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Kerry, John

NRA Campaigns for Bush's Re-election, Amid Criticisms on Assault Weapons Ban

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the National Rifle Association (NRA) convenes its annual meeting in Pittsburgh on Friday, the organization plans to launch a significant campaign in support of President Bush's re-election. With nearly four million members, the NRA will label Senator John Kerry, the likely Democratic opponent, as a liberal threat to gun ownership. The association's leadership, including executive vice president Wayne LaPierre, has declared Kerry's voting record against the Second Amendment a prime issue in the election. At the convention, the NRA will unveil plans for an NRA news company, which would allow the organization to disseminate its gun-rights views without adhering to new federal campaign finance restrictions. The boost comes at a crucial time for Bush, as he faces criticism from some gun rights activists for his stance on the federal ban of assault weapons. Vice President Dick Cheney will deliver the keynote speech at the convention, highlighting the campaign's efforts to mend fences with gun groups.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NRA plans to label Senator John Kerry as a liberal threat to gun ownership, citing his voting record against the Second Amendment.
  • The association will unveil plans for an NRA news company to disseminate its gun-rights views without adhering to federal campaign finance restrictions.
  • The NRA's support for President Bush is a foregone conclusion, having backed him in 2000.
  • Vice President Dick Cheney will deliver the keynote speech at the convention, underlining the Bush campaign's efforts to mend fences with gun groups.
  • The NRA has created a Web site, Clintongunban.com, to attack the federal ban on assault weapons and link Kerry to former President Bill Clinton.
  • The association has $4 million on hand for its political action committee, which spent $16.8 million on federal campaigns in 2000.
  • Senator Kerry intends to present himself as a lifelong hunter and gun owner supporting the Second Amendment but advocating for "common sense" laws restricting military-style assault weapons and requiring gun-safety locks.

Statistics:

  • Nearly four million members attend the NRA's annual meeting.
  • The association has $4 million on hand for its political action committee.
  • $16.8 million was spent on federal campaigns by the NRA in 2000.
  • The federal ban on assault weapons prohibits 19 types of semiautomatic weapons.

Sources:

  • Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, quoted in a prior interview.
  • G. Terry Madonna, director of the Keystone Poll at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.
  • Scott Stanzel, spokesman for the Bush-Cheney campaign.
  • Grover Norquist, conservative strategist and association board member.
  • Chad Clanton, spokesman for the Kerry campaign.

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