Posted on 02/07/2007 2:40:44 PM PST by Jim Robinson
HANNITY: Let me move on. And the issue of guns has come up a lot. When people talk about Mayor Giuliani, New York City had some of the toughest gun laws in the entire country. Do you support the right of people to carry handguns?
GIULIANI: I understand the Second Amendment. I support it. People have the right to bear arms. When I was mayor of New York, I took over at a very, very difficult time. We were averaging about 2,000 murders a year, 10,000...
HANNITY: You inherited those laws, the gun laws in New York?
GIULIANI: Yes, and I used them. I used them to help bring down homicide. We reduced homicide, I think, by 65-70 percent. And some of it was by taking guns out of the streets of New York City.
So if you're talking about a city like New York, a densely populated area like New York, I think it's appropriate. You might have different laws other places, and maybe a lot of this gets resolved based on different states, different communities making decisions. After all, we do have a federal system of government in which you have the ability to accomplish that.
HANNITY: So you would support the state's rights to choose on specific gun laws?
GIULIANI: Yes, I mean, a place like New York that is densely populated, or maybe a place that is experiencing a serious crime problem, like a few cities are now, kind of coming back, thank goodness not New York, but some other cities, maybe you have one solution there and in another place, more rural, more suburban, other issues, you have a different set of rules.
HANNITY: But generally speaking, do you think it's acceptable if citizens have the right to carry a handgun?
GIULIANI: It's not only -- I mean, it's part of the Constitution. People have the right to bear arms. Then the restrictions of it have to be reasonable and sensible. You can't just remove that right. You've got to regulate, consistent with the Second Amendment.
HANNITY: How do you feel about the Brady bill and assault ban?
GIULIANI: I was in favor of that as part of the crime bill. I was in favor of it because I thought that it was necessary both to get the crime bill passed and also necessary with the 2,000 murders or so that we were looking at, 1,800, 1,900, to 2,000 murders, that I could use that in a tactical way to reduce crime. And I did.
Hmm - "shall not be infringed" sounds reasonable and sensible enough to me. Rudy seems to have a little reading comprehension problem with respect to the Constitution. A lot of legislators seem to have a similar problem - to them the purpose of government is to regulate the citizen and law is simply a means of effecting this process. It's a matter of perspective - to a stable boy the world is a stable full of crap. The problem is that the legislator wants us all to live in his.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1780023/posts
February 12 deadline to turn in or remove shotguns and others from Cook County, Ill
Best regards,
I was OK with his abortion reply, and war on terror stuff. His gun stance is unacceptable and his border control stance only slightly less so.
Rudy's stance on the Second Amendment is the primary reason I will never cast my vote for him. Gun control (AWB, ammo taxes, "arsenal licenses," .50 cal ban, "Sniper Weapon (scoped rifle) Ban, et ecetera ad nauseum)is more likely to get passed in a Rudy presidency than a Hillary one because I think the Senate and House Dims will show more restraint on gun control legislation for Hilliary than Rudy.
Dims know that if Rudy is steady signing gun bans and such, the Republican base will be eroded for many years, possibly decades. On the other hand, even the dims understand that if a dim-Senate and a dim-House pass the AWB and other gun laws and these laws are signed by Hilliary, the dims will likely lose the House, Senate, and Presidency next election cycle.
So, here I am back at Duncan Hunter?
If the Dems were to pass legislation that put severe restrictions on handgun ownership and/or concealed carry, could we trust Rudy to veto it?
I sincerely doubt it. He has expressed glowing support for such laws in the past.
Gee, Chrissy Matthews of Hardball likes him. Makes me want to go out and vote for him. NOT! (From an appearance on Imus)
"Matthews, the fast-talking and brash host of the popular MSNBC show "Hardball,” was praising former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 candidacy when he went on a rant about "city guys” like Giuliani versus the "southerners,” such as President George W. Bush, who run for national office"
If it had been anyone else posting this, Jim, they'd be clobbered by the Gulianiacs. Thanks for posting this. (Bookmarked)
So you think seven year olds, the mentally ill, the severely retarded, and convicted felons ought to be able legally own and carry a firearm? Do you believe a business has the right to prohit anyone carrying a firearm from entering their premises? How about a church or government office?
Molon Labe, Rudy.
I bet Howard Stern probably had a more interesting interview with Mary Carey.
if it was between Rudy and Shrillary, I think,,, I think,,, I think,,,I think,,, I guess,,,, life just isn't fair!
Great points!
Full agreement here.
Rudy is a poseur, plain and simple.
The NSSF blasted Rudy yesterday and I'm sure the NRA is not far behind. Once the "purist single issue" voters merge in opposition I think Mr. mayor not win the nomination. Duncan Hunter 2008!
But, but, you'll end up with Hillary.
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