Thursday, October 21, 2004
That Dog Don't Hunt
KERRY SAYS HE IS SECOND-AMENDMENT SUPPORTER, BUT HAS RECEIVED FAILING MARKS FROM NRA, GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
Kerry Boasts That He Is A Gun Owner, Hunter, And Second Amendment Supporter. "'I'm a gun owner. I've been a hunter since I was about 12 years old,' [Kerry] said. 'My position is very clear. I support the Second Amendment.'" (Mike Glover, "Bush Administration Suggests Kerry Lied About Foreign Leaders' Support," The Associated Press, 3/16/04)
But Kerry Also Said, "I Don't Want To Be The Candidate Of The NRA In This Country." KERRY: "I don't want to be the candidate of the NRA in this country. I don't think the Democratic Party should be the candidacy of the NRA." (CNN's "NewsNight With Aaron Brown," 11/6/03)
ü Kerry Doesn't Believe NRA Is "The Voice Of Responsible Gun Owners Across America." "Let's be honest about what we are facing today. The opposition to this common sense gun safety law is being driven by the powerful NRA special interest leadership and by lobbyists in Washington. I don't believe this is the voice of responsible gun owners across America." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 3/2/04, p. S1964)
ü Kerry's Website Touts His "Courage To Stand Up To NRA." "John Kerry has the courage to stand up to the NRA, one of the most powerful special interests in the country, which is fighting tooth and nail against reasonable gun safety protections and against renewal of the assault weapon ban." (John Kerry For President Website, http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/crime/police.html, Accessed 3/29/04)
ü John Kerry Received An "F" On The Most Recent National Rifle Association Report Card. (National Rifle Association, "NRA U.S. Senate Key Votes," 1985-2004)
Kerry Received An "F" Rating With Gun Owners Of America For The 108th Congress. (Gun Owners Of America Website, http://www.gunowners.org/108srat.htm, Accessed 4/1/04)
KERRY SAYS HE'S AN AVID HUNTER, BUT …
Although He Claims To Be An Avid Hunter, Kerry Is Not A Member Of The Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. (The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Website, http://www.sportsmenslink.org/caucus/caucus_members.asp, Accessed 3/31/04)
ü The Caucus Boasts 315 Members: Including Democrats Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC), Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA), Sen. John Breaux (D-LA), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Sen. Thomas Daschle (D-SD), Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-WV). (The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Website, http://www.sportsmenslink.org/caucus/caucus_members.asp, Accessed 3/31/04)
Kerry Received A 100 Percent Score From Humane Society For 2003 Session Of 108th Congress. "The HSUS [Humane Society of the United States] strongly opposes the recreational hunting and killing of wild animals, as the sport is fundamentally at odds with the values of a humane, just, and caring society." ("The Humane Scorecard, Midterm Report On The 108th Congress," The Humane Society And The Fund For Animals, 2004; The Humane Society Of The United States Website, www.hsus.org, Accessed 6/4/04)
KERRY HAS ROUTINELY VOTED AGAINST GUN OWNERS' RIGHTS
Kerry Voted For Mandatory Trigger Locks. (S. 2260, CQ Vote #216: Motion Agreed To 61-39: R 52-3; D 9-36, 7/21/98, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Kerry Voted To Abolish Civilian Marksmanship Program In 1993 And Its Successor In 1996. (H.R. 3116, CQ Vote # 325: Motion Agreed To 67-30: R 39-2; D 28-28, 10/21/93, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1745, CQ Vote #178: Motion Agreed To 71-29: R 51-2, D 20-27, 6/27/96, Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Voted To Allow Federal Authorities To Conduct Inspections Of Gun Dealers Without Notice. The measure was soundly defeated, with only 17 other Senators joining Kerry. (S. 49, CQ Vote #140: Motion Agreed To 76-18: R 47-4; D 29-14, 7/9/85, Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Was One Of 17 Senators To Vote To Ban 12 Additional Assault Style Weapons. Kerry voted to add weapons to those banned in the underlying bill. The measure was defeated, with only 16 other Senators joining Kerry. (S. 1970, CQ Vote #102: Motion Agreed To 82-17: R 42-2; D 40-15, 5/22/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Voted Against Destruction Of Records After Background Checks For Purchase Of Handguns. Kerry voted against requiring that "law enforcement agencies to immediately destroy any information on individuals allowed to purchase firearms after the check." (S. 2260, CQ Vote #217: Adopted 69-31: R 55-0; D 14-31, 7/21/98, Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Voted To Strip Bankruptcy Protection From Gun Manufacturers From Debts Caused By Fraud, Recklessness Or Negligence. Only 28 Senators joined Kerry in supporting this measure. (S. 625, CQ Vote #4: Rejected 29-68: R 1-51; D 28-17; I 0-0, 2/2/00, Kerry Voted Yea)
In Addition, Kerry Has Repeatedly Voted In Favor Of Various Waiting Periods, Even Up To 14 Days. For example:
ü Kerry Voted For 14 Day Waiting Period. "McClure, R-Idaho, motion to table (kill) the Inouye, D-Hawaii, amendment to require a 14-day waiting period between the purchase of a handgun and its delivery to the buyer." (S. 49, CQ Vote #141: Motion Agreed To 71-23: R 46-5; D 25-18, 7/9/85, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Kerry Voted For 5 Day Waiting Period. "Passage of the bill to require a five-business-day waiting period before an individual could purchase a handgun, to allow local officials to conduct a background check. A compromise provided that the waiting period would expire four years after enactment unless the attorney general extended the waiting period for a fifth year." (H.R. 1025, CQ Vote #394: Passed 63-36: R 16-28; D 47-8, 11/20/93, Kerry Voted Yea)
KERRY'S HYPOCRISY ON PISTOL GRIP SHOTGUN
Kerry Co-Sponsored "The Assault Weapons Ban And Law Enforcement Protection Act Of 2003" Which Would Have Banned A Semiautomatic Shotgun That Has Pistol Grip. (S.1431, Introduced, 7/17/03)
At West Virginia Campaign Rally, Kerry "Showed Off" Union-Made Shotgun With Pistol Grip, Calling It "Beautiful." "The Democratic presidential nominee showed off a union-made shotgun, given to him by UMWA President Cecil Roberts, to the cheering crowd of several thousand. 'It's a beautiful piece,' Kerry said. 'It's a beautiful gift, Cecil, but I can't take it to the debate with me.'" (Lawrence Messina, "Kerry, Anti-Bush Groups To Rally Labor Day Crowds," The Associated Press, 9/7/04)
