Rudy on gun control: "You've got to REGULATE consistent with the Second Amendment"

FOX News ^ | Feb 6, 2007 | Hanity and Colmes

[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.

[Coldwater Creek]

Where are all of the Rudybots? Hahahah

[flashbunny]

It's like choosing between being buried up to your chin in cow dung, or strapped to a hill of fire ants.

I'll leave it to the reader to decide which is which.

[spunkets]

February 12 deadline to turn in or remove shotguns and others from Cook County, Ill

[Jim Robinson]

An armed society is a polite society.

[BenLurkin]

Rudy seems to be trying to open the door for the left's arguments on the Second Amendment.

In my opinion he is wrong.

The second amendment is NOT there to establish the government's power to "regulate" -- it is there to make clear that the government does NOT have that power.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

"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."

Umm, didn't Rudy inherit a city with some of the strictest gun laws in the nation? Weren't "assault rifles" (gross misnomer) and most other firearms banned in the city? So how would any of the Brady laws reduce the annual killings in NYC.

And if he thinks "well-regulated" in the 2nd Amendment meant "legislated against" to the Founding Fathers, he must think, as McCain did, that the right of the "people" to a free press and free speech refers to the government's ability to legislate against airing our views right before an election.

Pretty lame, Rudy. Pretty lame.

[Copernicus]

Great collector cards! Where can I get the complete set?

(Laughing until tears come to my eyes!)

Best regards,

[shoebooty]

He better not take away my right to protect my family.

[OMalley]

Yep.

I grew up in Seattle, where crime is rampant.

When I moved to Wyoming there was hardly any crime and still with an influx of folks moving here, we still have VERY few home break ins.

Thats because nearly everyone is armed to the teeth. Noone wants to enter a house and get shot!

Funny how that works isnt it?

[B Knotts]

Yes...we all remember the flame-fests here over the recall...and the pragmatists won out...to what end?

Schwarzenegger has turned out to be more liberal than Gray Davis.

When we abandon our principles for power, we ultimately end up with neither.

[MichiganConservative]

I think Hannity's interview is funny because I'm laughing at Hannity. The Stern and Carey interview I saw didn't offer that.

[houeto]

Thanks Jim, I needed a new tagline!

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Where are all of the Rudybots? Hahahah

Probably shooting freepmails back and forth cursing and gnashing their teeth over this thread as well as the others Jim has posted in the last couple of days.

[Copernicus]

Many thanks. I need all the help I can get.

Best regards,

[pepperhead]

I am a one issue voter. I don't care what anyone thinks about it. This is the issue. I will not Rudy.

[msnimje]

Isn't that what we do now? Aren't their regulations for gun ownership like felons can't legally have them?

[SpaceBar]

"When someone mentions diversity, I reach for my Glock." - Michael Savage

[stockstrader]

Not to mention publicly endorsing a hard-core, Stalinist liberal like Cuomo,,,,,add in working in the campaign for Bobby Kennedy, voting for George McGovern, running on the "LIBERAL PARTY" ticket the first time for mayor, and defending Clinton TWICE--the first time saying that "Slick's policies aren't all that different than mine",,,,and even more outrageous, defending Slick's dereliction of duty in the WOT by saying that,,,,"I don't blame Clinton. He did all that he could do"!! (paraphrasing) YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, RUDY!

If his policies weren't all that different than Slick's....and he doesn't blame Slick for Slick's reckless disregard for our national security (given the numerous attacks against the US and our interests--and the fact that Slick was offerred OBL three times by Sudan,,,THREE TIMES)! Rudy's Clinton-apologist routine occurred after the Chris Wallace interview meltdown--and worked perfectly for Slick. The DNC could not have done a better job.!

And some would have you believe he would be tough on the WOT?

By Rudy's own words, Slick didn't do anything any different than Rudy would have. No thanks, Rudy.

[spunkets]

"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?"

Dave. ...Dave ...Dave, is anybody home?

[TommyDale]

If someone is so stupid to carry a firearm into my church, he would likely be shot by the guy in the sound booth -- me.