Obama Goes After Gun Owners In New Ad

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. National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund ads began airing today Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota and Michigan. They were already airing in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Colorado.

"The media spots feature a variety of people from all walks of life, including war veterans, hunters, families and former law enforcement officers criticizing the many anti-gun and anti-hunter votes cast by Obama as a state and as a U.S. Senator," the organization said in a press release.

Watch one spot below.