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The NRA is endorsing John McCain for president even though the organization has had differences with the Arizona senator in the past (CBSNews.com’s Brian Montopoli detailed the NRA’s campaign efforts in an story). NRA Executive VP Wayne LaPierre will travel to key states like Pennsylvania, Missouri, Colorado and Nevada to discuss the endorsement, the AP reports.

Although the group has been critical of McCain for his support of closing the gun show loophole and for his push on campaign finance reform, LaPierre said he has “cast more than 60 votes in the Senate in support of the Second Amendment.” But the group may be more enthusiastic about McCain running mate Sarah Palin. “She’s a hunter, she’s a Second Amendment supporter and she’s a tremendous asset to the ticket,” LaPierre said.

It’s no surprise that the NRA would back the Republican ticket as its political arm has already been running TV and print ads raising questions about Barack Obama and plans to spend up to $40 million on campaign efforts this year. But the NRA hasn’t always endorsed in the presidential race. In 1996, the group declined to endorse Bob Dole.

Ben Smith points us to a new spot from the Obama campaign, "Life," that was not sent out to the press. It features a lifetime National Rifle Association member who supports the Democratic nominee. The spot has been seen in Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

"I'm a life member of the NRA," Greg West says in the spot. "I hunt, I fish, I love the outdoors. I love this country, and I support Barack Obama."

An announcer then seeks to reassure skeptics.

"Barack Obama supports gun rights," he says. "Our right to defend ourselves. The second amendment. That's the truth."

The NRA has been highly critical of Obama in its advertising and rhetoric, suggesting he would be ""the most anti-gun president in American history." The Democratic nominee has repeatedly said that would not be the case, stating that any claim that he would take away peoples' guns is "just not true."

“Barack Obama is running TV ads about guns without telling the national media because he knows they would never pass a credible fact check," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said in a statement. "Obama is the most anti-gun candidate for President in American history. He consistently worked to undermine Second Amendment rights, which is why respected pro-gun groups are harshly critical of him.”



UPDATE: The NRA today announced that it is expanding its multi-million dollar anti-Obama ad campaign...

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The political arm of the National Rifle Association is going on the offensive against the Democratic presidential ticket today, CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reports.

Below you'll find a spot airing in Pennsylvania; the NRA also plans to run ads in Colorado, New Mexico and other states.

"I gotta tell you, with the high cost of gas and just about everything else, we're all feeling pinched," a Virginia hunter named Karl Rusch says as the spot opens. "And now I learn that Barack Obama supports a huge new tax on my guns and ammo. And he voted to ban virtually all deer hunting ammunition. Where is this guy from? He's probably never been hunting a day in his life."

"But it's not just new taxes that Barack Obama wants," continues Rusch. "If you can believe it, he also supports a ban on the shotguns and rifles that most of us use for hunting. No politician is going to take away my guns and ammo."

He concludes: "You don't have to be bitter to know that Barack Obama isn't the kind of change we need." An announcer then says, "On November 4th, defend freedom, defeat Obama."

The Obama campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment.

John McCain is discussing judicial appointments today, and the Arizona senator is now poised to take on another issue close to many conservatives' hearts: guns.

McCain's campaign has announced the presumptive GOP nominee will speak at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Louisville next week. He will be joined by former rivals Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, as well as Karl Rove and others.

McCain, who has struggled to win over conservatives, has not always seen eye-to-eye with the NRA. As USA Today notes, the gun group took issue with McCain's campaign-finance legislation, and NRA chief executive officer Wayne LaPierre opposes background checks at gun shows, which McCain supports.

But otherwise, the newspaper writes, "the NRA has given McCain high marks," noting that LaPierre calls McCain the only presidential candidate "with a pro-Second Amendment record of any kind."

Among the areas where McCain and the NRA agree are their mutual opposition to the assault-weapons ban and mandatory waiting periods. NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam told the Wall Street Journal that while the group has had its high-profile disagreements with the Arizona senator, "He's had a stellar voting record with us."

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani was interrupted during his speech to the NRA by a ringing cell phone – his own, reports CBS News' Ryan Corsaro and Scott Conroy.

“It’s my wife,” he told the audience, and answered the call. “Hello dear, I’m talking to the NRA right now. Would you like to say hello?”

Several members of the audience laughed at the exchange and applauded when Giuliani told her he loved her and promised to call back.

A spokesman for the Giuliani campaign would not say whether the call was planned or not. However, rival candidate Mitt Romney’s press secretary Kevin Madden told CBS News the phone call looked “scripted.”

The Romney campaign provided a YouTube link showing Giuliani doing the same thing at an event in June.

"It's my wife on the phone," Giuliani said to the crowd at a June 21 campaign stop in the heavily Cuban-American city of Hialeah, Florida. "I'll call you back," he continued. "OK, dear. I love you. Bye."

Giuliani speaks tonight at a local GOP conference in Mackinac Island, Michigan.

As CBSNews.com reported yesterday, Rudy Giuliani will seek to “clarify” his views on gun control and the Second Amendment when he speaks at the NRA’s “Celebration of American Values” today.

How he’s received there will help clarify Giuliani’s chances of winning the GOP nomination. Because of his past strong support for gun control laws – and some spats with the NRA itself – he’ll never be a darling of the organization. His challenge is to convince them he’s not public enemy number one, and it’s an issue his primary opponents are eager to discuss.

John McCain will be among several Republican candidates addressing the conference today and will jab Giuliani on the issue, according to the AP. McCain will reference the lawsuit Giuliani and other mayors filed against gun manufacturers in 2000 and remarks he made in a televised interview where he referred to the NRA as “extremists.”

“My friends, gun owners are not extremists; you are the core of modern America," McCain will say, according to prepared remarks. "The Second Amendment is unique in the world and at the core of our constitutional freedoms. It guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. To argue anything else is to reject the clear meaning of our founding fathers.”

How big a challenge is the issue for Giuliani? CBS News’ manager of surveys Anthony Salvanto takes a look:

In addressing Giuliani's stand on guns and how he handled the issue in New York City, Giuliani stresses local decision-making, as a statement on his Web site makes clear: "Rudy understands that what works in New York doesn't necessarily work in Mississippi or Montana."

Speaking to voters in rural states may be a general challenge ahead for Giuliani. In a recent CBS News/New York Times Poll, Republican Primary voters think Rudy only understands the issues of people in big cities – 43 percent do – compared to just 15 percent who think he also understands small towns and rural areas.

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