Politics

Dole Takes Shot At Gun Lobby

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

May 3, 1999 / 12:47 AM EDT / CBS

At a gathering of Republican presidential hopefuls Sunday night, former American Red Cross president Elizabeth Dole took a slap at the powerful gun lobby and called for new gun laws in light of the tragedy at Columbine High School, reports CBS News Producer Mary Hager.

With the New Hampshire primary still nine months away, eight of the 11 candidates who have announced their interest in running for president in 2000 addressed a receptive crowd of more than 1,200 of their own party faithful in Manchester, N.H.

The recent events in Littleton, Colo. and the Balkans dominated the speeches at the First in the Nation fundraiser for the state party.

With the notable absence of Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who leads the pack in recent state and national polls, Dole said that the next president must get tough on crime, "no matter what the special interests say." She called for child safety locks on handguns, full funding for computerized instant background checks on potential gun purchasers, and a continuation of the ban on assault weapons.

"I don't think you need an AK-47 to defend your family," Dole added, receiving a smattering of polite applause.

In addition to Bush, two other likely candidates failed to attend: Arizona Sen. John McCain and TV commentator Pat Buchanan. McCain was celebrating his son's 13th birthday, and Buchanan was campaigning in Arizona. As for Bush, he has refused to campaign outside his state until the legislative session ends later this spring.

Many activists who attended the kickoff questioned or criticized Bush's decision to pass up the event. But most predicted it would not change his front-runner status.

For the rest of field, the gathering offered a chance to shine outside Bush's shadow. Their goal is to emerge as alternative pick should Bush falter.

Dole's was the boldest attempt at creating news and drawing attention to her campaign. Wearing a clip-on microphone, she stood several feet from the podium, spinning on her high heels to address the crowd that surrounded her.

Dole's remarks seemed designed to bolster her standing as the No. 2 Republican candidate in national polls; restrictions on the availability of guns are popular among independent and moderate voters, especially women.

The gun debate has heated up in the wake of the Colorado school shootings, a tragedy mentioned by several of the GOP hopefuls. Gun control is a prickly issue for Republican candidates because conservative voters tend to oppose it, particularly in an independent-minded state like New Hampshire, and the National Rifle Association is a powerful lobby.