Giuliani Will "Clarify" Views To NRA

Presidential Hopeful Seeks To Improve Contentious Relationship With Gun Group

(CBS)  This story was written by CBS News' Ryan Corsaro and Michelle Levi.

---

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that he hopes to "clarify” his views on the right to bear arms when he speaks to the National Rifle Association on Friday.

The former New York City mayor is to address the NRA at its “Celebration of American Values” conference in Washington. Other presidential hopefuls on the speaker list include Sen. John McCain, Fred Thompson, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richarson, Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich.

"There are certain agreements and disagreements with every single group," noted Giuliani, talking about the event with reporters in Reston, Va. "When I go before the NRA, I'm going to try to emphasize areas I think in which there is a great deal of agreement. And as I have said many, many times, my 80 percent friend is not my 20 percent enemy."

He says his main focus in Friday's speech will be to emphasize making gun laws a local decision, not a federal one.

The NRA and Giuliani haven’t been close in the past. They butted heads while Giuliani was mayor on topics as diverse as Giuliani’s gun control legislation and the attempted opening of an NRA café in Times Square.

In 1994, the group criticized Giuliani’s significant role in the enactment of major federal anti-crime legislation -- for which Giuliani was thanked by President Bill Clinton -- which made it harder for felons to purchase firearms.

The NRA's chief lobbyist, Chris Cox, said that while members will welcome Giuliani to share his views, his record will not be ignored when it’s time to make their endorsement, which is likely to come after primaries have determined the Republican nominee.

"There's no such thing as a clean slate," Cox told CBS News. "The NRA will certainly weigh in past positions and statements."

Giuliani regularly points to the historic drop in New York City crime while he was mayor and has said the change in gun laws was pivotal to the city's efforts.

Some gun-control advocates say the NRA conference is an opportunity for Giuliani to display leadership.

"We hope he will change the way the NRA thinks about gun laws," says Paul Helmke, the president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Helmke, the former mayor of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, stood just a few feet away from Giuliani when Clinton signed the 1994 crime bill.

"Mayor Giuliani is not an extremist like some in the NRA," Helmke says. "He knows after 9/11, we shouldn't allow people on the terrorism watch list to buy guns -- right now they can do that. This event is the perfect platform for him to show where there should be exceptions."

While Friday’s reception might not be especially warm for Giuliani, political analyst Stuart Rothenberg says it’s better for him to be there than not.

“He’s got to go to traditional Republicans like gun owners,” says Rothenberg. “If he didn’t go, the NRA could see it as dissing them.”

And some gun owners think that despite Giuliani’s past views on guns, he still has a chance to win them over.

"Giuliani has a long, uphill road to convince people -- given his record -- that he is sincere about protecting the 2nd Amendment," says David Kopel, research director of the Independence Institute, a conservative think tank in Colorado and a lifetime member of the NRA. "Not every candidate needs an A, but if Giuliani can work himself to be seen as a B or a B minus, that would be progress for him."

[gunshack1]

This ****** supported a lawsuit against gun manufactures, because criminals used them them to commit crimes. Now he want''s to make nice with the NRA. S*C*R*E*W him.

[ioweign]

"Giuliani has a long, uphill road to convince people -- given his record -- that he is sincere about protecting the 2nd Amendment," says David Kopel, research director of the Independence Institute, a conservative think tank in Colorado and a lifetime member of the NRA. "Not every candidate needs an A, but if Giuliani can work himself to be seen as a B or a B minus, that would be progress for him."

What he means is "Do a Petraeus!"

K I S S A S S !!

[prinzowhales]

For the NRA to even consider Giuliani is testimony to the bankruptcy of that organization which has dropped the ball so many times in defending the Second Amendment rights of Americans.

This pig organization gave an election opponent of Ron Paul a higher legislative rating, counting one of the anti-gun bills it supported and Paul voted against as a point against Paul''s un-blemished pro-Second Amendment record.

Gun Owners of America is the real alternative to the treacherous NRA.

[lawyertom1]

Another gutless Republican pandering to the nuts on the right. Mitt can''t recall his past, and looks like Rudy is going to do the same. Talk about desperate to sell their souls. So, Rudy, you going to have the guts to say no to a) cop killer bullets, b) automatic rifles, c) large caliber weapons? What''s the new theme: An RPG in every pot? Afterall, there is nothing like firepower to kill rodents. Really pathetic.

[mcvet]

I''ve really began to wonder if EVERYONE in the Republican Party is just a Hypocrit. They seem to about as consistent on the Issues as todays political wind and they have the NERVE to be critical of the Democrats who by the nature of the party are as disorganized and different in view as any political party can be. These FASCIST, and folks they ARE fascist because ONLY a fascist could do today what Bush did AFTER he used the deep and bitter divisions between Vietnam Vets... these fascist will do just about ANYTHING to hang on to power. This may well be the worse, most hate filled Election in our history.

[mcvet]

As a veteran of Vietnam, as someone who has actually walked into combat, the dog and pony show I am watching with the War in Iraq just makes me sick. What Bush and Cheney have done to this nation, the depth they have taken us, frankly scares me. If there is one thing you learn and you learn quickly in Combat, it''s that you are NOT super human because you are an American. You learn all to quickly that you are ONLY as strong as that American next to you. When people win like Joe McCarthy did in the 50''s or like the entire Republican Party is winning today, you MUST realize that those who are the target of the hate, those who are the people who are TRULY invisiable to these people are AMERICAN''s and if a REAL war happens, if we are yet again faced with a Nation that DOES have a Navy and an Air Force attack''s this nation, that INVISIABLE person, may have your back in combat. WE are only as strong as we are as a people. Right now, for power, Fascist who believe beyond a doubt that they are Superior and thus the ends justify the means, are no different than those same Fascist who said Black Leaders who wanted to end Jim Crowe were Communist. NO DIFFERENCE PEOPLE!!! Yes McCarthy weekend us and very much so... thus George Bush has weekend us. Sieg Heil Bush.

[walt1944-2009]

Rudy Giuliani intends to clarify his position on "baring arms" with the NRA. Rudy feels that every American has a right to "bare arms" so long as that is all they bare. Otherwise, Americans should dress "conservatively" and definitely not "bare" any body parts below the waist. This obviously means men are not to walk around with their pants down past their hips and women cannot "bare" anything above the ankles.

LONG LIVE REPUBLICAN "MODESTY"!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[kansas1946]

In 1994, the group criticized Giuliani%u2019s significant role in the enactment of major federal anti-crime legislation -- for which Giuliani was thanked by President Bill Clinton -- which made it harder for felons to purchase firearms
**********************************************
I think the NRA does about as much good for the Republican party as MoveOn.org does for the Democratic party. Especially after this last little bit of ugliness about General Petreus. That was dispicible, and no one, and I mean no one, dislikes Bush more than I do, or would like to see the troops out of Iraq yesterday, more than me.

But for the NRA to gripe about it being harder for felons to get guns is ludicrous. There are plenty of laws restricting law-abiding citizens, non-felons, in fact with records clean as a whistle, for getting, owning, and carrying guns.
Lets worry about those laws. I strongly support the 2nd amendment, but I think any reasonable and sane person wouldn''t give a crazed maniac with halucinations a gun.
Under Rudy''s watch, I am not sure about this, but I don''t think you protect yourself with anything in New York. I heard that mace and tazers were illegal. If that is true, then he needs to skip the NRA meeting and go to the meeting of the scaredy-cat''s of America meeting.

[socrates392]

flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop

flip-flop!

[sftodd]

I pray to God he wears his prettiest dress for this political tap dance! Please Rudy, we need more entertainment from your moronic party!!!

[starleo146]

You know this flip flopper is something and someone needs to wipe that smile off his face. We will in Nov.

[cfin5]

His voting record is "clarification" enough. Or is this just a regular "re-clarification" for election propaganda purposes?......(gunowners.org)

[glossypan]

What a great tradition, Republican candidates gathering to swear fealty to the hot button issues. The NRA will give em a big kiss on the lips. But what will happen at the Revival Tent? Will the brethren insist on a little personal morality or will the threat of illegal immigrant Democrats running wild in the streets, shooting dope and forcing women to have abortions, be enough reason for fudamentalists to put their Xes by the R? Stay tuned.

[sgtrds]

He''s going to "clarify" his position on the NRA, just enough to try to get their votes, just like Romney did when he lied that he was a regular hunter. Though that''s not a surprise. I was growing up in Michigan when Romney''s dad was Governor and he was a lying piece of garbage too. I''m a proud gun-owning American, but I hate the NRA too, because they''ve done more to HARM the rights of gun owners with some of their ignorant stands and statements then they''ve helped. If our guns are ever taken away from us (and good luck trying to take mine) then it''ll be because of the lunatics in the NRA, not in spite of them.

[micma-2009]

Watch Giuliani do the the flip flop cha cha!

[homespunlady]

I dare Guliani to go "hunting" With the VP. It might narrow the Republican field a bit.

[samthetvcat]

People are tired of Giuliani talking out of both sides of his mouth - he tried to package himself with that ''morality'' platform against Hillary''s refusal to denounce the moveon.org ad but then didn''t attend the neocon ''values voter'' debate and his support went down 5% in one week. Now he''s trying to tell the NRA that he''s pro-gun even though he''s been a staunch supporter of gun control? Isn''t that kind of insulting to people, like he thinks he can make them believe whatever he wants them to believe and they''re not going to see through all the bs? Not cool . . .

[kansas1946]

I''''m a proud gun-owning American, but I hate the NRA too, because they''''ve done more to HARM the rights of gun owners with some of their ignorant stands and statements then they''''ve helped. If our guns are ever taken away from us (and good luck trying to take mine) then it''''ll be because of the lunatics in the NRA, not in spite of them.
*****************************
Exactly. It is those riduculous,inflamatory statements that lose them credibility. I think every responsible person should have a gun. I have no problem with some restrictions though, if for nothing else, just some safety concerns.
When I was a kid, almost everyone in our town had some sort of gun, shotgun, rifle, hand guns, I don''t remember anyone ever shooting anyone. But not many houses got broken into either.

[bobgee_1999]

I''m a gun owner, too, though I don''t see that it''s anything to "proud" of. Of course most people accuse me of being a "liberal." But I''m neither liberal nor conservative; I''m a thinking individual.

[keithle1]

There are 9 guns for every 10 people in the USA,
with about 270 million firearms in circulation.

(Source: the annual Small Arms Survey by the Graduate
Institute of International Studies in Geneva.)

[gkc99]

Frooty Rudy--flip, flop, flip, flop.

[afmca]

First Giuliani will bend down and kiss the arse of the NRA and say he was misquoted. Maybe he will then pick up a semi-automatic and spray the crowd to show his solidarity. If he had some gonads he would tell them the truth ...

The NRA used to be a great organization .. supporting the hunter, sport, etc. They saw the demographics showing hunting was declining and decided the only way to remain viable was to become the front organization for the gun manufacturers of the world. The U.S. is the only non-third world country without restrictive gun laws. They needed to keep the profit spigot open and American law makers are the easiest to bribe. Now no gun law, no matter how sensible, is fought. The NRA fronts for an arms industry that freely puts guns on inter-city streets that kill police and innocent citizens so fear sends suburbia to gun shops for the expensive stuff. I have no issue with appropriate guns for hunting, sport, and self-protection, but through the NRA sensible left the arena long ago.

[briannorwood]

When Giuliani uses the word "clarify", you can simply substitute it with "flip-flop" and get the same meaning.

His explanation will probably go something like this...

"I used to be against guns. But when the terrorist''s struck us on 9/11, I realized how important it is for every American to carry a fully automatic machine gun. And under my administration, I will provide tax cuts to help lower income americans purchase their very own M16."

[perception5]

Did everyone notice how CBS (Censoring Broadcasting Station) shut down the "comments" section on their website the other day until they cycled through the story about Dan Rather suing them?

How do you liberals like America%u2019s "free left-wing press" now?

Does it feel like Germany 1938 to anyone else?

[gunownerdan]

"Tyrants from Hitler to Mao to Stalin have sought to disarm their own citizens, for the simple reason that unarmed people are easier to control. Our Founders, having just expelled the British army, knew that the right to bear arms serves as the guardian of every other right. This is the principle so often ignored by both sides in the gun control debate. Only armed citizens can resist tyrannical government."
-- Congressman Ron Paul, June 26, 2006

"To disarm the people is the most effective way to enslave them."
- George Mason

"The principle of self-defense, even involving weapons and bloodshed, has never been condemned, even by Gandhi..."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr

a-human-right.com

[micma-2009]

FLIP FLOP FLIP FLOP FLIP FLOP!!!!

[japetallar]

Let me clarify why the NRA sided no to the bill the senator from New Jersey tried to pass in the senatet that no person under the terrorist watch list can buy a gun. The mainstream liberal media has not told you the whole story. The NRA and people like myself would of course hate the idea that a terrorist can just buy a gun in America but the problem is the list. This is the same terrorist watch list that has put a lot of people in a group whose freedom of travel have been affected because they can''t board planes either. And it is not easy to be removed on this list either unless you are influential like Ted Kennedy. It one thing to have one''s civil rights violated by restricting one''s freedom of movement, it''s another to compound the same mistake with another by violating another one of one''s right to keep and bear arms because he is on a defective list created by someone who has no regard for due process. The liberal media was the first to cry foul when innocent people were added to the list but said the opposite when the same people are going to be subjected to the same discrimination over their 2nd amendment right.

Fix the list. I am sure there are bad people in the list but not all of them. The NRA is just standing out for our civil rights unlike the liberals who just pick and choose the rights which apply to them.

[DocHunter]

The NRA did not oppose any bill which only "made it harder for felons to purchase guns." The bill(s) in question had serious flaws which made purchase and ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens more difficult and clearly "infringed" on their rights. The media likes to portray such events in a way to demonize the NRA. The NRA is truly the most effective CIVIL RIGHTS organization in America and has consistently supported ENFORCEMENT of the thousands of gun laws regarding criminal possession and use of firearms while protecting the rights of the law-abiding citizen to have the means of self-defense. The NRA is also the largest and most effective group in the nation in regard to gun safety education and firearm training.
Giuliani cannot get away with his suggestion that gun laws should be determined locally. An American citizen does not and must not lose his rights depending on where in the nation he happens to live or visit. Giuliani is guilty of abusing the rights of citizens in New York City by enforcing extreme restrictions on firearm ownership and use and he did an extreme disservice to our nation by being party to lawsuits against legitimate firearm manufacturers and dealers for the criminal misuse of their products. If continued, such lawsuits would effectively put every firearm manufacturer and dealer in America out of business in spite of making and selling a legal product under the most extreme regulation imposed on any industry or business in America.

[DocHunter]

The NRA did not oppose any bill which only "made it harder for felons to purchase guns." The bill(s) in question had serious flaws which made purchase and ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens more difficult and clearly "infringed" on their rights. The media likes to portray such events in a way to demonize the NRA. The NRA is truly the most effective CIVIL RIGHTS organization in America and has consistently supported ENFORCEMENT of the thousands of gun laws regarding criminal possession and use of firearms while protecting the rights of the law-abiding citizen to have the means of self-defense. The NRA is also the largest and most effective group in the nation in regard to gun safety education and firearm training.
Giuliani cannot get away with his suggestion that gun laws should be determined locally. An American citizen does not and must not lose his rights depending on where in the nation he happens to live or visit. Giuliani is guilty of abusing the rights of citizens in New York City by enforcing extreme restrictions on firearm ownership and use and he did an extreme disservice to our nation by being party to lawsuits against legitimate firearm manufacturers and dealers for the criminal misuse of their products. If continued, such lawsuits would effectively put every firearm manufacturer and dealer in America out of business in spite of making and selling a legal product under the most extreme regulation imposed on any industry or business in America.

[ablesch]

gunownerdan --

You''re dead wrong.. Hitler and Mao armed their citizens plenty well. Think about it man: World War ? Two ?

[ablesch]

gunownerdan --

Oh yeah and Mao in the Chinese ? Civil War ?

[ablesch]

gunownerdan --

And don''t even get me started on Stalin .. The fact is tyrants usually arm their citizenry ..

[wellreasoned]

Guns kill people like the delete button deletes data. Neither of those are true. It takes a person acting on the delete button to delete data. Having the delete button is very beneficial, and it is only when the idiot behind the delete button uses it unwisely that harm comes.

Sorry to confuse your thought process with logic.

[trwalsh22152]

Rudy will be listened to politely, as all candidates are when they are invited to speak before the NRA, but he will be viewed with a very skeptical eye and ear. Yesterday''s actions speak louder than today''s words. Gun owners of both parties have been flat out lied to for decades by most politicians. If Rudy is going to say that local jurisdictions should be in charge of deciding gun policy, as the story suggests, then he will be dismissed as a candidate as soon as he leaves the room. Local ordinances made by idiots who don''t understand or respect freedom is the reason why gun owners are legal in some places, but a felon just down the road. States, not Congress or cities should decide their own gun laws based on a SCOTUS affirmation of the 2nd Amendment as a civil right, which will be coming shortly. You nazi libs better prepare yourselves, because despite your best socialist efforts, FREEDOM will soon prevail once again.

[sprvtr1]

You ppl kill me....he hasn''t even spoken yet and you''re aleady salavating that he''s going to flip flop. I hope he doesn''t....it''s about time a politician stands for his/her beliefs regardless of the endorsement it may lose. If I''m right and he stands his ground, I''ll be back later for an apology.

[sprvtr1]

gkc99-so let''s assume you''re right and the forged documents were planted by some neoconscum....Dan was "rather" stupid to have run with the story without verifying the info wasn''t he? Oh yea....Bush brought down the twin towers too I suppose???

[trwalsh22152]

I thought you liberals were all about choice? You don''t want to give me a choice on where to send my kids to school. And you certainly don''t want to give me a choice to own a firearm to protect myself and my family. What is it with you people? Firearms certainly aren''t for everyone, but neither is having kids or driving a car. Do my background check, and then BUTT OUT !!! As long as someone is not prohibited from owning a gun (i.e. felon, mental health history, illegal alien, etc...) it''s none of your *** business if I own a firearm. Lock me away for life if I commit a crime with it, but until then, don''t give me this public safety garbage. You libs simply can''t choose not be a part of something and then let it be. If it''s something you don''t like, you have to try to make it illegal. Look in the mirror the next time you call someone a fascist!

[jsmithcsa]

I''d be interested to hear his interpretation of "the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed". He''s too liberal to get my vote.

[micma-2009]

FLIP FLOP!

[dicesm]

ablesch -

Check your facts, Hitler and Mao armed para-military organizations, took control of a country and then turned the army against the people!

[sftodd]

Why is it that all of you lovers of the Second Amendment have no respect at all for the First Amendment? Giulliani trashed the First Amendment when he was Mayor by cutting funding to museums that had artwork he objected to. Funny how you "brave" souls quake in your boots when it comes to different ideas. Could it be that gun-lovers are just not very bright people? Hmm, I wonder . . .

[jmegill1]

Giuliani had NYC sue the gun industry. Here is the video from the press conference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5DxwzEXHQ

Giuliani defends the lawsuit against the gun industry on his radio program. The gun industry was "overproducing guns". Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhe38wJ86Do

[davehunt75]

"gunownerdan --

And don''''t even get me started on Stalin .. The fact is tyrants usually arm their citizenry .. "

You need to go back and read some history books. No despot ever arms the citizenry, they only arm their followers.

[emj1962]

Why do anti-gun people lie about supporters of the 2nd Amendment? They say we don''t support the 1st Amendment out of pure ignorance. My latest NRA magazine has a front page article how anti-gun people want to shut down our right to free speech by using the "Fairness Doctrine" to eliminate the voices on the right.
Modern Liberalism is a new form of fascism; they lie, smear and attack anyone who gets in their way. Why don''t they support free speech of their opponents? I say let the liberals say anything they want, and let smart people make their own choice of who is REALLY anti-freedom.

[travis6987]

If guns kill people a spoon made Michael Moore Fat!

[cepe10-2009]

NRA - making it easier for insane people and convicted violent felons to obtain guns - now if they can just endorse a position that their inbredd and low IQ members use their guns on their own dieficient brain matter they will be an even better organization.

and for the hunters out there I highly recommend the FGM-Javelin as your next purchase (easily available in Texas, Virginia and other great states). With this fire and forget piece of pure firepower your odds increase dramatically...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FGM-148_Javelin

[socrates392]

flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop!

flippity, floppity, flippity, floppity. Disgusting.

[guysdigdirt]

Why is it that all of you lovers of the Second Amendment have no respect at all for the First Amendment? Giulliani trashed the First Amendment when he was Mayor by cutting funding to museums that had artwork he objected to. Funny how you "brave" souls quake in your boots when it comes to different ideas. Could it be that gun-lovers are just not very bright people? Hmm, I wonder . . .
-----------------------------------
Posted by SFTodd

No, you simple uninformed believer in stupidity.

If you do your homework you will find that the NRA has financed and fought many court cases to get back the 1st amendment rights that have been taken by the democrats Shumer, Feinstein and Clinton. It used to be that you would be a criminal if you made your opinion known about a person running for office if done within 90 days of an election. This was fought in large part by the NRA and reversed only recently. You did not know that becasue you only pay attention to the biased media. So get offf your sofa and get a grip on realilty.

[guysdigdirt]

It is interesting all the anti gun people out there. Why are you so? Why do you think we should not have guns? If guns are outlawed, the outlaws will still have guns, do you think they will be happy no one else has guns, or glad?

Clinton, the female one, said if she could get the votes she would make all guns illegal, well all the guns except those guns owned by the people who protect her and the other privledged people. Why should she get more protection than you or I?

[blancadebree]

If the cross-dressing, abortion-loving, gay-kissing, gun-hating, tree-hugging, flip-flopping was not bad enough, now Rudy interrupts a speech to the most important political group in the history of mankind to take a phone from his wife. If he was trying to impress the crows that he believes in family values, Hizzoner should have taken calls from all three of his wives.