Republican Presidential Nominee, Sen. John McCain
- Senator McCain's Record on Guns- Co-sponsor of the McCain- Lieberman Bill to provide background checks on all guns sold at gun shows.
- Co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Legislation, which the gun lobby opposes as an infringement of First Amendment rights.
- In 2000, McCain acknowledged his position on the gun issue had "evolved," and he was featured in a new advertising campaign urging voters in Oregon and Colorado to support statewide ballot initiatives, requiring background checks at gun shows, both of which passed (Oregon Measure 5 and Colorado Amendment 22).
- In 2004, he was C rated by the NRA and was not endorsed, despite voting with them on most issues.
- Opposed the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Law.
- In the 2004 Omnibus, McCain opposed background check approval records being destroyed within 24 hours instead of the current policy of 90 days; opposed preventing ATF from conducting an inventory audit of licensed gun stores; and opposed a provision that would prohibit the public release of crime gun trace information (the so-called Tiahrt Amendment).
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From a Campaign statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Heller decision, June 26, 2008
Today's decision is a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom in the United States. For this first time in the history of our Republic, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was and is an individual right as intended by our Founding Fathers. I applaud this decision as well as the overturning of the District of Columbia's ban on handguns and limitations on the ability to use firearms for self-defense.
Unlike Senator Obama, who refused to join me in signing a bipartisan amicus brief, I was pleased to express my support and call for the ruling issued today. Today's ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller makes clear that other municipalities like Chicago that have banned handguns have infringed on the constitutional rights of Americans. Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right -- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly.
This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms. But today, the Supreme Court ended forever the specious argument that the Second Amendment did not confer an individual right to keep and bear arms.
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From an address to the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance in Arlington, Virginia on September 27, 2008
As you may know, the only guns I've used were government-issued. I'm a fisherman, whenever time permits. But while I do not use firearms for recreation, I give ground to no one in my defense of the Second Amendment.
When I first ran for Congress, I was proud to have the support of gun owners. For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, and ban magazines -- and you can be certain that I will do the same as president.Like all who appreciate the outdoors and enjoy spending time there, I am a committed conservationist. I have long supported multiple uses for public lands that ensure they are available for future generations to hunt, fish and explore. In Ohio alone, over 1.5 million hunters contribute $1.9 billion to the state's economy, much of it in rural areas. I am proud to be speaking to you on the opening day of archery deer season in Ohio.
My opponent, Senator Obama, claims he supports our hunting heritage, but he voted to allow lawsuits that would force American gun-makers out of business and to ban ammunition commonly used for hunting. A senator's votes -- if he is not offered the option of "present" -- reveal his real views. They are a far better yardstick than occasional statements of theoretical support for the Second Amendment heard on the campaign trail.
You can also tell a lot about a man by how he speaks when you're not around. And earlier this year, Senator Obama gave us all a little insight into his opinions of gun owners when he was among friends in San Francisco. He was in a room full of rich liberals, right at home. And he reported on some of his findings from his encounters with ordinary Americans. He said that in places like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere, people are "bitter." And that is why, in his clinical opinion, you folks "cling" to your guns and religion.
My opponent's unguarded comments reflect the common Washington view that the Second Amendment is a quaint custom that must now yield to the judgment of modern enlightened opinion. And here Governor Palin and I have real differences with our Democratic opponents. They have learned something since 2000. They don't talk about their plans for gun control. They claim to support hunters and gun owners. But just because they don't talk about gun control doesn't mean they won't support gun control.
Let there be no misunderstanding. If Senator Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk. He has voted as a senator to ban guns, to ban ammunition, and to allow gun makers to be sued out of existence. Senator Obama hopes he can get away with having it both ways. He says he believes that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to bear arms. But when he was running for the State Senate in Illinois, his campaign filled out a questionnaire asking whether he supported legislation to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns with one word: "Yes."
From a Question and Answer session with NRA members, May 16, 2008
Q: Senator, the U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide the case of District of Columbia v. Heller-a case that will address the question of whether the Second Amendment protects an individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and whether Washington, D.C.’s bans on handguns and functional firearms in the home are constitutional. What is your position on this historic case?
A: I hope the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the lower courts ruling and strikes down Washington, D.C.’s bans on handguns and self-defense in the home. It seems clear to me that the D.C. laws are unconstitutional. From a crime-fighting standpoint, they have been a complete failure. All gun-control schemes are based on the premise that criminals are going to obey the law. Well, by definition, criminals break the law, and they certainly break the law in Washington, D.C., as it ranks among the highest crime areas in the country every year. I was proud to co-sponsor legislation in Congress to overturn D.C.’s ban on handguns and self-defense. I was also proud to join a bi-partisan majority in signing an amicus brief in support of the individual right to own firearms. I was not surprised that my presidential opponents refused to support this common-sense approach to protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Q: Senator, would you explain the reasons behind your opposition to Bill Clintons ban on many semi-automatic firearms, that he misleadingly called assault weapons?
A: Of course. Gun bans don’t work, because they only restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. Criminals pay no more attention to laws banning guns than they do to laws banning assault, robbery or murder. In fact, the National Institute of Justice found that the firearms banned by President Clinton were used in less than two percent of all crimes involving firearms-clear evidence of the ineffectiveness of this law. I voted against the Clinton gun ban when Congress considered it in 1994 and I voted against efforts to keep that misguided law on the books. I was pleased to see the law rightfully sunset in 2004, because it represented an arbitrary restriction on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.
Q: Senator, throughout your career you have opposed waiting periods on firearm purchases, bans on commonly owned ammunition, and efforts to register and license gun owners. What are your reasons for those positions?
A: Throughout my years in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, I have consistently opposed these measures, because they are arbitrary restrictions on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun bans, waiting periods, ammunition bans, registration and licensing of gun owners-each of these has a common theme: They only affect law-abiding citizens. And they have another common theme: They don’t work as crime-fighting tools. The way to reduce crime is to prosecute criminals to the fullest extent of existing laws-which, if elected president, gun owners can count on my administration to do.
Q: Senator, you were a co-sponsor of, and helped lead the effort to pass, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in the Senate-a bill to stop the reckless lawsuits that were designed to bankrupt the American firearm industry. Why did you feel so strongly about that legislation?
A: I was proud to co-sponsor and work hard for the passage of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. For too long, big-city mayors were trying to sue the American firearm industry out of business, by forcing them to spend nearly a quarter of a billion dollars just to defend their innocence in court. Holding the manufacturers of a lawful product responsible for the unforeseeable acts of criminals is not the way we do things in America. It was important for Congress to step in and protect this key industry, an industry that President Franklin Roosevelt called the arsenal of our democracy. I was proud to help lead that effort.
From a speech to the NRA in Louisville, Kentucky on May 16, 2008
…When I first ran for Congress in 1982, I was proud to have the support of gun owners. For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines, and dismiss gun owners as some kind of fringe group unwelcome in "modern" America. The Second Amendment isn't some archaic custom that matters only to rural Americans, who find solace in firearms out of frustration with their economic circumstances. The Second Amendment is unique in the world. It guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. To argue anything else is to reject the clear meaning of our Founding Fathers…
…Over the years, I haven't agreed with the NRA on every issue. I have supported efforts to have NICS background checks apply to gun sales at gun shows. I recognize that gun shows are enjoyed by millions of law-abiding Americans. I do not support efforts by those who seek to regulate them out of existence. But I believe an accurate, fair and instant background check at guns shows is a reasonable requirement. I also oppose efforts to require federal regulation of all private sales such as the transfer between a father and son or husband and wife. I supported campaign finance reform because I strongly believed our system of financing campaigns was influencing elected officials to put the interests of "soft money" donors ahead of the public interest. It is neither my purpose nor the purpose of the legislation to prevent gun owners or any other group of citizens from making their voices heard in the legislative process.
Those disagreements do not detract from my long record of support for the Second Amendment and the work we have done together to protect the rights of gun owners from the political attitudes of the moment in Washington that view the Second Amendment as a once quaint custom that must now yield to the judgment of modern enlightened opinion. We have real differences with the Democratic candidates for President. They have learned something since 2000. They don't talk about their plans for gun control. They claim to support hunters and gun owners. But just because they don't talk about gun control doesn't mean they won't support gun control. Let's be clear. If either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is elected President, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk. They have both voted as Senators to ban guns or ban ammunition or to allow gun makers to be sued out of existence…
From his campaign website on April 11, 2008
On High Capacity Magazines:
John McCain opposes bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines and has voted against such limitations.
On Gun Locks:
JohnMcCain believes that every firearms owner has a responsibility to learn how to safely use and store the firearm they have chosen, whether for target shooting, hunting, or personal protection. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger locks in product packaging.
On Ammunition Regulation:
John McCain believes that banning ammunition is just another way to undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an amendment that would have banned many of the most commonly used hunting cartridges on the spurious grounds that they were "armor-piercing."
On Background Checks:
John McCain supports instant criminal background checks to help prohibit criminals from buying firearms and has voted to ensure they are conducted thoroughly, efficiently, and without infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens.
On the Gun Show Loophole:
At a time when some were trying to shut down gun shows in the name of fighting crime, John McCain tried to preserve gun shows by standardizing sales procedures. Federal law requires licensed firearm sellers at gun shows to do an instant criminal background check on purchasers while private firearm sellers at gun shows do not have to conduct such a check. John McCain introduced legislation that would require an instant criminal background check for all sales at gun shows and believes that such checks must be conducted quickly to ensure that unnecessary delays do not effectively block transactions.
On Waiting Periods:
John McCain has opposed "waiting periods" for law abiding citizen's purchase of firearms. The confiscation of firearms after an emergency John McCain opposes the confiscation of firearms from private citizens, particularly during times of crisis or emergency. He voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by Senator David Vitter prohibiting such confiscation. Stiffer Penalties for Criminals who use a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime John McCain believes in strict, mandatory penalties for criminals who use a firearm in the commission of a crime or illegally possess a firearm. Enforcing the current laws on the books is the best way to deter crime.
From a speech at the American Conservative Union's annual CPAC conference, February 7, 2008
I have defended my position on protecting our Second Amendment rights, including my votes against waiting periods, bans on the so-called assault weapons, and illegitimate lawsuits targeting gun manufacturers.
From a speech to NRA members at a D.C. Event, Sept 21, 2007
When I first ran for Congress in 1982, I was proud to have the support of gun owners and the National Rifle Association. For more than two decades, I've opposed the efforts of the anti-gun crowd to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines, and paint gun owners as some kind of fringe group; dangerous in 'modern' America. Some even call you 'extremists.' My friends, gun owners are not extremists, you are the core of modern America.
From his Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
John McCain believes that the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. “We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals--criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.”
John McCain opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm, and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry. McCain says, "Neither justice nor domestic peace are served by holding the innocent responsible for the acts of the criminal."
Press statement on the Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus Bill, January 22, 2004
On the Instant Check / Gun Provision:
Mr. President, let me state from the outset that I take a backseat to no one in my support for Second Amendment rights, and I have supported nearly every law that protects the rights of law abiding gun owners since first coming to Washington. But there is a special interest rider included in this Omnibus appropriations bill that’s absolutely appalling. The House sponsor of this provision has argued that it benefits gun owners, but the only gun owners it seems to help are those who have broken the law!
This rider has three major provisions - all of them unnecessary for gun owners and none of them helpful for law enforcement. First, it requires that background check approval records be destroyed within 24 hours instead of the current policy of 90 days. Proponents argue that keeping these records for 90 days constitutes a national firearm registry.
I want to be very clear that I oppose federal registration of firearms. I also want to be equally clear that our current policy of keeping these records for 90 days does not constitute in any way, shape, or form a national registry. It’s a phony issue.
The 90 days retention allows the NICS system to correct mistakes that occur when they accidentally approve someone who should have been denied a gun in the first place. This happens about 500 times a year, according to GAO. Nearly all of these false approvals are because of missing domestic violence records. So, as far as I can tell, this provision benefits no one except those who should have been denied a firearm, but were not.
The second provision prevents ATF from conducting an inventory audit of licensed gun stores. This means that ATF auditors will have no way of knowing if a gun store is missing firearms - a sure sign that they are selling guns illegally and without the proper background checks.
Mr. President, in Tacoma, Washington, ATF auditors discovered 233 firearms missing from Bull’s Eye Shooters Supply store. One of those weapons was used by the accused DC-area snipers. Why are we putting special language in a must-pass federal spending bill to protect a store like Bull’s Eye? Consider the potential consequences.
And a third provision prohibits the public release of crime gun trace information. This information is not top secret data that jeopardizes our national security, or hinders law enforcement. We cannot have a government that operates in secret and refuses to release information that shows where criminals have obtained a gun.
This provision has no support from the law enforcement community, and was even opposed by Chairman Young and Subcommittee Chairman Wolf. Yet, here it is today, included in this terrible bill. Mr. President, this language is an embarrassment to law abiding gun owners and is a slap in the face to law enforcement.
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Republican Vice Presidential Nominee, Gov. Sarah Palin
+ Governor Palin on Recent Supreme Court CaseFrom a statement on Supreme Court decision on DC vs. Heller, June 26, 2008
Governor Sarah Palin today lauded the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark decision upholding the right of Americans to own guns for self-defense, hunting and other purposes. The high courts 5-4 ruling in District of Columbia vs. Heller affirmed gun rights by striking down the Districts 32-year-old ban on handguns.
"This decision is a victory for all Alaskans and individual Americans. The right to own guns and use them responsibly is something I and many other Alaskans cherish," Governor Palin said. "I applaud the Court for standing up for the Constitution and the right of Americans to keep and bear arms."
The state of Alaska in February joined a multi-state amicus brief written by the state of Texas in support of the Second Amendment right of individual Americans to bear arms.
The Second Amendment reads: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
The basic issue at stake for the justices in their ruling was determining whether the amendment protects an individual's right to own guns. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the courts majority, said the Constitution does not permit the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home.
But Scalia added that nothing in Thursdays ruling should cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons or the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings.
From a statement on the Supreme Court Case DC vs. Heller, February 8, 2008
Governor Sarah Palin announced the State of Alaska will join the multi-state amicus brief authored by the State of Texas in support of the Second Amendment right of individual Americans to bear arms.
On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg notified Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott that Alaska would sign on to the brief. The Texas amicus brief in the case Washington, D.C. v. Heller will be filed by February 11, 2008.
Governor Palin, a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, has long been a champion of the constitutional right to bear arms, as well as a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaska's youth.
"I am proud to join the State of Texas in support of the Second Amendment," Governor Palin said. "We need to send a strong message that law-abiding citizens have a right to own firearms, for personal protection, for hunting and for any other lawful purpose."
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From an Interview with ABC News, September 12, 2008
Q: Guns. Seventy percent of this country supports a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons. Do you?
A: I do not. And you know here again, life being an open book here as a candidate, I’m a lifetime member of the NRA. I believe strongly in our second amendment rights. That’s kind of inherent in -- in the people of my state, who rely on -- on guns for not just self-protection, but also for -- for our hunting and for sport also.
It -- it’s a part of the culture here in Alaska. I’ve just grown up with that.
Q: Isn’t gun violence in America a health issue? We spend billions of dollars a year every year treating people who are victims of gun violence. Nothing we can do about that?
A: Do you think that all of that gun violence, though, is caused by people pulling a trigger, who would have followed any law anyway?
No, you -- you start banning guns, and you start taking away guns from people who will use them responsibly and use them ethically.
You put more and more laws on -- on guns, and you start taking away a second amendment right, it’s going to be, Charlie, the bad guys who have the guns, not those who are law-abiding citizens.
From the USA Today, November 9, 2006
"I was taught to use and respect guns at a very young age"
"We hunt as much as we can and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska."
From her 2006 Gubernatorial campaign website, November 2006
"I am a lifetime member of the NRA, I support our Constitutional right to bear arms and am a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaska's youth... I have always strongly supported the personal use of fish and game by Alaskans. I grew up hunting and fishing in Alaska, and I am proud to raise my children with this same uniquely Alaskan heritage... Anti-hunting groups who oppose hunting and fishing rights will be the winners if we allow them to pit us against ourselves... As an Alaskan with strong beliefs on this issue, I am confident in my ability to build consensus among diverse user groups and reconcile the many competing interests in a manner.
From a 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign statement, October 3, 2006
Republican Candidate for Governor Sarah Palin has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association.
The NRA is widely recognized today as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights. The NRA has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. "The NRA has given Sarah Palin its highest possible rating," said Alaska NRA Director Wayne Anthony Ross. "Anyone who remembers the years when Tony Knowles was Governor, if they love the outdoors, will be voting for Sarah Palin."
"This is such a great honor for me," said Palin - a lifetime NRA member. "I grew up hunting in Alaska and it's still a huge part of my life. We hunt as much as we can and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska."
Palin has long been a champion of the constitutional right to bear arms as well as a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaska's youth. "The NRA makes gun advocacy and education possible because of the tireless efforts of its nearly three million members," said Palin. "I'm proud to be counted among them and to have their support in this election."
From the Eagle Forum's 2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire, Alaska, July 31, 2006
In relationship to families, what are your top three priorities if elected governor?
Sarah Palin responded:
1. Creating an atmosphere where parents feel welcome to choose the venues of education for their children.
2. Preserving the definition of "marriage" as defined in our constitution.
3. Cracking down on the things that harm family life: gangs, drug use, and infringement of our liberties including attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights.
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Democratic Presidential Nominee, Sen. Barack Obama
- Senator Obama's Record on Guns- Signed onto a letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Byrd and Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee Chair Mikulski opposing the Tiahrt Amendments and any attempts to attach them to Justice Department Appropriations (April 13, 2007).
- Supports restricting purchases of weapons and ammunition at gun shows, establishing a national database that would capture and record imprints left by bullets, and making gun locks mandatory (Baltimore Sun, 9/15/2004).
- As a state Senator, Obama voted to allow concealed weapons to be carried by retired police officers and some military personnel (Baltimore Sun, 9/15/2004).
- Obama regularly supported gun-control measures, including a ban on semiautomatic "assault weapons" and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month. (CBS News 1/17/2007).
- As a state senator, he opposed letting people use a self-defense argument if charged with violating local handgun bans by using weapons in their homes. The bill was a reaction to a Chicago-area man who, after shooting an intruder, was charged with a handgun violation (CBS News 1/17/2007).
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From a Campaign statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Heller decision, June 26, 2008
I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today’s ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country.
As President, I will uphold the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun-owners, hunters, and sportsmen. I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe.
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From a townhall campaign event in Duryea, PA, September 5, 2008
I believe in the Second Amendment, and if you are a law-abiding gun owner, you have nothing to fear from an Obama administration.
Now, the NRA sometimes... their general attitude is look, we don’t want anything, and if you even breathe the word ‘gun control’ or ‘gun safety,’ then you must want to take away everybody’s guns. Well, that’s just not true.
This can’t be the reason not to vote for me. Because your guns... we’re not going to mess with them... spread the word with your friends.
Acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination to be President of the United States, Denver, CO, August 28, 2008
The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.
From a News conference in Chicago, IL, June 25, 2008
What I have said is, is that I'm a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, but I do not think that that precludes local governments being able to provide some commonsense gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of gang-bangers or children, that local jurisdictions are going to have different sets of problems, and that this is a very fact-intensive decision that has to be made. But I do think that the Second Amendment is an individual right. So, what I would like to do is wait and see how the Supreme Court comes down, and evaluate the actual reasoning in the case to see how broad or narrow the decision's going to be.
From an Interview with the Flathead Beacon, Montana, May 28 2008
Q: Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer has said he is skeptical a Democrat can beat John McCain here because of a real or perceived weakness on gun rights. Do you think Gov. Schweitzer is correct and how do you reconcile any need for gun law reforms in urban areas with the anxiety many Westerners may feel that their Second Amendment rights may be trampled?
A: Well I think you just identified exactly the argument that has to be made. And that is that we have two realities when it comes to guns in this country. You’ve got illegal guns landing on the streets in the hands of gang-bangers in places like Chicago where children have been shot on the streets in astonishing numbers, and then you’ve got law abiding gun owners who are hunting, and sportsmen, and keeping a gun in the house to protect their family, and who have a tradition of lawful gun ownership dating back generations. It’s part of a way of life. The key is to reconcile those two realities.
The voters of Montana need to understand that I believe in the Second Amendment, I believe it is an individual right and I will not encroach on their right to get firearms and to do everything that they’re doing right now. What I do want to see is better enforcement when it comes to handguns that are pouring into the streets of urban centers and that means better background checks, it means being able to trace guns that are used in crimes back to gun dealers that may be violating our laws. It means closing the gun show loophole. Those are, I think, some common sense regulations that in no way will impede on the ability of lawful gun owners in Montana or anywhere else in the country from exercising their Second Amendmentrights.
From the Los Angeles Times on May 16, 2008
"I do believe that there is nothing inconsistent with also saying that we can institute some common sense gun laws, so that we don't have kids shot on the streets of cities like Chicago," Obama said.
He cited background checks and "unscrupulous gun dealers who have peddled them to people who shouldn't be getting them. Those are laws that I think the majority of Americans believe in."
Obama said he disagreed with the NRA. "Their basic position is that any law related to gun ownership is a potential camel's nose under the tent and that if we allow even the smallest concession that somehow guns will be taken away from everybody.”
”If you subscribe to that view then you are not going to agree with me. On the other hand, if you are a gun owner here in South Dakota who uses your gun to hunt or to protect your family and does so in a lawful way, then you have nothing to worry about from me.”
From an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times on April 25, 2008
Q: Have you been following the news of all the gun deaths?
A: The news has just been heart-breaking. I've asked my staff to contact the Chicago Police Department. and I'm going to put in a call to the mayor just to find out just what is accounting for this huge uptick.
Q: Is there anything the federal, state, or local government can do?
A: There's a bunch of things we can do. I've already said as president I want to restore [federal] COPS funding, which will put police on the streets. Additional police improves public safety. New York has seen a huge drop in crime over the last decade, more than even other cities, and part of it is they've got more cops than anybody else per capita. We've got to help local communities put more police on the streets. We want to make sure we provide state and local government with the targeting information they need, the technology they need to make sure police are going to the places most at risk for gun violence. We've got to tighten up our gun laws. I've said before we should have a much tougher background check system, one that's much more effective and make sure there aren't loopholes out there like the gun show loophole. [Or] The Tiahart Amendment [requiring destruction of gun-purchase records.] Here's an example of something common-sense: The ATF [federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms] should be able to share info with local communities about where guns are coming from, tracing guns that are used in criminal activity. It's been blocked consistently in Congress. As president, I'm gong to make sure we know if guns are being sold by unscrupulous gun dealers not abiding by existing laws. We should know about that.
Finally, we've got to deal with the underlying social issues that are causing this gun violence as well. You've got gangs of young men who are lost, who are involved in the drug trade. Starting early with early childhood education, improving our K-through-12 education, having after-school programs or summer-school programs so we are providing pathways for young people to move in the right direction.
As president, we've got to be able to help local communities put those programs in place.
Q: In Gary [Ind.,] and in Beaumont, Texas, you talked about parents doing a better job parenting. Is that applicable here?
A.: Absolutely. That's what I refer to when I say we've got to get to the underlying problems here. Children have to be taught right and wrong and violence isn't a way to resolve problems. Kids have to be kept off the streets at night. Transmitting those values is important. A lot of these kids unfortunately they might not have parents at home who are helping to give them guidance. Their communities themselves are wracked with violence. They're seeing it every day going down the streets. The role of the community, the churches, other institutions, instilling a different sensibility in our young people -- that's got to be part of the solution as well.
Q: The Washington, D.C. [handgun ban] case before the U.S. Supreme Court you were asked about at the debate -- have you have a chance to look into that more?
A: My view continues to be that the constitution, I believe, does provide a right to bear arms; but that local communities, and state governments, as well as the federal government, have a right to common-sense regulations and firearm ownership [rules.] The truth is, obviously, the ban here in Chicago, the ban in D.C. is not keeping the guns out of our cities, and so I'm interested in just figuring out what works and I'm confident we can come up with laws that work and that pass constitutional muster and don't infringe on the rights of lawful gun owners whether it's in Downstate Illinois or rural Montana.
Q: As a state legislator, you voted against a bill which would let people with orders of protection [against others] carry guns and another that would have barred municipalities from punishing people who kept guns in their homes. Why?
A: I felt that [the first one] was a precedent for conceal-and-carry laws. There has not been any evidence that allowing people to carry a concealed weapon is going to make anybody safer. [The second one] is relevant to the D.C. handgun issue. I wanted to preserve the right of local communities to enforce local ordinances and this would have overturned municipalities being able to enforce their own ordinances. We can argue about whether the ordinances work or not. But I wanted to make sure that local communities were recognized as having a right to regulate firearms.
Q: But you don't want to take a stand on the D.C. gun-ban law?
A: I don't like taking a stand on pending cases.
From a Campaign statement, April 16, 2008
One year after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, families are still mourning, and our nation is still healing. As Americans gather today in vigils and 'lie-ins' – or pray silently alone – our thoughts are with those whose lives were forever changed by the shootings. But one year later, it’s also time to reflect on how violence – whether on campuses like Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University or on the streets of Chicago and cities across this nation – can be prevented. Clearly, our state and federal governments have to strengthen some laws and do a better job enforcing others. But we all have a responsibility to do what we can in our own lives and communities to end this kind of senseless violence. That is still our task one year later, and it will be our ongoing task in the years to come.
From the Philadelphia Democratic primary debate, ABC, April 16, 2008
Q: Senator Obama, the District of Columbia has a law, it's had a law since 1976, it's now before the United States Supreme Court, that prohibits ownership of handguns, a sawed-off shotgun, a machine gun or a short-barreled rifle. Is that law consistent with an individual's right to bear arms?
A: Well, Charlie, I confess I obviously haven't listened to the briefs and looked at all the evidence.
As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right, and, you know, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.
And I think that it is going to be important for us to reconcile what are two realities in this country.
There's the reality of gun ownership and the tradition of gun ownership that's passed on from generation to generation. You know, when you listen to people who have hunted, and they talk about the fact that they went hunting with their fathers or their mothers, then that is something that is deeply important to them and, culturally, they care about deeply.
But you also have the reality of what's happening here in Philadelphia and what's happening in Chicago.
Q: But do you still favor the registration of guns? Do you still favor the licensing of guns?
And in 1996, your campaign issued a questionnaire, and your writing was on the questionnaire that said you favored a ban on handguns.
A: No, my writing wasn't on that particular questionnaire, Charlie. As I said, I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns.
What I think we can provide is common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.
The point is, is that what we have to do is get beyond the politics of this issue and figure out what, in fact, is working.
Look, in my hometown of Chicago, on the south side of Chicago, we've had 34 gun deaths last year of Chicago public school children.
And I think that most law-abiding gun owners all across America would recognize that it is perfectly appropriate for local communities and states and the federal government to try to figure out, how do we stop that kind of killing?
From the Associated Press annual meeting on April 14, 2008
Is there a way for us on the one hand to acknowledge the importance of gun ownership in huge swaths of the country, and recognize... that at the same time recognize that for us to put in place strong, tough background checks, to close the gun show loophole, to be able to trace guns that have been used in crimes to the gun dealers who sold those guns to see if they're abiding by the law, making sure that they're not working with straw purchasers to dump illegal handguns into vulnerable communities - that those two visions are compatible - that they're not contradictory.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on April 1, 2008
I do think we have to do a better job sharing information [on guns] between local and federal officials. I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could [get shot during] altercations.
From a Pennsylvania Campaign Event on April 1, 2008
I believe in the Second Amendment…I believe in the lawful use of firearms for hunters and sportsmen and people wanting to protect their families.
From an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 13, 2008
Q: How do you differ from Sen. Clinton on the issue of gun control? A: I think our positions are fairly similar. I'd let her characterize her own position. I certainly believe in the Second Amendment right, that people have the right to bear arms. But I also believe it is important to have some common-sense gun laws in place to make sure that straw purchasers aren't being used to fill up our streets with illegal firearms, and that we have stronger background checks so we keep firearms out of the hands of people with mental health problems or young people or those who have committed crimes. I think it is important for us to strengthen our ability to trace guns that have been used in crimes to gun dealers to make sure they are not operating in an illegal way. I think it's possible to reconcile the tradition of gun ownership, and the rights of sportsmen, hunters and those who want to protect their families, with keeping handguns that are used in crime off the streets. You can protect the rights of gun owners and at the same time keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
From a News conference in Milwaukee, WI, February 15, 2008
In response to the NIU shooting:
We offer them [the victims and their families] our determination to do whatever it takes to eradicate this violence from our streets, from our schools, from our neighborhoods and our cities.... [by doing a] more effective job of enforcing our gun laws, strengthening our background check system, being able to trace guns that are used in violent crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers -- so that we can crack down on them -- closing gun show loopholes.
On microstamping:
There was a discussion today about a law that has just passed in California that allows micro-tracing of bullets that have been discharged in a crime so that they can immediately be traced. This is something that California has passed over the strong objections of the NRA… That's the kind of common sense gun law that gun owners as well as victims of gun violence can get behind.
On the Second Amendment:
There is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation.
On local gun laws:
I think that local jurisdictions have the capacity to institute their own gun laws…The City of Chicago has gun laws, as does Washington, D.C.... I think the notion that somehow local jurisdictions can't initiate gun safety laws to deal with gang-bangers and random shootings on the street isn't born out by our constitution.
From a Campaign Appearance at Boise State, February 2, 2008
“And then there are people who say, 'Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state – we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns.”
From the 2008 Nevada Democratic primary debate, MSNBC, January 16, 2008
Q: Senator Obama, when you were in the state senate, you talked about licensing and registering gun owners. Would you do that as president?
A: I don’t think that we can get that done. But what I do think we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. One good example — this is consistently blocked — the efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers.
That’s not something that the NRA has allowed to get through Congress. And, as president, I intend to make it happen.
But here’s the broader context that I think is important for us to remember. We essentially have two realities, when it comes to guns, in this country. You’ve got the tradition of lawful gun ownership, that all of us saw, as we travel around rural parts of the country.
And it is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot.
And then you’ve got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago.
We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets.
From Ebony Magazine, December 31, 2007
As president, my first act on this issue will be the restoration of full funding for COPS (the Community Oriented Policing Services program). I also support reasonable, common sense measures to limit the occurrence of gun violence that has taken the lives of too many Americans, and that has particularly ravaged Black communities.
These measures include closing the gun-show loophole and requiring mandatory background checks on purchasers at gun shows .… I also believe that we have to make guns in this country childproof .... I support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent. I believe that these weapons, such as AK-47s, belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets. These are also not weapons that are used by hunters, sportsmen, and sportswomen.
From a Campaign statement (not a quote from the Senator), November 20, 2007
Senator Obama believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.
From the 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum Jul 12, 2007
Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?
A: You know, when the massacre happened at Virginia Tech, I think all of us were grief stricken and shocked by the carnage. But in this year alone, in Chicago, we've had 34 Chicago public school students gunned down and killed. And for the most part, there has been silence. We know what to do. We've got to enforce the gun laws that are on the books. We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit. But what we also have to do is to make sure that we change our politics so that we care just as much about those 30-some children in Chicago who've been shot as we do the children in Virginia Tech. That's a mindset that we have to have in the White House and we don't have it right now.
From a rally in Milwaukee, WI on April 16, 2007. www.realclearpolitics.com
There is gonna be discussion about how did this person get the firearms that he used. And there are already reports that potentially the semi-automatic weapons he used would have been banned under an assault weapons ban that was allowed to lapse. There'll be discussion about security on college campuses. There will be speculation as to what caused this young man to snap. But I hope that it causes us to reflect a little bit more broadly on the degree to which we do accept violence, in various forms, all the time in our society. We glorify it, we encourage it, we ignore it, and it is heartbreaking and it has to stop.
From The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.215 (2006)
I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manufacturer’s lobby. But I also believe that when a gangbanger shoots indiscriminately into a crowd because he feels someone disrespected him, we have a problem of morality. Not only do we need to punish that man for his crime, but we need to acknowledge that there's a hole in his heart, one that government programs alone may not be able to repair.
From a U.S. Senate debate with Alan Keyes, sponsored by the League of Women Voters in Illinois, October 21, 2004
OBAMA: Well, let's be clear. Mr. Keyes, for example, does not believe in common gun safety laws like the assault weapons bill. I have, as one of my guests today, the head of the Fraternal Order of Police. I'm proud of the support that I've received from that organization, in part, because they are concerned precisely about what Mr. Keyes referred to--getting shot by assault weapons, when they go in, in an attempt to do a drug bust.
Now, Mr. Keyes suggested that, somehow, because criminals break the law, that we shouldn't have laws in the first place. That defies logic. People break all sorts of laws, but we still have the laws in place.
And the fact of the matter is, is that Mr. Keyes does not believe in any limits, that I can tell, with respect to the possession of guns, including assault weapons that have only one purpose, and that is to kill people, unless you're seeing a lot of deer out there wearing bullet-proof vests, then there is no purpose for many of the guns.
I think it is a scandal that this president did not force a renewal of this assault weapons ban. If it had problems with it, then we should have closed those loopholes that might have made it not as effective as it should have been.
KEYES: I think one of the great problems is that the Assault Weapons Ban deals with a fictional distinction. You have guns that are exactly the same guns as are banned, in function, that were banned because of the way they look. And you know, that's the whole truth of this policy: it's to make politicians look as if they are doing something, when in point of fact, they are doing nothing.
The answer to crime is not gun control, it is law enforcement and self-control. And when we remember that, we will see the rates of crime go down in Chicago, and everywhere else.
MODERATOR: Mr. Obama, thirty seconds.
OBAMA: Well, I think it's true that we have to focus on self-control, and when young gang-bangers are out there shooting into crowds, there's a moral issue and a values issue that has to be addressed.
But I tell you what, it helps if they don't have an assault weapon with them when they shoot into that crowd. And I think that common sense gun safety laws aren't just supported by gun control politicians. They're supported by mothers who've been, seen their loved ones gunned down on the streets, and I think it's necessary that we address the problems that they see every day.
[Close More Quotes from Senator Obama info]
Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee, Sen. Joe Biden
- Senator Biden's Record on Guns- Senator Biden has been a consistent supporter of the Brady Campaign.
- In 2004 he spoke at a press conference with Sarah Brady and John Kerry in favor of renewing the Assault Weapons Ban.
- Voted for the Brady bill that provided a waiting period for the purchase of a handgun (passed 63-36 on November 20, 1993) and background checks at gun shows. (Bill S.1805/H.R.1036; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004)
- Voted against special legal protection for the gun industry (Bill S.1805/H.R.1036; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004).
- He is “F” rated by the NRA.
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