At State of the Union, Dems to send message on gun violence

CBS

As the White House continues an aggressive campaign to build national support for stricter gun laws, House Democrats are using the president's State of the Union speech next week to send their own message on the subject: More than 20 Democratic members will bring as guests to the address people who have been personally affected by gun violence.

Among those guests include a fourth-grader from Newtown, Conn., who started an online petition demanding stronger gun laws from Washington in the aftermath of the massacre that struck her town. The girl, who did not attend Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 children were shot to death, wrote a letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., entreating her to help "ban semi automatic weapons and large capacity magazines and to make everyone use gun safes."

Pelosi, according to her spokesman, responded to the fourth-grader's letter with an invitation to the president's address on Tuesday.

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The California Democrat is one of more than 20 Democrats who will be accompanied to the president's address by someone whose life has been impacted by gun violence: A group of five Democratic lawmakers - Reps. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., Keith Ellison, D-Minn., Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and David Cicilline, D-R.I. - spearheaded an effort to round up fellow members who were willing to give their +1 for the event to someone affected by a gun tragedy.

"It is vital that we include the American public and give a voice to our constituents as we search for comprehensive solutions to this problem," the five members wrote last month in a letter to members of the Democratic caucus. "It is our hope that their presence in the House Gallery will send a strong message that it is long past time to act."

In addition to Pelosi, 16 additional House Democrats have taken them up on the challenge. The guests include John Aresta, the Chief of Police of Malverne, N.Y., whose uncle was killed in the same mass shooting in which the husband of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., was killed; Lori Haas, whose daughter survived two gunshot wounds in the Virginia Tech massacre; Cleopatra Cowley, the mother of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot to death just days after performing at an inauguration-related event; and Teresa Hoover, the mother of an 18-year-old boy killed in the movie theater shootings last summer in Aurora, Colo.

[RickB2400]

At State of the Union, Dems to send message on gun violence ....
Translation ... Dems are going to try and violate the rights of the American people.

[logictoo]

I am sure that Obama will acknowledge that the Giffords are in attendance and he may even speak of her greatness and bravery and naturally she will get a standing ovation. I personally know several folks that have survived gunshot to the head and met a fellow who had a head injury from being "blowed up". They were un-important however, and didn't get any special recognition. Gifford is special in that they both have the best insurance and care and benefits that the American people can provide.

[logictoo]

BENJORDAN you are correct about the Tea Party but you left off the Democrats and the Republicans. They and their families are all VIP's.

[Sterling-American]

I'm surprised that as shameless as Obama is in exploiting people like Gabby Giffords, he isn't going to bring the young girl's body in that preformed for him at the inauguration that was shot to death in his Chicago so all of America can gawk at it to try and win political points.

[Cowmpound]

MS-PIGGY-HILLARY-CLINTON says:If you look at Gabby Giffords face staring out into space with that blank look on her face, she is out of it.
Obama is exploiting the brain damaged Giffords like the rest of his brain damaged flock.
It is reprehensible of Obama!reply
COWMPOUND replies: linkiconreporticonemailiconMaybe she is putting thought into something before she speaks or acts.

You should try it.
MS-PIGGY-HILLARY-CLINTON replies: linkiconreporticonemailiconWhat, being brain damaged like she and you?
Look how long it took you to come up with a stale response.
It takes her so long to form a thought she had to resign from Congress.

[Sterling-American]

Good ones Ms. Piggy!
Kudos

[Cowmpound]

RCRawlings said:

Go away Gabby and Egg Shape Hubby.
We already felt sorry for you enough for a life time and received our pity.
Stop milking it already for crying out loud.
You are starting to get on our nerves now.

[Sterling-American]

Good one RC!
Kudos and keep up the good work.
Tell it like it is!

[Segesser1]

They dont want to enforce the laws they already have but instead wanna restrict access to guns from law abiding citizens? criminals could care less about laws thats why they are criminals. Banning weapons because of cosmetic appearences dont make any sense.

[Segesser1]

I will personally be voting against any who oppose my gun rights in all upcoming elections. Simple as that.

[Cowmpound]

Gonna make fun of Gabby for getting shot in the face too? Like your buddies RCRawlings and Piggy?

Way to stand up for your rights!

[ammo17]

are the democrats going to go their prison systems and take a couple of thousand murderers to congress with them,and show us that if the victems were armed they would have a better chance of being alive today.it is the bad guys with UNDOCUMENTED guns,the democrats do not want us to use the word ILLEGAL anymore.

[Tank_Commander]

Very nice hype, CBS. So where is the report on what the police are doing about that girl who was shot in Chicago? Besides the fact that the Obama's attended the funeral and the police think it was a drug-turf war, what have the police DONE?????????? Or the report on the kid with the loaded gun in school in Philly? Have the cops found out who owned the firearm and did they charge anyone? You're really, really good at reporting half the news. How about you check to see just what law enforcement is doing NOW to find the perps of these crimes. Perhaps the police should start dropping the donoughts and hit the pavement instead of posing in front of politicians and shouting they are the only ones who should have firearms.

[mav547166]

Gun control is already dead in the Senate.