The Obama gun photo making rounds online this weekend was actually taken at Camp David up in Maryland back in August 2012, before the latest round of high-intensity, post-Newtown gun control debate began ramping up. In the photo, President Barack Obama is seen holding a shotgun eye-level and firing straight ahead, with a cloud of gun-smoke still hanging in the air.
The White House released the image Saturday of President Obama skeet shooting at Camp David last August, casually decked out in belted blue jeans, a black tee and wristwatch. In the Obama gun photo, the POTUS wears ear protection and dark safety glasses as he takes shots at clay targets. It is believed the White House released the photo in response to gun advocates who doubt the president's sincerity when he says he "enjoys shooting" and "respects" the tradition of hunting and gun ownership in America.
Though this photo was snapped last summer, the image is seeing plenty of circulation this week as the gun control debate continues to heat up on both sides, and as we continue to hear of new shootings almost daily. Even as NRA head Wayne LaPierre testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, news of a shooting at an office building in Phoenix broke into CNN coverage of the hearing. Two people, including a respected lawyer who was a married father of two, have since died of their injuries as a result of that incident, and the suspected gunman is thought to have killed himself shortly after the shooting.
Click for More: POTUS Pics That Have Gone Viral (Photos)
For those unaware of Wayne LaPierre or the motives of the NRA in their lobbying efforts against gun control efforts currently up for debate in Washington, such as banning military-style assault rifles and legislating better enforcement of uniform background checks of all gun sales (even private sales and sales at gun shows), Wayne LaPierre is of the "more guns, less crime" position.
LaPierre contends that rather than bolstering existing gun laws with more updated, stringent ones, we should go with the status-quo and simply deploy armed posses to every school in America if we're worried about our kids. Wait, that's actually Sheriff Joe Arpaio who wants to do that, and in fact, is doing just that up in Maricopa County. LaPierre just wants armed guards at schools. You know, like they had at Columbine High School.
Rocker and avid NRA board member Ted Nugent is a vocal opponent of President Obama. Check out his post-election meltdown on Twitter here. Nugent's interview with CNN's Deborah Feyerick will air on "Out Front with Erin Burnett" on Monday; wonder if he will make mention of the newly-released photo of Obama shooting.
Do you think releasing the Obama gun photo is a smart move by the White House, or a pointless distraction in the gun control debate? Leave a comment below.
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