun owners ever realize that there are more than just two sides?

BTW, Reagan banned import of machine guns, didn't he?  And Bush 1 banned something else, no?  

That's how he can say republicans=guns gone.  It just takes them longer.

Scott

I can't believe some of the thinking here. Gun control has been all but a dead issue since GWB has been in office. Keeping things the staus quo the past 3 years is pretty damn good considering what has happened. We still have school shootings, two low-life maggots shooting up the DC area, etc. And look, no new gun-control. Where do you think we would have been with a Liberal President. Everybody here can live with the AWB 'as it is now' (like he said in 2000, we all new it). So unless we can elect someone like Ted Nugent, leave him in.

I'm a little concerned here. First, the NRA is pretty happy with Bush. So he makes this noise about supporting the ban based on the fact he never really believes it will get through congress. This is politics. But what if it makes it to his desk for a signature a week or so before the election? I think the dems are setting him up. We shall see.....

If this ban is extended or made permanent under a Republican Congress and a Republican President, our gun rights are doomed. What's the point in supporting Republicans if they are going to act like Democrats? If this ban does not die, I'll never vote for a Republican candidate again as long as I live.

GW cant win with just our votes.  He needs to have the swing votes in the middle to win.  If you would rather have Kerry as your leader dont vote for BUSH.  Status quo is better then losing even more under a democratic white house.

Chill out, one and all!

Even IF the senate votes 100-0 in favor of making a new ban....

Even IF the Prez says he'll support it.

They still need the House to pass the same identical bill!!!!

-The House passed the "Toss the AW ban out the window NOW act of 1996"
-The committee that the bill has to go through is a majority pro-gun.

The ban is going away. Sell your "pre" bans cheap now!!!

the macallan has a good breakdown of the house and how the bill will be pidgeon-holed. He posts it more often than I take a dump. (Joking! It is darn good info!!!)

Gee, how many threads about this can we have in one week?  

He has to because there are about 2 threads a day on this.

what a coincidence

and youre absofuckinglutely sure of this "no?"

Ah, I wondered how the "Bush can do no wrong!" apostles are going to justify this issue.

Notice how Fleischer totally sidestepped the question of whether Bush will lobby for the bill?

Even if the bill to renew the Assault Weapons ban dies in the House, the President is doing gun-owners a grave disservice by saying to the world that it is socially appropriate to renew the ban, thus giving credibility to the anti-gunners.

[(:|)]

do you have more details on this?

I am amazed at how few people here realize this. Well, maybe not. Compromise (i.e. appeasment) is the bread and butter of neo-cons.

I heard on a talk radio program that two different Christain political groups (sorry I don't recall their names) were a little displeased at what they consider as Prez. Bush trying to please the gay rights activist by having hired several homos for his staff. I'm not sure who these people are and what level they are on.

As to the people who say that one shouldn't hold it against Bush and not vote for him because you disagree about one issue. Well, what if that issue wasn't gun control (an attack on the 2nd admendment) but it was a bill giving law enforcement to search your home with out a search warrent or probable cause? Any time the cops are riding by your house and they think someone "looks" like a criminal, they just pull over, hope out, push you and your wife out of the way and go make theirselves at home? What is that one issue you disagrreed about was Prez. Bush starting a new agency that had the power to say who had the freedom of speech and who had to keep their mouth shut? That same agency would no certainly shut AR15.com down. Would you still vote for Prez. Bush?

I admit that Prez. Bush is the lesser of two evils. He has done a great job and I thank GOD that after 9-11 he was our president and not gore! But for him to side with gun control is a knife in my back! The NRA just sent a email out about how the liberals are foaming at the mouth because they are not going to renew the 1994 AW Ban they are introducing a bill that is 1000 times worst. At this present rate I have not dought that if I die of old age that this country will turn in to a socalist shit hole. Bush's handleing of the "war on terroism" gave me new hope for Americas future because after America went to the polls and elected a peace of shit like clinton not once but TWICE I was sure this country was doomed. I may have been wrong.