Some people assumed the President would be endorsed in his bid for re-election against Senator Kerry, who has an "F" rating.

As an NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coorindator, I received a list of NRA endorsed candidates yesterday, and conspicuously missing was an endorsement of President Bush.  I called Richmond to find out why?  I knew the NRA was reluctant to endorse the President until after he let the Clinton Gun Ban expire, but that was two weeks ago!  Now, I am told that the NRA is waiting until Friday to make an announcement.  Why?  Well, there is the pending Bill before the Senate to allow law abiding citizens in DC to keep and bear arms, not to mention the first Presidential debate.  So, maybe, that is it.  Then again, the NRA has endorsed Presidential candidates in only four elections, so who knows?  Anyway, I am told there will be an announcement Friday.

The NRA will publish its endorsements in the October issue of The American Rifleman.  Any North Carolinians who want information about candidates need only contact me.  Please provide your State House and Senate District numbers, if you wish that information.

In the latest pubs, they trash Kerry, and praise Bush.  An offical endorsement may not be needed as it may give Kerry an opportunity for a dig.

Quoted: In the latest pubs, they trash Kerry, and praise Bush.  An offical endorsement may not be needed as it may give Kerry an opportunity for a dig.

+1

Quoted:  I called Richmond to find out why?

Richmond?   The headquarters is in Fairfax

Quoted: They'll endorse local candidates but not Bush...  There is a reason I refuse to give them any money.  GOA... you betya, but NRA... not until they pull their head out of their ass.  Its a pretty clear choice.  The guy who signed CCW for Texas and allowed the AWB to die... or a gun grabber with an F rating? Not one fucking penny until they straighten up and figure out who their friends are.

Do you think an NRA endorsement would HELP GWB?   Probably not.


Better for the NRA to just trash on Kerry.

Quoted: Nope, not buying it.  They are already beating him up for letting the AWB sunset... an endorsement from the NRA might be what is needed to pull out PA... a strong message from the NRA to PA's hunters that gun control isn't about taking away your evil black rifles, but ALL guns... and just because Kerry shoots the occassional shotgun, he is not a friend to gun owners.

The NRA magazines all say that.  They just don't offically endorse.

Quoted: Richmond?   The headquarters is in Fairfax

hrough!
NRA Headquarters is at 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Is Virginia still in the South?

Quoted: They'll endorse local candidates but not Bush...  There is a reason I refuse to give them any money.

As an NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC), I think giving time is as important as making contributions.  Being a poll worker, or simply planting yard signs makes a difference.  Anyone interested can volunteer to help, or get contact information for their EVC at:  NRA-ILA Grassroots.

We can all make a difference!

Look folks, there is a super close working relationship between Bush Jr and the NRA.

Remember Bush AG John Ashcroft sent NRA chief Wayne LaPierre a document stating the administration's support for the 2nd Amend, this was done all at the behest of the Prez. Would Janet "burn 'em out" Reno send such a docment under Bill Clinton?

Dick Chaney was the keynote speaker at this past year's NRA Convention. Woud Al Gore appear at the NRA convention under Bill Clinton. Gore was a pro-gun guy when he was in the Senate.

Remember action speaks louder than words.

In 2000 the theory was that an NRA endorsement would hurt Bush.  But LaPierre and Heston did campaign for Bush at their own rallies.

GunLvr

What they need to do is take out ads in the hunting magazines.

I guess American Hunter is not a huntin mag,  and the "Standing Guard" Section, by Mr. LaPierre is not an ad...

Sorry, the quote was by HiramRanger

NRA needs to stand up and be counted.
They are getting too political in that they are trying to second guess their positions.
They are becoming like the politicians.

They are supposed to express the opinions and positions of their membership.
I gave up my membership after years of no communication from them except begging for my money, not asking for my opinion.

When they cut the BS, express the memberships positions and truly stand up and be counted, then maybe I'll think about joining up again. Until then GOA gets my support and my money.

DMOS

What HiramRanger said.

Except the bit about being a poll worker and having tires slashed.

The NRA can't win for losing. Half the guys here give them shit for supporting a some candidates that are not perfect on guns but are on target 99% of the time, and the other half give them shit for not compromising and supporting a candidate who supported AWB renewal.

If it were not for the NRA, the AWB would have been renewed. If it were not for the NRA this country would just be another England, Australia or Canada. Supporting the NRA is a hell of a lot more important than supporting the Republican party as far as the RKBA.

I'm glad the NRA is letting Bush sweat it out. I don't at all respect his stand on the AWB. Sure, it was clever saying one thing and doing nothing about it, but it's like we are the girlfriend that he refuses to let his parents meet. He should have confronted the issue and said the law was B.S.

The NRA needs to keep the Republicans scared; if they do not, we will end with another stupid anti-gun cocksucker like GHWB.  When the next Republican asks “Where else are gun owners going to go?” (as did Lee Atwater, Chairman of the RNC for GHWB), they need to know that gun owners will be going home rather than to the polls.

Rove is Atwater's protege.

Quoted: If it were not for the NRA, the AWB would have been renewed. If it were not for the NRA this country would just be another England, Australia or Canada. Supporting the NRA is a hell of a lot more important than supporting the Republican party as far as the RKBA. The NRA needs to keep the Republicans scared; if they do not, we will end with another stupid anti-gun cocksucker like GHWB.  When the next Republican asks “Where else are gun owners going to go?” (as did Lee Atwater, Chairman of the RNC for GHWB), they need to know that gun owners will be going home rather than to the polls.

I agree.  Other countries lost their right to keep and bear arms, because they had no ;arge Association which supported all gun owners.  Instead, they had one organization for target shooters, another for hunters, etc.

I also agree that the NRA must keep the heat on all candidates, Democrat or Republican.  I believe the  NRA is concerned that Bush might follow his father's lead and issue an Executive Order banning the import of certain assault weapons by Executive Order.  Personally, I think W is more like his mother than #41.  I hope the President is endorsed by the NRA this Friday.

I agree that the NRA should be doing more, but they ARE taking out full page Pro bush ads in the hunter Mags!

Bush may not want or need the endorsement.  He has been very successful at apealing to  moderate to the soccermoms, while in fact being very pro 2nd.  

The NRA will continue to disappoint me if they endorse "I'll sign if it gets to my desk" Bush.

Hiram:

With all respect, I think the NRA needs to keep the Rupubs disciplined.  If it were not for the NRA's pressure and it's latent threat of not endorsing GWB, Bush, Hastert and Frist would have all gladly sold us down the river.  None of those three guys are pro-gun zealots (foruntately Delay is another matter).  Republicans are not pro-gun by natural inclination, but through fear.  Fear of the NRA.

The last time the NRA disciplined the Repubs in 1992, it was a Repub disaster.  It was also bad in the short term for the RKBA, but now all that has been undone.  With one exception, all of the significant Clinton anti-gun laws and regulations have been repealed.  There was short term pain when the NRA screwed GHWB, but long-term gain.  The Repubs are now more aware of where their bread is buttered, and a number of important pro-gun measures have been enacted by Congress and the executive.  I am convinced this would not have happened if the NRA had not administered a little discipline in 1992.

The NRA needs to keep the pressure on the Repubs to keep them in line.  We can't let the Repukes take us for granted, as GHWB and Atwater did.  Gun owners' love for the Republican party can not be unconditional.  I say this as someone who has voted a straight Republican ticket since I could legally vote (I even voted for GHWB - twice!).

As far as GWB's stance on the AWB, it was certainly the lesser of two evils.  But IMHO we would have been better off had he confronted the issue in a straighforward manner.  The ban truly was pointless and accopmlished nothing.  The statistics back this up.  The VPC even says it.  Instead of explaining this to the public, Bush was two-faced about it.  While I do appreciate that he did actually kill the AWB by not calling Hastert, the next time the issue comes up everybody will still think AWs are evil machineguns killing thousands of schoolchildren because GWB didn't tackle the issue directly.  Like I said before, gun owners are like the girl GWB will take to the hotel but not home to mom.  He gives us a little action on the side, but does not want everybody to know.  He would certainly deny the connection in good company.  He is not the love of our life, he is a guy who is using us.  Just as we need to be using him.

It is the nature of politics I am sure, which you know a lot more about than me.

Quoted: Ummmmmm bullshit... Bush sent Ashcroft in front of the Supreme Court and stated clearly, the second amendment is an individual right, not a collective.  NO other adminsitration has said that.  Political reality is had the president spoken against the aWB it would be an even bigger political issue... even by pointing out it was pointless he gives the issue itself legitimacy and keeps it center stage and would have given the democrats an even bigger target to swing at.  As it stands now the issue was deflected from Bush and they aren't going to do any damage on the issue. What if he said it was pointless, it expired and a month later there was another Columbine done with new "assault weapons."  Would those weapons have been any more deadly than the "pre-bans" and "post-bans" we had from 94-04?  No... but it would have played into the whole ice cream truck and uzis and aks on the street.  Bottom line, don't give your opponent a potential opening.  Had Bush wanted the ban to renew we would have it.  Bush has allowed the import of parts kits for "replacement parts."  He has spoken on behalf of liability protection for manufacturers.  He has advocated an individual right... What the fuck more do you want and what have you given in return?  The NRA is dead to me until they start doing their part.

I have a hard time believing anybody would say the NRA is not doing their part.  If it were not for the NRA, the AWB would have been renewed and GWB would have done none of the things you mentioned.

I said that Bush has done some good things for the RKBA (see above).  I still believe he would not be doing any of that if he did not have a healthy fear of the NRA.  That fear was instilled in 1992 when the NRA failed to endorse his father.  The NRA needs to keep Republicans on a tight leash.

Quoted: Give me a break... I think you give perhaps a bit too much credit to the NRA...

With all due respect, I think perhaps you don't give enough.  The AWB  WOULD have been renewed (along with new anti-gun amendments) as part of the lawsuit pre-emption legislation that the NRA wanted DEARLY to see passed, if the NRA had not directly torpedoed its own legislation.  They sacrificed a very important piece of legislation to them and the industry as a whole so that the AWB could die.  Fact, not conjecture.

Quoted: Give me a break... I think you give perhaps a bit too much credit to the NRA.

Maybe, I am just going by what I read in The Hill and other political papers.

I hope the NRA does endorse Bush.  It is a respectable quid pro quo.  As to his second term, it will be interesting to see how that plays out.  I suspect the administration's attitude will depend a lot on whether Ashcroft (a RKBA zealot) stays in, or who he gets replaced with.  Many of the administration's pro-gun activites have been DOJ related.  When some other branch of the administration was in charge (for example, Transportation as it relates to pilots with pistols), the administration came down on the wrong side of the issue (fortunately corrected by Congress).

I doubt Bush will do a 180 and become Sarah Brady in pants.  But he is no Tom Delay either.  He will do whatever is politically expedient.