Clinton gun shy in Pennsylvania crime address

[Forkboy]

PHILADELPHIA -- Hillary Clinton today declared a goal of cutting the nation's big-city murder rate in half, addressing an issue that has dominated politics here but avoiding a mention of the one thing that local officials see as a consensus solution to their crime problem: new gun laws.

"We've got to get back to doing what works," Clinton said in a speech at a YMCA in a working-class black neighborhood of West Philadelphia, where she announced that she would as president use federal funds to help municipalities hire 100,000 new police officers. "I'm old-fashioned like that."

Clinton was traipsing delicately through the complex politics of guns in Pennsylvania and nearby Appalachian states that will vote in coming weeks. Her announcement marked a turn towards urban issues that have gone largely unaddressed in the primary campaign, but in a way that appeared unlikely to compromise Clinton's appeal among rural white voters who have been a key part of her coalition here and in previous contests.

Clinton talked about gangs and drugs as a cause of homicides, but mentioned guns only in passing. She noted “a direct correlation between the illegal gun sales and homicides,” as she proposed a new initiative to crack down on interstate gun trafficking and allow federal agencies to share information on the transfer of guns. In addition, Clinton said she would work to renew the assault-weapons ban, signed by President Clinton in 1994 but allowed to lapse a decade later.

"She's being respectful of what’s really her base," said Ken Lawrence, a Pennsylvania Democratic consultant neutral in the presidential campaign. "But I don't know how you talk about homicide in Philadelphia without talking about guns."

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/04/clinton_gun_shy.html

[Tejas]

1. inaccurate title

"In addition, Clinton said she would work to renew the assault-weapons ban, signed by President Clinton in 1994 but allowed to lapse a decade later."


The author of that article lost track of his intended message, doesn't sound like she skirted the issue of guns at all.

[SunsetDreams]

2. pretty accurate the way I read it

She didn't define the entire problem.

[Tejas]

3. you regard endorsing an AWB as "shy"?

um, ok.

[derby378]

4. Let's see...endorsing a gun ban in the state with the highest per capita NRA membership...

Clinton really doesn't want to win in PA, does she?

The semi-auto ban is dead. Let it rest in peace.