February 4, 2008
Last Persuadin' Try
I understand my friend and blog brother JohnGalt will be caucusing for Governor Romney tomorrow and I will make one more play for his vote -- this time for Senator McCain.
Insty links to a Jake Tapper post Obama & Romney Misfire on Guns
"I would have supported the original assault weapon ban," Romney said. "I signed an assault weapon ban in Massachusetts governor because it provided for a relaxation of licensing requirements for gun owners in Massachusetts, which was a big plus."Asked Tim Russert: "So the assault ban that expired here because Congress didn’t act on it, you would support?"
"Just as the president said, he would have, he would have signed that bill if it came to his desk, and so would have I," said Romney.
In the last few hours, Romney contradicted that in a podcast interview with Glenn Reynolds and Helen Smith of Instapundit fame.
"I know that a lot of the gun rights folks aren’t sure about your position on gun rights," asked Smith. "Would you pledge to veto any new gun control bills that come across your desk as President?"
"Yeah," Romney said. "Yeah, I don’t support any gun control legislation, the effort for a new assault weapons ban, with a ban on semi-automatic weapons, is something I would oppose. There’s no new legislation that I’m aware of or have heard of that I would support. In regards to guns, I think we have enough legislation and should enforce the laws as they exist. I was pleased that when I ran for Governor that I received the endorsement of the NRA and I hope to receive their support now."
I don't expect that the Massachusetts chapter of the NRA can be too picky but I suggest that this is another example of Romney's being driven by making the best choice at the time rather than from deep beliefs.
I also wonder if you have enjoyed your phone calls this weekend. Senator Santorum's pitch for Romney didn't excite me. Each Romney call (about five) drove me farther away. Governor Romney is content to be the talk radio candidate. That's not where I live but I suggest that is not where the Governor lives either. I have no idea what he will believe in when the election is over.
GOP2008 Primary Posted by John Kranz at February 4, 2008 12:45 PM
All this while McCain is content to be the liberal media's candidate.
I'm not going to go as far as saying I won't vote the Senator in November, but sheesh... can we get a better Republican?
http://dailypundit.com/?p=29500
Posted by: AlexC at February 4, 2008 2:22 PMGood catch JK. I hadn't looked closely at the 2nd Amendment positions of Mitt! and John! but Romney clearly is more lukewarm on it than McCain is. Over his senatorial career McCain has supported many things that threaten individual gun rights, but at least he takes it seriously enough to have an entire "2nd Amendment" page in the ISSUES tab on his web site. (And he says all the right things.) Romney does not. Mitt makes a few sweeping statements under "American Values" but that's it.
Posted by: johngalt at February 4, 2008 3:34 PMUPDATE - My brother, who participated in a Romney Town Hall conference call today, tells me someone asked Mitt! about the 'Assault Weapon' bill in Massachusetts. Romney said he did sign it but since the Mass. legislature is 80% Democrat they would have overridden his veto if necessary to get their gun ban law. He negotiated some parts that were favorable to gun owners. So McCain uses this reality of a GOP governor in a blue state to bash his chief rival over the head with a symbolic NRA rifle.
Huckabee piled on saying he didn't decide where he stands on the 2nd Amendment just yesterday, he's always been a defender of gun rights. Of course it's much easier to say that as the governor of a state full of southerners than as the governor of Ted Kennedy's state.
Yesterday I asked my brother, "If you were told anytime in the last 3 years that a GOP presidential victory could be assured and all you have to do is nominate John McCain, wouldn't you do it?" He replied, "Instead of the liberal [McCain] I know I'd rather try what's behind door number 2." He also observed, "If McCain and Clinton are nominated he'll start campaigning to the left and she'll campaign to the right and by November they'll meet and pronounce a plan for a co-presidency." The problem with my hypothetical of course is that McCain's victory in the general is far from assured.
Shortly after the 5th anniversary of 9/11 JK wrote McCain in 2000Never! and before that AlexC got our gracious host to admit he was for McCain before he was against him, and then for him, before finally being against him again in September. Now, in '08, he's for McCain again ... for the moment.
Posted by: johngalt at February 5, 2008 1:43 AMFair cop on the flip flops, guv. The Senator from Arizona does drive me to do irrational things. I am very comfortable, however, choosing another candidate when mine drops out of the race. I'm all for consistency but those Kasich 2000! bumper stickers look weird on my car.
It's not the signature as much as the interview. I rarely watch Russert, but I happened to see that Romney interview and I was screaming at the television. He was telling Mr. Russert what he wanted to hear Well yes, I support gun rights, but not [gasp!] Assault weapons!
Posted by: jk at February 5, 2008 11:42 AM | What do you think? [4]