Pure Horserace: Gun Control To The Front?

Will Virginia Tech Massacre Bring Issue Into Focus?

(CBS)  The shootings at Virginia Tech have prompted the presidential campaigns to temporarily suspend their activities and cancel planned appearances today. But when the candidates return to the trail, gun control may be among the first issues they're asked about.

The issue hasn't come up much thus far in the campaign, aside from a minor story over Mitt Romney's hunting experience — or lack thereof. But the deaths of 32 people at the hands of a gunman using weapons purchased in a state without strict gun control measures has already inspired a heated debate the presidential candidates may find difficult to avoid.

A quick look at the record shows that while the major Democrats in the field generally agree on this subject — they all support measures like five-day waiting periods and bans on assault weapons — there is more discord among Republicans. Romney's hunting gaffe came during an effort to gain the support of the National Rifle Association. While Romney now claims general opposition to most gun control measures, he has only recently embraced the issue — his "lifelong" membership to the NRA began just last year.

Rudy Giuliani is most at odds with the traditional stance of his party on the issue. As mayor of New York, he consistently supported gun control efforts. But lately he has tried to strike a compromise, saying that a "one-size-fits-all" gun control policy wouldn't work and that states and localities should be free to tailor gun regulations to their own needs.

John McCain has also strayed from the party line on gun control, though not as far as Giuliani. He has supported requirements for trigger locks, background checks at gun shows, but has also voted against a five-day waiting period and a ban on certain assault weapons. After yesterday's shootings, McCain reiterated his support of the Second Amendment while stressing the need to keep guns out of the hands of "bad people," according to The Associated Press.

If this issue begins to pop up in the campaign in the near-term, it's an issue that could attract the most attention among Republican candidates as they try to balance their need to demonstrate support for gun ownership without appearing indifferent to such a tragedy.

But Democrats could have more to risk in the long term by advocating too much gun control. Al Gore's inability to convince gun owners on the issue is one of the issues widely seen to have cost him a chance to win close states like West Virginia and Arkansas in 2000. Despite his combat experience, John Kerry struggled to demonstrate a kinship with hunters in 2004. Remember that goose "hunt" in Ohio?

Visit CBSNews.com for breaking news and complete coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings.


It Takes … A Campaign: Romney has taken plenty of heat over the evolution of many of his positions in this campaign. Gun control is but one area where Romney sounds like a much different candidate now than he did when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 or for governor in 2002 — both in Massachusetts. He's had to answer a variety of questions about shifting positions like abortion and gay marriage.

Now, there's this: According to The Associated Press, Romney yesterday took a shot at the title of Hillary Clinton's book, "It Takes A Village." That idea of community is the wrong model to replace a traditional family, said Romney, specifically a family with a mother and father. "I think it's time for us to recognize every child deserves a mother and a father," Romney is quoted as saying. "It takes a family," he added.

But, according to the AP, that's different from what he told the Boston Globe in 1998, where he was quoted saying, in part, "Hillary Clinton is very much right, it does take a village."

Sure, this might be taking the "gotcha" game a little far, but it demonstrates a growing perception about Romney as a candidate with a tendency to take the path of least political resistance depending upon the targeted audience.

Sometimes, You Can't Go Home Again: In something of a shocker, former Sen. John Breaux has put the brakes on what had been an expected run for governor of Louisiana. Breaux said he would not run because he could not get a definitive answer from Louisiana's attorney general about his ability to legally qualify for the ballot. Breaux, who now lives in Maryland, was counting on a preliminary ruling to re-establish his Louisiana residency but the attorney general said the courts must decide that and Breaux opted out.

It's a surprising turn of events. Embattled Gov. Kathleen Blanco last month announced that she would not seek re-election, a move at the time seen to clear the way for her fellow Democrat to jump into the race. With both gone, the advantage clearly shifts to Rep. Bobby Jindal, the Republican front-runner who now has smoother road to the governor's mansion.


Editor's Note: Pure Horserace is a daily update of political news as interpreted by the political observers at CBSNews.com. Click here to sign up for the e-mail version.

[fascistusa]

I regret what occurred. That being said, please note that The Police DID NOT protect you. Your Government DID NOT protect you.

Now, they are calling to take your gun rights away. I say Chance or NO Chance.

Ask yourself.... DO YOU TRUST YOUR FASCIST GOVERNMENT???? Second Amendment : The Right of The People to Bear Arms shall not be infringed - TO PROTECT US FROM OUR GOVERNMENT!!

Murders/Criminals will ALWAYS have weapons (I say weapons because ANYTHING can be used to kill). I'd rather have my Guns and the CHANCE I'll have them if I ever need them. Better then NO CHANCE at all. Like you guys had.

NO CHANCE at all.

[forthepeopl1]

let it be said here first..

I have sent a 10,000 word statement to the heads of both partys. and also sent a copy to the vp, and whitehouse. stating that if they in anyway back down on this bill,and fold like ******* to this traitorest president/vp/rove/rumsfeld/ that
they will see a REVOLUTION IN THIS COUNTRY TO THE LIKES THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN..

I told them the only bill that should be sign by the president is a bill he owes to all americans i thinks its around 3.000,000,000,000,0000,000,00,000,00,00,


00,00,00,.
so go and arrest all of them. and america will stand behide you. you all will go down as hero.

we need not to be in iraq,iran,or any were in the middleeast.

to the president of the united states of america. you are not a dictator, no ones is listen to all the lies anymore. any true american in this country is gearing up to have you and your crime buddies taken out by force.

you have to be stoped!!!! as i am a vet. i only wish was i was still in so i could make sure no more of my brothers and sisters get murdered by you and cheney,rumsfeld,rove,and so on.

how come no more outside speaches?? what worried about something??? good its going to get worst so keep it up you chimp

nobodys listen to you asap. like i ask yesterday were have you served?? go ahead bigboy go and sign up? whimp,coward,pussie,chimp,like your fathers bush,cheney,rove,rumsfeld,and your mother connie. AND THIS IS ONLY THE START OF WHAT AMERICANS ARE FEELING..

[forthepeopl1]

I WISH I COULD OF BEEN THERE. I WOULD OF TURN MY BACK TO THIS MURDER BUSH.......AND I WOULD OF MADE IT CLEAR FOR EVERYONE TO SEE AND HEAR.

THE **** OF S/H/I/T/ GOING THERE TO SAY DONT WORRIE YOUR GOVERNMENT WILL HELP YOU..F/U/C/K/H/I/M/.

[randalds]

Want to REALLY have some sane gun control? Take all the military power away from the lunatic in the Oval Office and his friends! That alone would save tens of thousands of gun murders of innocent people a year! Including hundreds per year of our own troops that he's murdering too!

[airmanc5]

The flavor of the week will be gun control for all the networks. They milked the racism bit.
Maybe the democrat party will call for the withdrawl of all students from Virginia

[tucano2]

It seems obvious we need a legal requirement that all American Citizens age 18 and up carry a concealed pistol or revolver. In the VaTech matter perhaps there would have been only the shooter's death from 32 bullets.

[chefrc]

That's right idiots try again to ruin everything for everyone. There are people out there that use their guns to feed their families because Bush has sent all our work out of the USA with his Trade Agreement Deals overseas.Giving Companies tax breaks to operate out of the Continental US. Just another step in the Government's plan for the New World Order. Wake up America!!! If you bought a gallon of bad gas, or bad dog and cat food would Bush stop them from making that?

[lawandorder6]

We need to stop thinking about are salfs, and think of what just happen. A "GUN" killed 33 people. Sp take your rights you "THINK" you have and stick them. All you NRA think about is you. you. you, Some people think about more tham that. Guns are no good and you and the NRA will never chang that.

[randalds]

Guns don't kill people!

George W. Bush kills people!

[lawandorder6]

Bush did not send the work over seas. The UAW did most of that. You don't want to work, you want to be baby and have 2 our 3 people get paid to do one mans work. Hunt, hunt a job why don't you.

[lawandorder6]

I have nevey seen a gun go off by its self. Have You? There is some *** hold pulling the tricker. Like I said stik you gun up your---. Bush has killed no one.

[docadams3]

No guns do not kill people, bullets do. How about a restriction that requires five non-relative to sign as legally and financially responsible for the owner's behavior? Any takers? How about a psychological exam? Better yet, a huge tax on bullets?

It appears that this guy had a clean record and a bad attitude. It's not the football captains who do this stuff. Who's lurking in the shadows where you are? Do you have the nerve to say hello? How about a human conversation, a real connection with someone who's not on the team? The sad truth is that guys like this are not that uncommon. As a former crisis counselor, I know of a lot of situations that might have turned into this. Guns are just part of the problem. Social isolation and disconnectedness is the bigger problem. Combine that with male rejection, testosterone, a fascination with guns, and role models that like to shoot people, and this is what you get. People knew this guy was getting weird, but our college mental health systems are designed for dealing with sorority girls with eating disorders, not young men who fantasize about violence.

[gkc99]

The police have been completely ineffectual in protecting people against murderous rampages, whether with a gun in the U.S. or with a mixture of acetone and bleach in the U.K. The bottom line is that you must protect yourself. In the 101 California shooting in SF, the cops took an hour to get to the building floor where the shootings took place. Guns were banned in SF and in the building, but only a person already there with a gun could have stopped the killing. At Columbine, police in body armor armed with machine guns hid behind police cars in the parking lot as two guys with J.C. Penny shotguns murdered unarmed students. Only a responsible adult with a gun, already in the building, could have stopped it. At Virginia Tech, a "gun-free" area, the police did nothing to warn students beyond a limp email as the shooter wandered to another building. Only a person in the building with a gun could have stopped it.

Question--why is the supposed solution to these nutcase shootings always seem to be do away with a person on the scene who might have been able to stop it, and rely on the police, who are never there on time?

[tomhawk69]

Do we really want gun control? The writers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were way ahead of their time.
For the record:

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.
From 1929 to 1953, approximately 20 million dissidents, unable to defend
themselves, were rounded up
and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control.
From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves,
were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1928, Germany established gun control.
From 1939 to 1945, 13 million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally
ill, and others, who were unable to
defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1935, China established gun control.
From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents were unable to defend
themselves and were rounded up and
exterminated.

In 1964, Guatemala established gun control.
From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves,
were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1970, Uganda established gun control.
From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were
rounded up and exterminated.

In 1956, Cambodia established gun control.
From 1975 to1977, one million "educated" people, unable to defend
themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.

That places total victims who lost their lives -- because they were unable
to defend their liberty -- at approximately 56 million in the 20th century.

[bluestardad]

The focus spin is trying to be changed from the fact that the authorities did not lock down the campus after the first shootings with the suspect still at large for two hours then the other 30 people could have been saved if this had happened! So the focus is being diverted to the devisive issue of Gun Control to distract from the real messing up of the State Law Enforcement and College Leadership! That let this guy go back to his dorm room change clothes and then go back into the campus buildings and start shooting again!

[lawandorder6]

i see it is former crisis counselor. I can see why it is former. You have no idel what is going on are what causes the promblem. The Gun is the cause, get it the GUN

[chefrc]

lawandorder6

Got a great job, making more money than you ever will. And own more guns then you will have in a lifetime. That's period if you are confused

[tomhawk69]

So lawandorder6 if we get rid of all the guns the killing will stop? 56 million people slaughtered in the 20th Century as a RESULT of gun control are crying out from their graves. God help this country, and the world, if we come to that.

[lurch198]

Ah, the endless debate.

If a pit bull attacks someone do you blame the dog or do you blame the breed?

Elitists always trying to control what everyone else is doing. The reason they fear people with guns is they cant control them, make them do what THEY want. Well, I like most gun owners have done nothing wrong, so leave us alone.

Wear wolf, Eat moose.

[fascistusa]

I regret what occurred. When will The People wake up to the Fact we live in Troubled Times??That being said, please note that The Police DID NOT protect you. Your Government DID NOT protect you.

Now, they are calling to take your gun rights away. I say Chance or NO Chance.

Ask yourself.... DO YOU TRUST YOUR FASCIST GOVERNMENT???? Second Amendment : The Right of The People to Bear Arms shall not be infringed - TO PROTECT US FROM OUR GOVERNMENT!!

Murders/Criminals will ALWAYS have weapons (I say weapons because ANYTHING can be used to kill). I'd rather have my Guns and the CHANCE I'll have them if I ever need them. Better then NO CHANCE at all. Like you guys had.

NO CHANCE at all.

[lawandorder6]

chefrc
I know you don't make are every have made more money than I do. I retired at 54. And I don't need a gun *** hole.

[lurch198]

It appears that lawandorder6 was educated in the US.

Just a little joke about our terrible education system. Sorry folks, I will keep it "serious."

[lawandorder6]

chefrc
By the way I wast more money on my two kids than you will every have our see.

[j-whitman]

Two Secret Service officers injured at White House -- One officer suffered a shrapnel wound to the face, and the other was wounded in the leg...

Maybe there should be a test for people who want to buy them..... People like Cheney should never own them.

[lawandorder6]

lurch198 At least I went to school. A school that had both sexs. Not like some , Like you. You don't know what "serious" is.

[lurch198]

*** Cheney looks like an evil man. Look at him, you will see what I mean. And for that, I am glad he's in the white house.

Vote YES to bring back Napalm!

[thinkabootit]

At least one gun used was allegedly legally purchased in VA. But once the serial numbers are removed of attepted to be removed or altered, they are highly illeagal contraband in any state.

As for gun control, just ask the Mayor of Nagasaki, Japan where guns, especially handguns are strictly banned, he was just gunned down by gun toting Japanese gangsters and was the second Nagasaki mayor shot in the last 17 years in a country where guns are completely outlawed. Gun violence will persist despite any laws against gun ownership. Laws don't stop criminals
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/17/world/main2695446.shtml

Heck if guns were banned in America, do you think they could ever be collected peacefully? My guess is there would be 5 minutes of calm followed by otherwise law adibiding armed people defending their Constitutional rights until they ran out of folks willing to risk their lives to try to enforce an unconstitutional ban. I sure hope it never comes to that...

[lurch198]

You presume to know a lot. Maybe you should of read the entire post.

I dont agree with you that GUNS are the problem. Millions in america own and use guns without incident every day.

I think it stems from our society losing all sense of responsibility. Its nobodys fault anymore, right? Always someone elses fault. But see, having a gun is a huge responsibility. The two concepts dont work well together. A gun is dependent on the morals of its user. Can be used for good as well as evil.

[randalds]

If a pit bull attacks someone do you blame the dog or do you blame the breed?

Elitists always trying to control what everyone else is doing. The reason they fear people with guns is they cant control them, make them do what THEY want. Well, I like most gun owners have done nothing wrong, so leave us alone.

Wear wolf, Eat moose.
Posted by lurch198 at 05:02 PM : Apr 17, 2007

Neither. You blame the pit bulls owner. A well trained pit bull is harmless.

[lawandorder6]

I go for that. What you say is more of the problem than.

[lawandorder6]

lurch198 I did post that you are on about the sense of responsibility. No one seams to have a sense of responsibility any more.

[lurch198]

Randal, I didnt want to throw the blame the owner cause that would of opened it WAY up. But you are right. SO blame mom and dad, right?

Now, before I go where I am about to, know that I am not sexist. But, does anyone else think that there may be a correlation between the breakdown of the American family unit, and womens lib, ie, women entering the workforce, in mass?

Yes, I am OK with women working. Just a theory.

[klingon69]

lawandorder6;
learn to spell.

[huskerarmy]

So we live in a world that worships guns and entertains itself with a steady diet of simulated, yet glorified, gun violence and we don't expect it to effect our disposition towards using them? And that from a people who fear that being exposed to a gay teacher will turn their kids gay?

[lurch198]

What, you want to take away my "24" now?

Kidding.

[lawandorder6]

Klingon69, i did not know we where in a speling bee. *** hole

[irishbitch1]

Nobody wants to take your guns away, stricter regulations are certainly called for. MSNBC said the shooter bought the guns in one day due to Virginia's very relaxed gun laws. What happened to background checks? I own three guns, all are liscensed and under lock and key.It took me several months to liscense my guns. What is wrong with taking every precaution necessary if it means a tragedy like what happened yesterday could be averted?What are people afraid of when you mention stricter gun regulations? If you are a citizen and have a clean record you have no reason to oppose stricter gun regulations!

[lurch198]

He had to have had an instant background check. That is a federal law. But that wouldnt of brought up anything. The only one who can stop the lone nut gunman is his/her peers before the incident, or by someone on scene with a gun of their own. Even a 3 day waiting period wouldnt of done anything as he bought the gun a week ago.

[mcmustang2]

BAN ALL GUNS! (Good luck.)

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

[mcmustang2]

Ban all guns! (Good luck.)

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

[dphaffner]

Buy a gun ! kill a queer! Only way to go

[greg3444]

These unfortunate Virginia Tech murders prove the opposite of what the foolish gun control advocates want us to believe. These type of tragic shootings are encouraged by the perpetrators knowing that the good law abiding citizens for the most part have been disarmed. They know they can safely walk around for quite a long period of time having their way with innocent people knowing the police will not arrive until they are finished. Gun control disarms the wrong people. Gun control disarms the good guys! Unfortunatly evil persons will always be able to get guns. Our only defense is to have a defense! The good guys need to be armed Period! It is suicidal to think otherwise. If only one or two NRA trained professors or students had been armed there would not be 32 families planning funerals now. Please don't let the fools continue to make us even more vulnerable to this type of insanity. We just can't have only the evilguys armed. Thank you for reading this.
Greg / Bluffdale, Utah

[klingon69]

obviously we are not.
However, the use of a expletive to describe me has shown the maturity or should I say the lack of it on your part. Return to your little "nanny" state, and let REAL people get back to what is important.
Bye Now

[realpatriot1]

The slippery slope argument is a fear, not a fact. as is true with all classes of laws, there are good and bad gun laws. If there are people out there who want to limit guns to single shot of no greater than .22 caliber they are an extreme minority even among so-called gun control advocates.

You don't have to be against gun ownership to support some gun laws as opposed to gun anarchy. Will criminals always be able to get guns?Absolutely. Can we make it harder for unstable people to get lots of guns and ammo? I believe so.

Is the best defense for private citizens who want to be to be armed? Sure. Registering guns shouldn't be any more onerous for law abiding citizens than registering a car. Because a car is also a dangerous item we expect that a certain level of responsibility goes along with the right to drive.

Virginia law didn't prevent law abiding citizens or the crazed killer from arming themselves. How does having a background check prevent the good guys or the hunters from getting guns? It doesn't.

[klingon69]

irishbitch1;
The fear is from experience with this government. Remember the gun-grab fiascos during the 90s with Billary?
How about two guns, same typ[e, make and caliber, one with a custom stock was banned, but one with a factory stock was ok.
We have plenty of gun laws now, but POOR enforcement of them. And rarely (despite this occurance) does the perpetrator(sp) acquire the guns legally. Besides, it's not that hard to develop and construct a firearm, Gangs in New York City used to build "zipguns" during the 50s and 60s, in one of the most anti-gun place in America.

[kansas1946]

I was reading the profiles of the victims, and I saw that one man, a professor, a holocost survivor, used his body as a shield to block the door and give his students time to escape out the windows. He used his body because it was the only weapon that he had. The bad guys are always going to have guns. Maybe it is time to make sure that the good guys do too. Instead of being squeemish about guns, we need to be adamant about our right and responsibility to protect ourselves and others from maniacs and evil-doers.

[realpatriot1]

klingon,

By gun grab do you mean assault rifles? Do you want law abiding citizens or anyone else walking around with them?

To say that rarely do perps acquire the guns legally is simply not true. Gangs in New York don't make zip guns anymore, they drive down 95 to here( Virginia and North Carolina)where they know there aren't background checks and they drive them back to the city and make a nice criminal profit. So has Al Queda to finance their operations.

You're right that we need to better enforce the laws.

[lurch198]

What is an assault rifle?

I suppose in 1775 a brown bess musket would be an assault rifle?

In switzerland virtually everyone makes up the reserve military and is issued an "assault rifle" and ammo and takes it home! They dont have the gun violence that America has. Its not the gun, its the user.

Why not question the system that lets violent offenders out to prey again? 2/3 of inmates in the US are repeat offenders. Why do we the people tolerate this? Cause "...accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

A population armed with rifles cannot be tyranized. A population unarmed is doomed to suffer with no means of righting the wrongs.

[gunownerdan]

Priceless words from a massacre survivor...
"Let me make a point here, in case this isn't becoming
extremely clear. My state has gun control laws.
It did not keep Hennard from coming in and killing everybody!
What it did do, was keep me from protecting my family!"
-- Dr. Suzanne Gratia Hupp, Killeen Texas Luby's massacre survivor

Never forget, Virginia state law says it is legal for those with a concealed-carry permit to take their guns with them on college campuses. Va. Tech lobied and won the "right" to take away the right to bear arms on campus. No student, not even those with a valid gun license are allowed to have guns on campus property. Killers prefer unarmed victims.
a-human-right.com
packing.org

[randalds]

Personally I really don't have a problem with some gun restrictions. Surely nobody needs to have a machine gun and I can even understand registering handguns because the bulk of them have no hunting value. What I and many other s will not tolerate however is registering hunting rifles and shotguns. Americans have a right to own some unregistered weapons to defend themselves from their own government. If all of our weapons are registered then they'll know everyone who has one and where to go to take them away when it reaches that point, as it certainly is doing. We must draw the line somewhere and this is where we do it. The government does not have the right to know who all owns a gun, because eventually they will try to take them away and once that happens then then run us, not the other way around. Once that happens we truly will have no more freedoms.