Obama to tap Biden to lead White House response to mass shootings

[WI_DEM]

At 11:45 AM ET on Wednesday, President Barack Obama will announce the selection of Vice President Joe Biden to lead his administration's effort to develop a comprehensive policy for preventing mass shootings such as last Friday's massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
Although the president won't announce his support for specific policy proposals, The New York Times' Peter Baker reports that aides have said he is interested in ideas such as banning assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips. He is also interested in examining proposals for strengthening the ability of the mental health and education systems to prevent mass violence.

Politico's Reid Epstein reports the president will emphasize the process for developing a proposal, a process that began in earnest yesterday with the president's involvement.


According to a White House official, the president likely won’t make significant policy announcements but will instead explain how his administration will determine what to do next.
Obama spoke Monday with Biden and three Cabinet secretaries – Attorney General Eric Holder, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius — “to begin looking at ways the country can respond to the tragedy in Newtown,” the White House said.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/19/1171870/-Obama-to-tap-Biden-to-lead-White-House-response-to-mass-shootings

[forestpath]

1. How utterly passive.

[NYC Liberal]

2. This is how it's done.

Biden will be able to devote nearly all of his time to this: way more than Obama would be able to (not that he won't be involved).

[zipplewrath]

3. It is

But not for the reason you suggest. Biden won't spend a whole lot more time on it, personally, that Obama would have. This is so positions can be trotted out in the "trial balloon" fashion prior to Obama having to actually take them. It is an indication that he doesn't really plan on being the "Visionary" or taking a strong leadership position. This is really more of his "community organizing" approach where he is going to find out what people will be willing to support, and then proposing it.

Probably effective in a way, but "passive" is a very good way of describing it.

[GeorgiaDemGuy]

4. For those of us that live in the South

We knew exactly what we would hear.
More guns needed in schools.
More and better and bigger guns needed in schools and everywhere. Arm the teachers. Place armed guards at every entrance.

That is what they always say.
They are so brainwashed by the NRA and others.
They will never look at better background checks or the "types" of guns or "amount" of ammunition to regulate.

I don't know what any Prez or committee or group can do to change this.
The only thing I see is to get these people that support them out of office. But, with gerrymandered districts, how?

[NYC Liberal]

5. It's for several reasons.

I don't think anyone is going to separate an idea floated by Biden as being different from one from Obama. A lower-level person? Sure. But this part is not about pushing for the legislation. Biden won't be the one out there as the face of this; Obama will be. Biden is in charge of organizing and putting together a proposal to present to Congress. Obama will be the one selling it once they've put this together.

[zipplewrath]

8. Well, Biden won't either

Biden won't be "personally" floating these balloons. As you suggest, he'll be organizing their release, but others names will be attached. Remember, Biden thinks he's running for President. Obama ran HCR himself, this one he's leaving to Biden.

[Jennicut]

7. Biden was involved in the assault weapon ban in the 90's that was attached to the crime bill.

And my Senators in Connecticut (Blumenthal and Murphy) will probably take the lead on this issue. I am pretty much fine with that.