Brady Campaign and NRA Agree, Give Obama “F” on Gun Issue

[Pullo]

Has any President ever gotten the lowest possible grade from both the pro-gun and anti-gun lobbies?

By Bill Schneider, 1-18-10

I’ve been writing about the gun issue for a long time, but I never thought I’d live long enough to see the Brady Campaign for Gun Violence and the National Rifle Association agree on anything, nor would I see any President get an “F” from both groups.

Well, believe it or not, it just happened.

This morning, January 18, Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke was on MSNBC blasting President Obama and calling him an “abject failure” for not showing any leadership on the gun issue. “It’s been a very disappointing year for us,” Helmke said, “They (Obama and his fellow Democrats) made the political calculation to run away from the issue.” .....

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/brady_campaign_and_nra_agree_give_obama_f_on_gun_issue/C41/L41/">Link

I don't know, Mr. Helmke. The POTUS did sign a bill allowing concealed firearms in many national parks. That's not running away....

[pscot]

1. What is this, meta-irony?

How can he be a complete fail at both ends of the spectrum?

[eqfan592]

2. Looks like they are comparing scores from two different time frames.

One is the NRA score from before the election, the other is the Brady Campaign to Promote Hysterical Ignorance's score from just recently.

[rd_kent]

3. As previously stated, when the Brady Bunch gives you and "F", you are doing it RIGHT!

[X_Digger]

4. "NRA- 'F' for intent; Brady-'F' for execution" (from the comments section)

Sums it up nicely, to me.

[Pullo]

5. Yep.

The Admin made a strategic decision(a wise one) to put the gun issue on the back burner.(wayyyy back)

Although unrelated, I don't see tonight's election in Mass. doing anything to clear the way for gun-control proponents. If anything it will bury the issue even further. If a teabagger can win there, stoking the gun issue now would be absolutely boneheaded on a national level.

[X_Digger]

6. *nod* Not likely to affect Mass. or Natl. gun issues..

One more vote plus or minus on the second amendment issue isn't going to affect anything in the Senate, nor does it have more than a token effect on state politics. I'm sure the goopers in MA will try to spin it six ways to Sunday, but meh.

[aikoaiko]

10. Yes, I would operationalize "intent" as "legislative history and rhetoric"

and you're right that he has not executed what he promised, but he hasn't disowned it either.

There was a great opportunity after Heller to say that he has readjusted his position in the light of settled law and no longer supports any Federal gun bans. Perhaps after McDonald v Chigago, he'll get the same chance again.

[lepus]

7. I wish everyone would give the man a break.

I'm a former rethug that voted for him. Primary reason, Shrub was enough, no more idiots or zealots in office.

Obama knows that bringing up the gun debate will likely drown out any chances of passing the agendas he would like with little gain and possible losses on the dem side. Gun owners are just now starting to get back on board after the AWB.

[proteus_lives]

8. He should wear that F with pride.

[Jackson1999]

9. Guns on Amtrak?

If I remember correctly, Paul Helmke, in a rare off-guard moment of reason, said he had no problem with guns in checked luggage on Amtrak. Obviously that was not good enough for the "ban any gun, anywhere" crowd.

[OttavaKarhu]

11. It makes perfect sense to me at some level.

Don't many of us hate Brady and NRA for the same basic set of reasons? I.e., extremism, organizational powerfucks, silly propaganda, polarizing tactics, etc.?

Maybe Mr. Obama (for whom I did not vote, nor the other guy either) is onto something, like dealing with gun issues outside the polarized organizational framework?

[GreenStormCloud]

12. Obama's not stupid.

He has his hands plenty full already, and knows that any gun-ban efforts will be a major distraction. He doesn't need that fight.

He came up in the Chicago machine, where one pro-gun word is political death. Now he is mostly outside the Chicago machine and has a chance to grow in that area.

[hollowdweller]

13. actually I know a few former GOP voting gun owners starting to go democrat

They agreed with the dems on the middle class and environmental issues but voted GOP over the gun issue.

Since the dems have been in power 4y and Obama 1 they are starting to vote on other issues.

Sad to say that Obamas current corporate sellout may hurt this trend.