Cain flunks the gun rights test.
Although Cain says he supports the Second Amendment, in the next breath he says he fully supports any and all state gun control/prohibitions.
That is like supporting federal rights for women and blacks, but allowing women and blacks to be slaves if the state laws permit them to be slaves.
I will not support any candidate who allows, and favors, individual states to outlaw guns, or to take away womens voting rights, or to allow slavery, or to prohibit free speech, etc. .
http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Cain/Gun-Control.php
I believe his opinion/stance is being mischaracterized by the interview. I have written his campaign and asked that they set up an issue statement on gun control to clarify his positions and make sure that what he has said at other times is clear.
In that regard, he has stated that states can pass their own conceal carry laws, felony restrictions, etc. I have not heard him say he favors states taking, limiting, or registering gun ownership. He has said when interviewed, “If a bill comes across my desk as president, that hinders American’s right to bear arms, I would veto it in a second.”
Like you, I will not support any candidate who is in favor of allowing government (at any level) to infringe on our rights as law-abiding, legal citizens to keep and bear arms.
You wrote:
“Although Cain says he supports the Second Amendment, in the next breath he says he *fully* supports *any and all* state gun control/prohibitions.”
In contrast stand the facts of what he actually said, in context:
BLITZER: All right. Let’s talk about gun control. Do you support any gun control?
CAIN: I support the Second Amendment.
BLITZER: So you don’t — so what’s the answer on gun control?
CAIN: The answer on gun control is I support strong — strongly support the Second Amendment. I don’t support, you know, onerous legislation that’s going to restrict people’s rights in order to be able to protect themselves as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
BLITZER: Should states or local governments be allowed to control the gun situation? Or should...
CAIN: Yes.
BLITZER: The answer is yes?
CAIN: The answer is yes. That should be a state’s decision.