It's not that he's better, just that he's less bad.
Does he? I don't believe it. Convince me.
If Obama wants to ban handguns, I think it's better to bring this issue to the people while they still have their battle rifles and carbines before they're faux-banned (grandfathered) by a Romney or McCain.
With a Republican minority, it can function as the noble opposition against a Dem president/Congress with more ambition gun-control aspirations. However, with a moderate/liberal Repub president, the Repubs in Congress will not oppose any McCain/Romney gun-control legislation.