Posted on 04/16/2008 5:46:18 PM PDT by holymoly
ABC News' Sunlen Miller and David Wright Report: Timing is everything in politics and, for Barack Obama's campaign, today's endorsement by the American Hunters and Shooters Association showed both good and bad timing.
The good news, for Obama: the support of this gunowners' rights group may help him overcome the controversy over his suggestion that small voters "cling to guns and religion" because they're "bitter."
The bad news? Today was the anniversary of the deadly Virginia Tech massacre.
“Sen. Obama will be a strong voice an unabashed voice for America's hunters and shooters and it is with great pleasure that we endorse his candidacy,” President of the Association Ray Schoenke said, citing Obama’s commitment to the traditions of gun ownership.
Schoenke said they had reached out to the Obama campaign several weeks ago to offer their support – but the announcement wasn’t made public until today. Schoenke added that the timing amid the controversy was important.
“We believe recent attacks on Sen. Obama’s stand on the 2nd amendment and his commitment to the hunting and shooting heritages are unfair.”
He said Obama’s vote for the Vitter amendment proves that Obama is committed to the 2nd amendment. The Vitter amendment prohibits the confiscation of firearms during an emergency or major disaster.
“Imagine how the citizens felt during hurricane Katrina when government agents kicked in doors to confiscate law biding citizen’s guns at a time when they needed them the most. We know Senator Obama gets it.”
Schoenke said on the other hand that Senator Clinton has “failed to grasp the importance of this critical issue to hunters and shooters and voted against this amendment, turning her back on American gun owners.”
The Republicans dismissed Obama's endorsement, and suggested the American Hunters and Shooters Association is an ersatz version of the National Rifle Association with dubious credibility among gun enthusiasts.
“Should Barack Obama be the Democrats’ nominee, he will probably be the most anti-gun general election candidate in political history," said Republican National Committee Spokesman Danny Diaz. "The AHSA’s endorsement of Obama will not provide him any credibility on the Second Amendment.”
During the Q and A, Schoenke was asked what Obama’s position was on banning hand guns generally – and referenced the DC gun ban case.
“I’m not sure I think in talking with the campaign that Senator Obama has not taken a position on the DC gun ban case,” but said that they were conformable enough with his position that he supports individual rights under the 2nd amendments to endorse him.
Today Senator Obama released a separate statement on the Virginia Tech anniversary. “Clearly, our state and federal governments have to strengthen some laws and do a better job enforcing others. But we all have a responsibility to do what we can in our own lives and communities to end this kind of senseless violence,” he said
Like his speech in the immediate aftermath of the shootings last year, Obama's statement does not include the words “gun control.”
Knock me over with a feather! /sarcasm
For those unfamiliar with this organization, they support "reasonable" gun control, such as bans on semi-automatic "military style assault weapons", and "cop killer" bullets.
I don’t know the group. Are they “hunters” like the ACLU cares about “civil liberties?”
First I’ve heard of them....
They’re prominently profiled in the NRA magazines. They’re only just slightly to the right of The Brady Campaign and Handgun Control, Inc.
They held a press conference at last year’s NRA annual convention. NRA journalist Ginny Simone was physically escorted out of the presser.
Lie. Former members of Handgun Control are at its helm, I believe. Calling it a rights organization doesn't make it so. (And you should know that, you disgusting pigs in the dinosaur media who wrote this trash.)
They are an offshoot of Handgun Control Inc designed to drive a wedge between hunters and 2A supporters who see the constitutional reason for RKBA. These people would certainly support Obama because they are comprised of the “Usual Socialist Suspects”. I would not be surprised to see some Soros funding behind this group.
Liberal or loser, take your pick...
Fixed it.
The AHSA is the proverbial "wolf in sheeps' clothing". An anti-gun organization, masquerading as pro-gun & pro-Second Amendment, in a rather transparent attempt to give credibility to anti-gun proposals, and anti-gun politicians.
Search FR using the keyword "AHSA". There are several threads about them.
ABC News reports that Barack Obama has collected the endorsement of a guns rights group, the American Hunters and Shooters Association:
"Sen. Obama will be a strong voice an unabashed voice for America's hunters and shooters and it is with great pleasure that we endorse his candidacy," President of the Association Ray Schoenke said, citing Obama's commitment to the traditions of gun ownership.Schoenke said they had reached out to the Obama campaign several weeks ago to offer their support – but the announcement wasn't made public until today. Schoenke added that the timing amid the controversy was important.
"We believe recent attacks on Sen. Obama's stand on the 2nd amendment and his commitment to the hunting and shooting heritages are unfair."
Actually, it is Obama's record on firearms that is unfair to Americans, but don't expect Ray Schoenke to know much about gun rights, even if the Daily Kos diarist is the President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA).
Schoenke, a failed Democratic candidate for governor of Maryland, has donated thousands to Handgun Control, Inc, a virulent anti-gun organization that was the forerunner of Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence. He has donated tens of thousands more to anti-gun Democratic politicians including Ted Kennedy.
AHSA executive director Robert Ricker has testified as a paid witness against the gun industry and consults for several anti-gun groups, and John Rosenthal, President of the AHSA Foundation, is a former member of Sarah Brady's Handgun Control, Inc, and is leader of Stop Handgun Violence, a Massachusetts anti-gun group that has contributed to that state's intolerant anti-gun guns.
Just as Obama's record of claiming he is in favor of the Second Amendment even as he pushes for gun ban is dishonest, so is this endorsement from a trojan horse gun control organization masquerading as a group that respects American's rights to life and liberty.
Update: SayUncle examined this group earlier this year in greater detail. Posted by Confederate Yankee at April 16, 2008 04:05 PM
“Ginny Simone was physically escorted out of the presser.”
Fill me in.....
Thanks.
What does this ABC author mean by "small voters?"
Shirley he jests.
American Hunters and Shooters AssociationJoseph J. Vince, Jr., a member of the Board of Directors is the former chief of the BATF's crime guns analysis branch. Currently, he is a principal of Crime Gun Solutions. HCI has hired Crime Gun Solutions in order to support numerous gun control laws,[14][15] to support HCI's lawsuits against firearm dealers[16] and he was a signer on a letter submitted to Congress opposing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act[17]
“The good news, for Obama: the support of this gunowners’ rights group may help him overcome the controversy over his suggestion that small voters “cling to guns and religion” because they’re “bitter.”
This group is an HCI front with about 3 members. Nothing but an anti-gun, money laundering operation with a fax machine.
Do you think for a millisecond any legitimate 2nd Amendment organization would support this muz-slime Marxist puke?!?!?
“Calling it a rights organization doesn’t make it so. (And you should know that, you disgusting pigs in the dinosaur media who wrote this trash.)”
The MSM is truly a liberal propoganda outlet. What a blatantly misleading article.
IIRC He's also contributed anti-gun screeds to the Huffington Post.
BTW Thanks for all the info. Great post.
“The MSM is truly a liberal propoganda outlet. What a blatantly misleading article.”
The MSM knows full well who these pimps really are. They fit their (MSM’s) agenda perfectly.
You forgot
One thing’s for sure, their primary issue no longer consists in preserving the 2nd Amendment.
Did you notice the sarcastic remark I made in my initial post, and my comment following it?
I know what the AHSA is. No, I don't think a legitimate pro-gun orgranization would support Obama.
One thing’s for sure, their primary issue no longer consists in preserving the 2nd Amendment.
Yeah, that works too!
Ah shoot - I read it in NRA’s member magazine ‘America’s First Freedom’ and probably no longer have that issue handy.
I have some pressing work to do for work, but can check the nrahq.org web site for a reference before the night’s over...
I appreciate whatever you can do to fill me in...
Thanks again.
Hamas knows which candidate will butter their bread.
I agree, but am having trouvble typing. Hard to do while clinging to guns and bibles.
No I didn't ... sorry, but when ever I hear about the F'ing phony AHSA the hair on my neck jumps up and I start frothing at the mouth about this traitorous organization of anti-American scum BAGS!!!!!!!
Ooops, last reply meant for another thread.
Man, this one didn’t last long! This group is, of course, a complete fraud, a gun control group with a deliberately deceitful name.
This so-called gun rights group is about as phony as groups called, say, “Blacks for Jim Crow” or “Jewish Friends of Nazis” or “Book Burners For The First Amendment.”
Ray Schoenke - "No one needs an assault weapon" - quote to the Chicago Tribune, around November 26, 2006. He also Donated $5000 to the Brady Campaign. He's a longtime democrat as well. Donated $25,000 to the DNC, and gave money to gun grabbers like Barbara Boxer.
Bob Ricker testified against firearms manufacturers in court during the Brooklyn case - judged by gun grabber Jack Weinstein. He's a paid hack, who now makes his money as an anti.
Joseph J Vince - ATF guy
Jody Powell - Democrat
Former board member - and founding member was John Rosenthal - a leading gun grabber.
So Obama is a perfect fit for these people. He voted to ban all center-fire ammunition that might penetrate a vest and supports a handgun ban.
More succinctly, they are a stalking horse for the Brady bunch. They are banking on an outdoorsy-sounding name to fool the masses, but underneath the camo is a bunch of liberal gun grabbers.
Whoda thunk it? A fake gun group endorses a fake candidate. Go figure.
Here in Chicago I have met actual hunters and shooters who are members of this group. However, as noted in other posts it does seem to overwhelmingly represent the Libs and some misguided RINOs.
They erroneously believe the gun-grabbers will stop at semi-auto “assault” rifles and handguns. Apparently, they never heard the expression “Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.”
On Schoenke’s blog he rants more against global warming than for gun ownership. And I didn’t see any mention of the 2A existing to protect the people from tyrannical government, only “it’s about hunting”. Yet, Schoenke insists that “Obama gets it”, and the lapdog comments that follow praise Obama’s masterful grasp of the Constitution, one even postulating that Obama “teaches the Constitution”.
No problem. I know the feeling.
In case you you haven't seen this, here's a Ray Schoenke diatribe at the Huffington Post:
Oh, What a Mighty Web the NRA's Leaders Weave, When They Practice to Deceive
Thank you....
Thank you....
What if we had the "American Enthusiasts and Drivers Association" which claimed to lobby for drivers' rights, but who advocated banning all performance cars and who financed car-banning organizations?
Any hunters out there who support gun-banning organizations should get a clue. They are the enemy.
I agree. That’s why the industry chided Jim Zumbo after he made a ridiculous remark about “black guns.” Fortunately, Ted Nugent and some others straightened ol’ Jim out. He apologized on his show because I think he realizes we all stand together or fall separately. Besides, some folks can only afford to have one gun and if it’s a semi-auto, so be it.
All I care about is whether the person is safe.
The liberal elites are starting to figure out that the multiculti chaos they are creating is also a VERY dangerous atmosphere to live in. They need well-armed private security to protect themselves, while denying the common man any means of self defense, & even the right to self defense.
They seem to be a Democratic front group set up to endorse Liberal gun-grabbers like Obama, to make them falsely appear to be pro-gun-rights.
“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Hunters_and_Shooters_Association
All I have right now is a Ka-Bar on my hip. Let him try to take that.
The most important Second Amendment case to go before the Supreme Court EVER and Obama has not taken a position on it? And this group that claims to be pro-gun endorses him despite that? And ABC reports this as if it is a pro-gun endorsement?
The propaganda machine is running full out. Anybody who hasn't removed ABC from their programming list is just begging to be fed lies like this article. Death due to lack of advertising revenue is the only cure for ABC and the other liberal propaganda networks. And that will only happen when people quit tuning in. I haven't watched ABC, CBS, or NBC in years. Don't miss them a bit. Not one penny of their income comes from me.
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