Who would have thought that one of the most interesting snippets from the Sunday talk shows yesterday could have come from Fox News. Chris Wallace of Fox News asked National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre what should have been a softball question.
Except NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre may not have understood that he had a wonderful opportunity to redeem himself. In LaPierre's case, that may not be possible.
The subject was that crazy thirty-second ad produced by the NRA recently, that called President Obama an “elitist hypocrite” for not embracing armed guards in schools even as his daughters enjoy armed protection at their schools.
“Are the president’s kids more important than yours?” the ad asks on the video. “Then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their schools? Mr. Obama demands the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes, but he’s just another elitist hypocrite when it comes to a fair share of security.”
That ad came under heavy criticism from the left and center. It also came under criticism from many politicians, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Politico reported at the time that Governor Christie said the ad was “reprehensible” and saying elected officials’ kids should be off-limits.
“I think any of us who are public figures, you see that kind of ad and you cringe."
Back to Wayne LaPierre, who was asked if he regretted the ad, which proposed putting armed guards in all U.S. schools and argued that all children deserve the same protection as the Obama children. Chris Wallace declared the Obama children “face a threat that most children do not face, you really think the president’s children are the same kind of target as every schoolchild in America? That’s ridiculous and you know it, sir. “
Later Chris Wallace told LaPierre: “I’ll tell you somebody else that has security, you do.”
Wallace also argued with LaPierre’s pointing to inner-city gangs as behind the trouble that has brought the issue of gun control back to the forefront, telling LaPierre, “gangs don’t commit the mass murders.”
The NRA and CEO Wayne LaPierre have also come under fire by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In an ad created by Bloomberg's Super PAC, Independence USA PAC, is spending $400,000 on these ads that call out a candidate in the Illinois 2nd Congressional district. A Democrat running in the primary in this seat to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Jesse Jackson Jr. has "earned" an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA) by virtue of her voting record.
Another candidate in the race, Illinois State Senator Toi Hutchinson, also has "earned" an "A" rating from the NRA. However Toi Hutchinson has not been named in the ad.
The only other candidate in the race with an established voting is former state representative Robin Kelly who has received an "F" rating from the NRA. Robin Kelly is also the former Chief Administrative Officer to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Robin Kelly has repeatedly asked her two main opponents, Debbie Halvorson and Toi Hutchinson, to publically release their National Rifle Association (NRA) questionnaires they filled out in previous elections when they both sought the support of the NRA. Due to their non-response, Robin Kelly is now calling on NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre to release the questionnaires. Kelly made the request in a powerful letter sent to LaPierre. This comes only after repeated calls for the candidates themselves to come clean about the promises they made to the NRA.
The Robin Kelly campaign has yet to receive a response from NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre.
Robin Kelly was also endorsed recently by Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos for her stand against gun violence and has framed the discussion as a way to deal a blow to the NRA. The Daily Kos is enthusiastically supporting Robin Kelly in the upcoming Illinois 2nd Congressional District primary and Markos says that you "can help" by contributing $3 (or more) at the Daily Kos Act Blue page.
Send John Presta an email and your story ideas or suggestions at johnpresta@att.net.
John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon. John is also a member of the Society of Midland Authors and is a book reviewer of political books for the New York Journal of Books. John has volunteered for many political campaigns and is currently an unpaid volunteer for the Robin Kelly for Congress campaign. Robin Kelly also has a facebook fan page.
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