Presidential Guns

The New York Times has picked up on John Kerry's admission of Assault Rifle ownership in a recent edition of Outdoor Life magazine. The Times, one of the most vocal and fiercest defenders of the so called assault weapons ban doesn't really seem worried about Kerry's hypocrisy (or potential illegal ownership), brushing it off with a quote by Bob Ricker that

not worried by Mr. Kerry's answer because "he knows a lot about firearms and he's also one of the most credible individuals when it comes to talking about gun-violence prevention and what it takes to keep weapons of war off the street."

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To their credit though, they do point out that Kerry likes to tell

audiences he has never met anyone who wanted to use an AK-47 to shoot a deer. But it is not clear what Mr. Kerry does with the Chinese assault rifle he told Outdoor Life magazine he kept in his personal collection.

However, continuing on the Democrat's latest strategy paint President Bush as the waffler to Mr. Kerry's straight talking and firm decision making, they attack Bush for making seemingly contradictory statements about his favorite gun.

Mr. Bush named the Weatherby 20 gauge (although he gave a slightly different answer in a separate chat with Field and Stream magazine.)

They go on to explore Mr. Bush's waffles on the issue in much greater detail.

Mr. Bush does not have such high-powered weapons but seems unable to pick a consistent favorite. To Field and Stream, he said, "My favorite gun is the first gun that my dad gave me, which is a Winchester .22 pump, Model 61."

He also mentioned the Weatherby he chose for Outdoor Life, saying that it was a "custom-made gun presented to me by the C.E.O. of the company, Mr. Weatherby." Mr. Bush said he had "six or seven guns" in his office safe, including two .22's, deer rifles and a .243-caliber "varmint" rifle.

"Given to me by the former lieutenant governor of Texas, Bob Bullock, my old buddy," Mr. Bush explained of the .243-caliber rifle, "who on his deathbed said, 'I want to give you a gun.'

Hmm, so Bush is torn by what his favorite gun might be . . . a trust Model 61 given by his father when he was a boy? Nothing wrong with that.

Or could it be his Weatherby Athena, given by Mr. Weatherby himself? I'd have to say, I iz a bit jealous. Of course, if a dying friend handed you a varmint rifle on his deathbed . . . that too might hold a special place in your heart.

And certainly, his deer rifles (which undoubtedly are higher powered than the Kerry assault weapon, but I'll leave that point alone) might also be legitimate favorites. It’s really a shame that the Time's didn't explore this topic further? Perhaps he has a pristine pre-'64 Winchester Model 70? Or Maybe a sweet Ruger M77 or a tack driving Browning A-Bolt? Or, does he simply have a trust lever action like the venerable Winchester '94 or Marlin 336 (the most popular gun in America), both of which are steeped in Western (ie: Texan) history? Enquiring minds want to know.

In either case, for the hunters and gun owners out there, I think it is pretty clear who is being straightforward on the issue and who is, pardon the Frog, speaking out of their derriere.

P.S. In the same Outdoor Life article, Kerry makes the shocking admission that the right to bear arms is an individual right immediaetly after supporting the assault weapons ban. I'm working on a longer frisking of this apparant contradiction, and while I try to avoid the abortion debate, will show how Mr. Kerry's position is one that should also worry the pro abortion crowd.

Crossposted at TN4W