McCain reiterates willingness to consider assault weapons ban

By Chad D. Baus

From signing onto an amicus brief in support of the individual right to own firearms to attending the NRA Annual Meetings, Republican presidential nominee John McCain is doing everything he can to help America's gun owners forget his past decade of work opposing gun rights.

He glosses over McCain-Feingold campaign finance "reform" legislation, once referred to by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre as "the dirtiest, stinkingest assault on freedom I've ever seen" by saying "I can assure you that my motivation in this effort was directed at these out-of-control amounts of 'soft money' that seeped into federal campaigns — not a desire to restrict the ability of gun owners or any other group of citizens from making their voices heard in the legislative process." (as though being an unintended consequence somehow makes the loss of our free-speech rights any less of an issue).

He glosses over McCain-Leiberman legislation aimed at closing the non-existent gun show "loophole" by saying "I also oppose efforts to require federal regulation of all private sales such as a transfer between a father and son or husband and wife." (yes, this is code-speak for 'I still support efforts that would end private sale of guns at guns shows and likely lead to the end of gun shows altogether').

And now, even as he attempted to gloss over prior statements that he could support an assault weapons ban, depending on the details, he has repeated his belief that there may be a way an assault weapons ban could be drawn that could win his support!

From an Outdoor Life magazine:

OL: The Assault Weapons Ban-- you voted against it. But you also said you might be open to voting for an assault weapons ban, depending on the details. Do you know any details that would support that argument?

McCain: No, because a lot of these are weapons that people use for sport, for practice and for enjoyment- outdoor enjoyment. So no, I don't see a scenario where that would be the case. I'm sure maybe we could draw one. But the danger of an assault weapons ban spilling into weapons that people would use for everyday hunting is, I think, the challenge.

"No, I don't see a scenario where [I could support an assault weapons ban]" but "I'm sure maybe we could draw one."

Glad we cleared that one up.

Chad Baus is a Member of the Fulton County, OH Republican Central Committee and the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.