NRA Press Conference Today
Via TPM:
The National Rifle Association is scheduled to hold a press conference Friday at 10:45 a.m. ET at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre is also scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning.
My prediction: The NRA will blame video games, Hollywood and probably mental illness. If they do bring up the mental illness card, my bet is that they tie it into video games and Hollywood. I’m also betting that guns won’t factor into their blame game. I’d like to be wrong, but… I doubt it. Bonus points if they go down the path of saying, “Now is not the time to discuss guns and politicize this tragedy.” That would be amazing, and I would hope they wouldn’t be this stupid, but…
UPDATE: There was just an amazing exchange on Morning Joe. I had it on as I typed this post, so I wasn’t paying attention. I’ll post the video when it’s available. Basically, a Republican Congressman (Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)) – after blaming video games (Told ya! There’s the talking point!) – accused Joe Scarborough of politicizing the Newtown massacre by mentioning gun control. Joe was outraged and fired back that, if that were true, then the Congressman politicized it by mentioning video games. The Congressman, of course, disagreed and then questioned Joe on how many children he had. OMG! The entire Morning Joe team was stunned. Hell, I was stunned.
Interestingly, once the Congressman left the Morning Joe crew linked his bad, non-negotiable behavior to Republicans in Congress – saying, how can anyone work with that? Oh my.
Here’s the video. I just watched it again and I’m thinking we’ve just seen what to expect from the NRA Press Conference.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=K1205PjQeHA#!
And here’s part of the transcript:
SCARBOROUGH: To push a political agenda?
HUELSKAMP: Oh, absolutely. This president and his folks are using this to push –
SCARBOROUGH: Let’s talk about September 11th, Congressman. Were there some changes made in this country because of the tragedy of September 11th? Was that just using a tragedy, 3,000 deaths, to try to make americans safer? Do you dare come on my show and say I am using the slaughter of 20 little 6 and 7-year-old children, I’m using that for political purposes, Tim?
HUELSKAMP: Joe, how many children do you have?
SCARBOROUGH: I’ve got four children, Tim. Answer my question.
HUELSKAMP: So do I. And I refuse to let you say that because you have children, or anybody else, that we need to actually politicize this. But I see folks in Washington — I don’t know about you. I don’t watch your show. You’re trying to politicize this.
SCARBOROUGH: Tim, I’m not going to let you say that I am, quote, politicizing the slaughter of 20 children. But you said anybody talking about this…. So we can’t at least talk about guns without you questioning my integrity and saying that I’m using the death of 20 children to try to make life for my children a little bit safer? We can’t even talk about it without you coming on this show and insulting me personally?
It actually gets better after this exchange, because that’s where Huelskamp goes after Joe’s parenting bona fides.
Tags: gun control, guns, Morning Joe
It’s nice to see Joe showing flashes of sanity.
Incredible! These tea baggers are steering right into the ditch. This you tube video says it all. If these are the morons Boehner has in his caucus, then no wonder his ‘Plan B’ failed. Scorched earth here we come. Unbelievable!
Te NRA will make their Mayan apocalypse defense, it’s everybody else! Actually I suspect they have a bunker defense where they will hunker down and fight a holding action. They are well aware that they are on the ropes.
Incredible ! I am a Canadian and we have very strict gun laws here and our children watch video games all the time and our Children are not going around shooting one and other !
I wonder how that this Congressman would feel if it was one of his kids that were killed …would he change his tune then !
Canadian Chris, the congressman would launch into a tirade about your “awful” government death-panel commie health care (his likely words, not mine) and never answer your question. 🙂
I seriously doubt the NRA will come out “guns blazing” for the status quo. They will claim that guns “keep us free” and they will never acknowledgment that high capacity clips, explosive rounds and military style assault weapons are not covered under the 2nd amendment. But there will be some change in tone.
The NRA is very wealthy, so they have very well paid PR people who will know how to soften the message.
This is such a tragic event I can’t wrap my head around how someone would do this. Please though stop and think, if there are no guns, do you think the slaughter will stop?!? Don’t kid yourselves folks. The 2nd amendment is there for a reason. To give us matched firepower against tyrannical gov’t. Look at the last 5 years in china. School massacres….not with guns…with knives…because guns are not allowed. Are we really that naive? Wake up guys and gals. Fast and the furious…why are docs sealed? Benghazi? Our govt is responsible for more deaths. Do your research guys. I don’t trust a govt that hides things like this after creating the situations. Needless deaths. Guns are not the problem. People are. And if guns were gone, try will use other things, knives, bombs, etc. We need families to make the difficult decision of hospitalizing children that they know are at risk of this kind of behavior a f Geri g them the help they need. We need to make sure bullies are dealt with I schools that make these kids retaliate like this. Lets take responsibility for our own. I am not a fan of using the deaths of children or anyone at the hand of psychopaths to argue either side. It is being used to push an agenda. Period. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2012/12/thirteen-years-ago-a-columbine-victims-father-speaks-out-.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fdlacomb%2Fillinoisreview+(illinoisreview)
“The 2nd amendment is there for a reason. To give us matched firepower against tyrannical gov’t”
You are not a serious person. Sorry to tell you that, because you seem sincere.
CA is the person who scares me the most, generally sane, generally rational TOTALLY co-opted by the bat shit crazy Gunzos
It is sad to see such a biased view forced on people. This article is obviously written by a narrow minded individual that would like nothing more than see this country turn to a society of sheep that blindly fall into a faithless society of liberal idiots. It is rather ironic for “liberals” to claim that accept all views (unless you disagree with them). It saddens me to know that people are so ignorant to read this junk.
Yes. The poor downtrodden gun nuts. They are just like you and me, except crazy and well armed. Who will speak up for them?!?
all i hear when these people talk is “I need as many guns as a i can in case i ever have to slaughter my fellow Americans who side against me in the second civil war” (not the Steve Newtons…. but the “i have mah gun in case the gumment!!!!” people)
haha right, jason. They have NOTHING to defend themselves with.
NRA guy: Government tyranny is when my deeply unpopular views fail at the ballot box.
This debate will never come to a fair conclusion.
A) no one has the right to tell me how I can protect what is mine.
B) as far as gun control… no no one needs a 30 round clip… (tape two ten rounders together)
C) Unless a criminal kicks in the door of an anti-gun fanatic’s home.. the invader(s) armed.. the children killed, wife raped, etc… and no way to defend themselves other then to call the police.. which should get there just about the same time the last person in the house hold is murdered… will they understand that protection, yes, with a gun is needed.
And when this country.. as young as we are, hits another revolution..(and we will) and the government, law agencies, radical groups, outlaws etc… invade your home… Who are the anti- gun people going to call… WHO?
criminals dont care about laws. They will continue to kill anyway. Do you really want to live in a country where only criminals and the government have guns? how dumb and naive can you be? the only people gun laws will affect are the law abiding.
@CA
“The 2nd amendment is there for a reason. To give us matched firepower against tyrannical gov’t”
Let me know how you matched firepower with a Pedator drone armed with two Hellfire missiles teleoperated out of Nevada. That’s the most nonsensical thing I have ever heard! Once upon a time when the world only had muskets, you might have asserted that without looking foolish, but today? You trying to convince me you can stand up to armed drones or a Seal Team?
Your defense against a tyrannical government is the force of law; not the force of arms because if you are depending on force of arms you lose.
Hope the AWB is worth the Senate in 2014, ill be switching my ticket whatever candidate supports the constitution.
The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of it’s own. Natuarally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of riteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.
We should also face the sober reality that government cannot protect us from all possible harm. No matter how many laws we pass, no matter how many police or federal agents we put on the streets, no matter how routinely we monitor internet communications, a determined individual or group can still cause great harm. We as individuals are responsible for our safety and the safety of our families.
Dave, Well put. As usual, the comments from gun nuts are as boring and predictable as they are nonsensical.
Methamphetamine has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own.
frankly jason the comments from bleeding heart liberals are both boring and predictable. you cant hold hands and sing to be safe from criminals. all you are is a easy target for them.
And here they are… the gun owners that have no business owning guns because they’re delusional and paranoid – tyrannical government, criminals coming to get them, and all that chest thumping around the words “me and mine.”
Do these new commenters just search for NRA posts, or does the NRA put out a memo instructing their minions where to go?
NRA speaking now: Shame the incident is politicized, good thing we (NRA) is responsible.
NRA Truth: “Gun free school zones = tells every insane killer to go there. We need armed guards, like banks, stadiums, court houses, and, hey, Obama has secret service. Yet we do not protect our children – we leave them defenseless. That Must Change Now.”
“Our society is filled with deranged monsters.”
Oh my.
Oh, and now he’s saying it’s the media’s fault.
Dirty little truth: there exists a corrupt industry that sells violence to their own people. They are video game makers.
Told ya so!
Pandora, the next time someone says we need armed guards, point out that Columbine had an armed police officer inside the school when the shooting started.
Dirty little truth: there exists a corrupt industry that sells violence to their own people. They are video game makers.
Told ya so!
And add another hurricane or natural disaster and… what? More shootings? He keeps leading with this statement.
How despicable this guy is. Fantasizing about killing people is how the NRAs handlers sell their products.
I am a Deputy Sheriff who has experience as a school resource officer, am an active tactical team member and handle photo evidence for my department. I work a 1400 sq mile county where it could take me better than 35 mins with lights and sirens to arrive on scene for an emergency call. I know from my experience that the vast majority of crimes have already been committed before my arrival. So believe me when I tell you that you can not always place your bet on the cops showing up to save the day. I support civilians being responsible gun owners and using their right to defend their life and family.
Those who rely on police are in for a suprise because the majority of officers who are armed in my department are not gun people, are poor shots and do not practice to the extent that the public deserves. Sadly, I would not want some of those officers to back me up but would rather have a well self trained civilian by my side.
More than half of our residents are armed but gun crimes in my county are miniscule. We have plenty of physical assaults, use of dangerous instruments such as blunt objects and knives. I have a higher probability of being killed by a firarm than most other civilians but I support the ability of good, law abiding citizens owning firearms, including AR15s, mini-14s or ak47s. These weapons do not scare me….criminals with ill intent is who I focus on. Support the 2nd Amendment for what it is intended….defending life and freedom from enemies foreign and domestic.
Have a nice day and a merry christmas
“A source at the NRA tells Fox News, based on his access to an internal memo prepared by the organization’s membership division, that since the Newtown massacre, the organization has registered an average of 8,000 new members a day.”
Can anyone possibly explain how someone, upon hearing of the tragedy in Newtown, thinks that the most important thing (besides buying more guns and ammo) is to run out and join the NRA? Is it a sickness?
@DaveUSMC, who said “…”they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.”
They sure can and with an AR-15 you can correct a whole bunch of them at once, as soon as you figure out how to round them up in one place. In the meantime, those corrective AR-15s sure haven’t managed to correct very many of those who use firearms for evil purposes. In fact, I’m going to guess that AR-15s have corrected more good men, women, and children than evil people. What do you think?
You liberals are such pussys. Use little kids to try to get guns banned. Not gonna work. Nice try.
“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good”
— George Washington
This NRA statement is beyond disturbing. Guns in schools! What could possibly go wrong?
I have heard from multiple friends that there is a movement afoot to join the NRA by those mostly opposed so they can effect inside-out change. A coup d’etat in the making?
Who the hell will pay for all this armed security in all schools? Republicans voting for a tax increase?
Observation 1: Follow the link on “NY Deputy’s” name and you will end up on a phishing/scam website.
Observation 2: “Support the 2nd Amendment for what it is intended….defending life and freedom from enemies foreign and domestic.” Folks on both sides of this argument need to take a much closer look at what–in historical context–the 2nd Amendment was and was not intended for, and how it has been modified by both the 14th Amendment and the Supreme Court.
http://delawarelibertarian.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-does-2nd-amendment-mean.html
I note that he claims the government is not the solution then calls for more police and government employees.
What a completely despicable man.
The nra speaking today is a disgusting example of your ploy.
Why don’t YOU say a prayer of forgiveness.
Today, the NRA truly jumped the shark. What a terrible outfit.
Going to run it as all volunteers? Really?
They really do believe in the originalist 2nd Amendment
I dont know what phishing scam there is attached, i know i didn’t attach anything…….just dont click on the thing then if it will be a problem…..
again, merry christmas
The NRA may have just written their own obituary. Dear God, they are tone deaf. Why didn’t they just scold the Newtown parents? Sure came across that way.
Quit giving money to drug addicts on welfare and food stamps. Then give the money to hire armed security guards.
Elephant is probably armed. Everybody feel better?
horrible transcript here: http://home.nra.org/pdf/Transcript_PDF.pdf
Wow, gun nuts are nuts!
Hopefully the Mayan end of the world scenario applies to the NRA.
OH Dear Lord. I fear for the family friends and neighbors of ‘elephant’.
Via twitter (which is exploding, btw)
I’ve got to agree the Second Amendment was initially not only about hunting, but also about self-protection, and about parity with government arms as a check on government.
BUT, I think the logic behind that breaks down with the increased lethality of the weapons, including auto/semi-auto weapons. So I definitely support a ban on those.
The wingnut fantasy is to hunt down liberal milquetoast bureaucrats like scared rabbits, in gray flannel suits and eyeglasses and clutching their briefcases. Or to herd a bunch of Congressmen into a group at gunpoint and force them to sign some wingut Magna Carta. Not bloody likely – they’ll be up against cops and SWAT, and if they do any serious damage, the National Guard.
However, I do think the concept of civilian guns being a check on government still is effective today, even without automatic weapons. Remember during the vicious recession and farm foreclosure crisis in the early 1980s, several bankers and local law enforcement were run off the land or even shot or killed when they tried to foreclose on desperate farmers, who often killed themselves as well. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but it seems like after a few of these deaths, the bankers got in in their heads to ease interest rates, and Congress passed a relief package.
Or, just google for police “wrong house”. Not that I’m wishing for it, but it’s only a matter of time before one of these botched raids is successfully repelled by a legally armed family, with the illegally-entering police getting the worst of it. Then maybe we will see some badly needed warrant reform.
I just now turned on the news conference so I guess I missed it. Caught one thing scrolling across the bottom. Something about the Secret Service protecting the president. Were they comparing it to our children or something? Are we supposed to send them to school with guns, bullet proof vests, or with their own Secret Service people? You know, if we love them and all.
I’m sure the children of Newtown are gratified to know that they laid down their lives so that gun nuts like DaveUSMC and elephant can feel safe from their imaginary bogeymen.
No price is too high to pay to keep imaginary bogeymen at bay.
@sb “they’ll be up against cops and SWAT, and if they do any serious damage, the National Guard.”
Don’t think you are on as firm ground here as you believe. Ever take a serious look at the gun views of officers on SWAT teams, or of the National Guardsmen who would be called up for riot control?
Many of them think the NRA is a bit too weak kneed.
(and pandora I am not talking beat cops or detectives, here, but SWAT teams are a pretty different world)
Pencadermom, they are saying that the President has secret service so our kids should have armed security guards at their schools.
” Ever take a serious look at the gun views of officers on SWAT teams, or of the National Guardsmen who would be called up for riot control?”
I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t want to be up against semi-automatic fire. Too lazy to check right now but aren’t most forms of gun control supported by LE organizations?
Any way LE doesn’t have to worry about laws; they are always exempt.
that was puck…… but i agree with him. The ones making you look bad, steve, have a twisted hero complex that they will be able to take down Hitler2 with their own personal gun while their wife stays home and has babies.
But they aren’t making Steve look bad. There’s a difference between Steve and elephant, and it’s important that we draw that distinction.
Thanks Pandora. Most high schools do anyway don’t they? Someone said some Delaware schools are on lockdown right now. I just called one of my kids schools to check. They had extra security today but no lockdown.
“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,”
How do people this simple minded even function in the world?
pandora, i know there is a difference… but I feel in the NRA and the GOP, Elephant’s views are more represented than Steve’s. that is the main problem.
sb sorry thought that was you, never mind.
puck, my point is that it is going to be more difficult than you think in a large-scale confiscation situation to depend on (I hate to say it this way) the political reliability of SWAT or National Guard.
The last time I remember the NG being called out in Virginia for real “civil disobedience” duty, they had a 30% no-show percentage. That was not due to the inconvenience of people’s jobs. Think about it for a minute–where do people go who want to get to use and be trained on a lot of weapons that they cannot afford or otherwise would not be allowed to own? That’s right.
The NRA advocates for more guns. I’m shocked.
The NRA blames the Newtown, and other shootings, on everything but guns.
Still not getting the blaming of hurricanes.
sb–for reference: I belong neither to the NRA nor the GOP, and before anybody does the “libertarian” thing, think about this: Libertarians are totally cool with any business or private property owner deciding to refusing to do business with people who come to them armed.
Many Libertarians (including the spokespeople at the national LP) believe fervently in the “armed teacher” model, but if you read carefully the LP’s own press release did not say that the government did not have the power to declare schools or court houses off limits to civilians with guns.
Where libertarians would have a genuine disagreement regards the issue of open carry in public areas, but that’s a smaller area of disagreement than many of you might believe.
Steve, could you elaborate more on your “arm the teachers” idea? You know a lot of people are killed with their own guns, so do we give them physical combat training to prevent this? when are they allowed to shoot a student? who will pay for this?
also i say NRA and GOP, because they are setting the rules and dominating this policy and debate. If more level headed people were in those groups, maybe we would have a better over situation. sadly, it is all nuts like Elephant
Jason, name one bad guy killing people that was stopped with a pen.
sb it is NOT my idea; the national LP put out a press release on allowing principals and teachers to be armed. I did not say I agreed with it (in point of fact I think there are all sorts of better ways to use technology to defend our children much more effectively than with guns; that’s another discussion).
The GOP and NRA are only getting away with setting the rules of this conversation because (and I say this with the greatest love and respect) most of the people on the other side sound equally idiotic when they start talking about firearms because they talk primarily about their fears, and they don’t know a thing about the firearms they are discussing. Example: bazillions of people are running with the line that “military assault weapons” like the Bushmaster AR-15 have no legitimate civilian use. This is horseshit. The AR-15 is one of the five most widely used weapons for small-game hunting in the country, and more are sold customized for hunting or small caliber target shooting than anything else. So when you talk that way you lose credibility with real hunters and target shooters. Just sayin.
“name one bad guy killing people that was stopped with a pen.”
Statistically a LOT of people have been saved by the pen that signed our current gun control laws. And others have been killed by the pen that repealed some of them.
This article from the Guardian US makes a point about gun culture that I’ve never seen before:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/21/guns-conservative-philosophy-tragedy
Also, millions of people have been saved by the pen with peace treaties and national constitutions.
The Presser was a death rattle….. IF people don’t let up!
Thanks for that link Michelle. “people (other than me) are fundamentally bad and our time on Earth is in preparation for the afterlife, so why worry about making it better?”
Very true. You can feel the hopeless despair and pessimism in every gun nut comment here.
There was an armed guard at Columbine.
Interesting thought posted by my friend (a high school teacher).
“I have my reservations on gun control, but armed volunteers in our schools is just screaming for another Trayvon Martin case.”
Also ironic is that the gun nuts are always afraid of the tyranical gov’t but they want an armed gov’t official at every elementary school in the country. It’s as surreal as a David Lynch film.
“They” are already denying that, Dorian. Unbelievable.
Exactly, Dorian. The NRA promoted a LOT of big government today.
“they want an armed gov’t official at every elementary school in the country”
More membership.
Armed guards at every school? I’d want them to undergo a rigorous, yearly psychological evaluation, criminal and financial background checks, and weekly drug testing. Then I’d still say “no”.
I think there is a basic (perhaps intentional on some parts) misunderstanding of what a “gun-free” school zone is supposed to accomplish. It is NOT to stop a homicidal maniac because he will look at the sign and mumble to himself, “Ah, damn, I have to go somewhere else.”
It is designed to deter the people who are not Adam Lanza, Eric Harris, or Dylan Kliebold from bringing a weapon into a school–whether student, parent, teacher, vendor, whatever–because they can be prosecuted for it. This sounds lame in the face of the CT tragedy, but think of it like locking your car doors. You will not deter a professional auto thief who can get into your car in under ten second locked or not. But you will deter the opportunistic teenager who would open the door if it was unlocked but doesn’t want to draw attention to himself by smashing the window. And having the car door locked makes it officially breaking and entering.
Statistically, given that there are about 99,000 public schools in the US (2010 figure), my observation is that even if only 1 in 1,000 guns within a school were to be misused, stolen, or fired inaccurately in a given year, that would end up in nearly 100 casualties, and arguably enough deaths to match the CT shooting.
The issue is not whether we should have gun-free schools (which, statistically, work quite well for the purpose intended), and not whether teachers or security guards should be armed. The issue is why aren’t we have serious discussions about the kinds of technology that can be used to further deter fanatic shooters or–failing that–make it as difficult as possible for them to kill lots of people before the police arrive. The really sad irony is that there a lot of research done for Homeland Security back in 2002-2005 about how to do just that in public buildings that is currently sitting unused and unexamined in computer files (I know: I worked on some of that stuff myself).
It is important to understand the problem we need to solve and that whatever measures are understaken are necessary, sufficient, and prudent. But just as important is that given our short attention span, the energy to take appropriate action must be sustained visually and vocally. If by January 1, the loud voices being heard today have gone quiet because we have other things on our plates, the opportunity will have passed and those who believe that more guns are the answer will have achieved their goal, at least until the next Newtown.
Breaking: Four killed in Altoona if confirmed. One crazy, one victim and two state troopers. Btw Those troopers had guns. If the crazy hadn’t, there would be 4 people alive who right now,…aren’t.
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/567048.html
looks like we’ll be collecting all the guns now…