Heston fires up NRA rally Tour for GOP is ailing actor's exit (Tennessee)

By James W. Brosnan (albore's water carrier) brosnanj@shns.com November 2, 2002

NASHVILLE - Charlton Heston stood with Tennessee politicians for the last time as president of the National Rifle Association on Friday.

More than 300 NRA members stood more than an hour in an Opryland Hotel conference room to hear other NRA leaders and finally Heston plug the candidacies of Lamar Alexander for the U.S. Senate and Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.) for governor.

Heston, 79, has Alzheimer disease and is stepping down as the NRA's president next spring. This was his 12th appearance in a 13-state election tour, mostly on behalf of Republican candidates.

After an emotional video introduction highlighting Hes ton's career as an actor, civil rights activist and NRA president, Heston appeared pale and drawn and urged the NRA members to "vote freedom first."

Heston told only one anecdote - of learning to drive chariots as Ben Hur - and did not mention Hilleary's or Alexander's names. Later, however, he held the candidates' hands aloft for the cameras.

Heston was the latest in a string of big names, including Vice President Dick Cheney, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and President Bush coming to the state largely to bolster Hilleary's campaign. The Democrats' nominee, former Nashville mayor Phil Bredesen, has shunned appearances with big-name Democrats, including former vice president Al Gore, contending that it would divert attention from state issues.

"If I did that, it would all be about rerunning 2000 or pre-running 2004, and I want ed this race to be about Tennessee," said Bredesen.

Hilleary, in fact, used most of his time at the NRA rally to argue that electing Bredesen would hurt President Bush's re-election in 2004. "We know if he is elected he will use the power of the governor's office to help Al Gore carry Tennessee in 2004, and we can't let that happen."

Alexander, who has a wide lead in the polls over Rep. Bob Clement (D-Tenn.), didn't mention Clement or Gore. He stressed support for "the great outdoors" and for teaching civics in school, including "the individual's right to bear arms."

None of the four candidates for senator or governor is proposing any new gun control initiatives.

Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist and a Jackson, Tenn., native, said Clement has been a "good supporter, but there's only one candidate for the U.S. Senate who has voted for a gun ban and that's not Lamar Alexander."

He was referring to Clement's vote to ban certain types of assault weapons. Clement spokesman Carol Andrews said the same bill authorized federal aid to put more police on Tennessee's streets. She said Clement later voted three times to repeal the assault weapons ban.

Hilleary bragged about his sponsorship of a bill, which did not pass, to allow people who hold permits to carry guns in one state to carry their guns to any other state.

Bredesen strategist David Cooley said Bredesen, a lifelong hunter, sought to keep the NRA neutral in the race but was told that Hilleary had cast pro-NRA votes in the House.

Two years ago, the NRA ran radio ads in the state featuring Heston promoting Bush. Gore countered with radio ads by his former college roommate, Tommy Lee Jones.

Heston is departing in April. His successor has not been named, but he's unlikely to be someone of equal stature.

"He's going to be very difficult to replace because he's so well-known," said one NRA member, Richard Taylor of Nashville.

"A lot of people are interested in the NRA now that weren't before," said Bryant.

AlGorebatross has lots of time on his hands as the Tennessee demwits especially the demwit weasel word phil bredesen who is running for governor is RUNNING from AlGorebatross as if albore has the black plague!

Come to think of it AlGorebatross has only campaigned for 2 Tennessee canidates. Leftist boby clement who is running against Lamar, and socialist sherry fisher who is running against Heroine anti-income tax warrior Mae Beavers for state Senate.

The fact that the Tennessee demwits are running for Albore should be national news, but it's not.

Bredesen running from Albore

Gore's role minor in state politics Bredesen keeping his distance from ex-vice president

...Heston has helped the NRA's image...

Perhaps.

But his endorsement of Don (the Don) Siegelman for re-election as Governor of Alabama alienated me, perhaps for good.

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