Former Mass. Gov. Romney confirms stance on right to bear arms

BRANDETON HERALD ^ | 12 JANUARY 2007 | AP

[Kuksool]

So far among the big 3 (Rudy, McCain, & Mitt), Romney has the least negatives with me. I think he is sharp witted and personable. However, he has a rather unremarkable record as Mass. governor. His only major accomplishment as Governor was rescuing a drowning victim while on vacation. Humorously, the RATS tried to make the rescue into a scandal by claiming Mitt acted as an unlicensed lifeguard.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Screw Romney. Vote for a real conservative who can also win - Duncan Hunter.

You know and I know that realistically Hunter doesn't have a chance. He's just raising his profile for a VP or Secretary of Defense position in a future GOP administration here. That's all his Presidential run is about.

[Mini-14]

Mitt Romney Whips Out the John Kerry Playbook

Just once, can't we get a presidential candidate to simply go to the range with an AR-15 (or equivalent, scary-looking piece of hardware) and blast away at targets for an afternoon? Why do we always get stuck with this fake hunting trip bullshit?

Mitt under fire for hunt: Romney catches flak after quail kill

White House hopeful Gov. Mitt Romney's Georgia GOP hunting party bagged plenty of quail, but the political outing backfired when it was revealed the birds had been fenced in, creating a flap with animal rights activists.

The governor and 15 others piled into four buggies at The Lodge at Cabin Bluff in Georgia and killed several quail Tuesday, according to preserve manager Patty Daniels.

"They did kill quite a few quail. But I don't know how many he personally killed," Daniels said of Romney.

A spokesman confirmed Romney took part in the "Sportsmen's Challenge" at the Republican Governors Association conference in Georgia but ducked questions about whether the governor personally shot any animals.

[rolls eyes]

Do any of these bozos think these canned hunting trip photo-ops (hmmm...I wonder if Hillary's been fitted for her camo pantsuit yet) actually help to bolster their image as a pro-gun rights candidate? If anything, I have to think they have the exact opposite effect - at least where true 2nd Amendment supporters are concerned.

It's not like Romney's got a strong track record of fighting for our gun rights in the Commonwealth over the last few years. And, no, the fact that my new-version LTC actually fits in my wallet doesn't count. Nor does the fact that it's valid for 5+ years, as opposed to 3+ years, as they used to be.

Along those lines, if I'm still a Massachusetts resident five years from now, you all have permission to come to my house and bitch-slap me silly.

[streetpreacher]

Just making an observation. I'm not in anyone's corner.

[DBrow]

"Hunter doesn't have a chance."

But his past is wiped clean, E^3! That gives him as much of a chance as Rudy!

He could be president, and Romney could be his chief of staff. His business past makes him ideal for that.

[Pukin Dog]

You are an idiot.

[Kuksool]

The NRA is incumbent friendly. The group endorsed Harry Reid for re-election.

In the TX-22, the RAT candidate Nick Lampson did compile a satisfactory voting record for the NRA for 6 years when he was in that other Congressional district. But it makes no difference in 2008. Lampson going to be gone in 2008.

[Torie]

Good job. Nothing on guns it turns out.

[DBrow]

Thank you for your opinion, Pukin Dog!

You are a gentleman.

[DBrow]

No, the Youtube flap focuses on gays and abortion and affirmitive action.

I can't get the debate transcript itself.

[streetpreacher]

I thought his reply was less than convincing. What about you?

[spunkets]

OK, just pointing out that the guy says one thing and does another.

[P8riot]

Romney supports the strict enforcement of gun laws. He is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban. Mitt also believes in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms.

This just in....The 2nd Amendment doesn't have JACK to do with hunting.

[gidget7]

I will hunt it up. Most recently he appointed 2 homosexual activists as judges. I will find the rest and post it tomorrow. It is time for me to go to bed!!

[Torie]

D'accord. Romney will be asked to explain what it was that changed his mind on these issues. What new insights caused his point of view to change? I suspect I think I know the real answer - his ambition - then and now - which of course makes him indistinguishable from most politicians.

The thing that does annoy me, is that Romney was just so smooth on the abortion issue. He seemingly lacked any sense at all, that the competing issues, were of a very grave nature, and however one came out, yes, not or inbetween, it posed tough issues, about which folks of conscience could disagree in good conscience, about what the law should be. He also did not seem bothered a bit about Robe activism on the issue.

One problem is that Romney seems so positive all the time about everything. That makes trimming and tacking on his part a bit less persuasive and a bit more ersatz. Just my take on it.

[EternalVigilance]

Romney, who has launched a presidential exploratory committee, appeared at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show with his wife, Ann, and Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.

I wonder how many of the "mainstream" "conservative" organizations are going to sell us down the river for Romney.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Whenever a politician says he "supports the right of sportsmen to hunt" he has outed himself as anti-Second Amendment. Ultimately it means that if you own a 1,000 acre estate he might allow you to own an expensive shotgun. He is against the commoners owning small-arms of military utility because serfs cannot be trusted.

I can see that perhaps Romney would not be an anti-gun leader like Hillary would be, that is if Congress and the Senate were in conservative hands he would not push an anti-gun agenda. In that case he would be neutral. If the Congress and Senate were in the hands of Democrats or RINOS, he would approve any anti-gun legislation. At least that is my impression and I have not heard or read anything that indicates that Romney would veto anti-gun legislation. It would be nice if he were truly pro-freedom and yet was slick enough not to frighten the sheeple, but I have serious doubts.

[Torie]

I should add, that despite all of this, I think Romney would be an effective and successful president. The ying and the yang. But there is no reason to eviscerate one's credibility on this forum, or elsewhere, by trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I just won't do that. And I support Rudy as my first choice anyway, so there is not much temptation to resist. :)

[Torie]

The moth returns to the flame. :) Good evening EV.

[EternalVigilance]

What new insights caused his point of view to change? I suspect I think I know the real answer - his ambition - then and now - which of course makes him indistinguishable from most politicians.

I agree about the motivation, but he's way worse than most.