Antelope Valley Republican Party - GOP of Palmdale & Lancaster, Congress & Assembly

Al Gore's Record on Guns

On February 17, 2000, at an National Rifle Association (NRA) pep rally in Los Angeles, NRA’s First Vice President Kayne Robinson speculated, among other things, that the NRA would enjoy “unbelievably friendly relations” when George W. Bush is elected President. When reached for comment Bush immediately dismissed Robinson’s exuberant comments. He further stated that he intends to be his own man. And, of course, there’s an element of a lobbyist’s boastfulness in Robinson’s words.

I would expect that to be the end of this non-story. But, I am perplexed at all of the mileage this remark is getting. Liberals, including Al Gore, have taken Robinson’s remarks and repeated them out of context and conveniently omitted the Bush response. The media continues to report this stuff as if it is a fresh issue.

If the plan is to mold public opinion on a Presidential candidate based on old quotes from third parties I would like to present a few that the media has chosen sweep under the rug.

Wayne LaPierre, an NRA honcho, stated to Time Magazine in the February 14, 2000 issue that, "We could have made Al Gore NRA Man of the Year--every single vote. It's the most spectacular conversion I've ever seen. It's worthy of being investigated by the church."

In addition to that, according to the NRA’s Key Vote Analyses, between 1985 and 1990 Al Gore voted with the NRA 75 percent of the time.

And further, in October 1984, in a special insert for Senate Election, NRA Institute for Legislative Action, The Tennessee Conservation League and the Tennessee State Rifle Association, wrote, “On November 6, Tennessee sportsman will be key in the selection of your next Senator. Both Al Gore and Victor Ashe are strong pro-gun, pro-sportsman advocates. Both are firmly committed to your Second Amendment Rights. Both are rated “A” by the ILA staff. Since being elected to Congress in 1976 Al Gore has been there each and every time sportsmen and gun owners have needed a friend.”

Additionally, in 1985, Al Gore voted for the “Firearm Owners Protection Act,” passage of which was called a “major victory for the NRA” by the Congressional Quarterly. Provisions included: Removing the ban on interstate sales of rifles, shotguns and hand guns; Requiring advance notice of government inspections of gun dealers; Exempting gun collectors from licensing requirements; and others.

And lastly, in the February 14, 2000 Time Magazine article it was also noted that “Al Gore voted against a 14-day waiting period for handgun purchases and for allowing their sale across state lines. And as recently as 1986, the future Vice President told the Washington Monthly that gun-control laws "haven't been an effective solution to the underlying problem of violent crime.”

These “Gore facts” are all points that have been kept very quiet. Why is it that these facts are buried while the trivial remarks of Kayne Robinson are repeatedly regurgitated in an effort to give them significance where there is none. It seems like the Gore campaign is trying to throw up a negative smoke screen to keep the focus off of real issues like his money laundering oriental monks.