Gillibrand on her past guns record: 'I didn't do the right thing'

[left-of-center2012]

2020 Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand expressed remorse over her past record supporting gun rights and said her admission that she was wrong makes her a "better candidate for president."

"I didn't do the right thing," Gillibrand told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on "New Day" Wednesday. "I mean, I think someone who can't recognize when they're wrong is far more concerning if you can never admit when you're wrong. And not only was I wrong, and not only should I have cared more about gun violence in other parts of my state or other parts of my country, I just didn't."

Gillibrand signed an amicus brief, submitted to the Supreme Court, that argued for overturning a handgun ban in Washington, DC, and that private gun ownership was a guaranteed right ...

During her 2008 bid for re-election, Gillibrand campaigned on her pro-gun rights record, touting her "A" rating from the National Rifle Association. The NRA pointed to her support for the amicus brief in its endorsement of her.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/27/politics/kirsten-gillibrand-gun-record-nra-cnntv/index.html

[democratisphere]

1. THAT makes twice for not doing the right thing.

[tymorial]

5. My first thought as well

[hlthe2b]

2. and on that whole representing BIG Tobacco despite health risks being very well known at the time?

[Hortensis]

3. Far more than twice. She'd already seemingly had a personality

transplant on becoming a senator of a blue state when she wrote a bill that belied it. Her bill, too extreme to be passed, revealed a level of punitiveness and contempt for the principle of freedom of speech that are appropriate to Trump's party.

From US Campaign for Palestinian Rights:

WAFA News Agency quotes USCPR Policy Director Josh Ruebner on Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) withdrawal of sponsorship of S.720, the Israel Anti-Boycott Bill.

“It’s exceedingly rare for members of Congress to withdraw their sponsorship of bills, especially on this issue,” stated Josh Ruebner, Policy Director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. “We thank Sen. Gillibrand for listening to her constituents’ concerns about this bill and removing her sponsorship after realizing the draconian nature of the penalties it would impose on individuals exercising their First Amendment right to engage in boycotts in support of Palestinian human rights.”

Btw, various revisions of this unconstitutional bill are still being pushed by others and no doubt still supported by her even if watered down. Her cosponsor for this trumpsterism was blue dog senator Ben Cardin, who's still at it with Republican Rob Portman. However, unlike hers' the newest version can't criminalize boycotters and allow the Trump admin to send them to prison for up to 20 years, plus a range of heavy civil penalties.

From the ACLU before Christmas:

The ACLU has long opposed the Israel Anti-Boycott Act through its multiple iterations because the bill would make it a crime to participate in political boycotts protected by the First Amendment. Now, the bill’s sponsors are attempting to avoid public scrutiny by including the bill’s unconstitutional criminal penalties in must-pass legislation scheduled for a vote just days before Congress’ holiday recess — likely because it will be harder to pass in the new Congress.

Earlier versions of the Israel Anti-Boycott Act would have made it a crime — possibly even subject to jail time — for American companies to participate in political boycotts aimed at Israel and its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories when those boycotts were called for by international governmental organizations like the United Nations. The same went for boycotts targeting any country that is “friendly to the United States” if the boycott was not sanctioned by the United States. ...

From the ACLU March 7:

The New Israel Anti-Boycott Act Is Still Unconstitutional ... The revised Israel Anti-Boycott Act, amended by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), does contain several significant improvements from the original draft. For example, the bill now makes clear that Americans cannot be imprisoned for their boycott participation. It also provides that speech critical of Israel cannot be used to open an investigation against an individual or as evidence that the person violated the law. These changes alleviate some of the gravest dangers posed by the bill. ...

[Polly Hennessey]

4. Too late, twice, thrice.

[rogue emissary]

6. Seriously going to cut and paste my old posts.

Didn't hurt Bernie and doesn't hurt proud gun owner Buttigieg.

To those that will ask why bring them up? Both are ahead of her in national polls and on DU's informal poll.

So clearly not being that far left on guns doesn't hurt a Democrat in this primary race.

[Trumpocalypse]

7. But Sanders didn't call for Franken's resignation

Oh sorry he did.

Link to tweet

But Buttigieg didn't.

[rogue emissary]

9. Thanks I totally needed that.

[dsc]

11. Buttigieg belongs to Mayors against gun violence

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-pete-buttigieg-believe-where-the-candidate-stands-on-7-issues

Guns: Supports universal background checks.
As the mayor of South Bend, Buttigieg is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group that advocates for gun control legislation at the state and federal level. He also supports universal background checks, and opposed allowing guns in schools and so-called “Stand Your Ground” self-defense gun laws.

That certainly isn't the NRA friendly record you are trying to sell him as having.

[rogue emissary]

12. Never tried to sell him as NRA friendly even though he's made lame statements about them.

Link to tweet

The NRA has been pushing racism and white nationalism for decades. So the above statement that suggests that 2017 is where they went too far is laughable.

Frankly, I'm tired of capitulating to gun owners. Democrats want to show respect or say they support the 2nd amendment. Which is most of them, is a sad reminder of how far liberalism has receded on the issue.

Buttigieg in his own words “I believe we can show respect for the Second Amendment and also keep our communities safer, with common sense gun reform,” he said.

Hate when a Democrat says "common sense gun reform." Nothing about guns in our country is common sense. It's about greed. Gun sellers are praying on the fear and xenophobia of gun owners. Candidates need to be for full repeal of the Gun immunity laws. If they don't support ending immunity, they're not serious about tackling this problem.

It didn't help that he continuously referred to himself as a proud gun owner. Which he always seemed to connect with the fact that he was gay. As if being gay was lesser and being a gun owner made up for it or made him more of a man.

In the primary, I'm trying to find someone as close to my positions as possible. Right now Buttigieg isn't doing it for me.

[Politicub]

8. I checked the calendar to see if it's mea culpa day

Biden acknowledged his role in the Anita Hill hearings. And now Gillibrand says she’s sorry about being pro-gun.

I appreciate the candor from both. We could use more humbleness and less braggadocio in our national discourse.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. "A rating from the NRA"

She wasn't on my short list for the primaries regardless, but very disappointed to learn this about her.