CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Gov. Ted Strickland on Friday sought to allay concerns of gun owners in his state who fear Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would push for greater restrictions on firearms.
“There is probably no governor, I would say, in the United States of America, who has a stronger, better record in the support of the Second Amendment than does Governor Ted Strickland and I’m proud of that,” Strickland told a rally in Chillicothe as he warmed up the crowd ahead of a speech by Obama.
Strickland, whose battleground state is a focus of intensive campaigning by Obama and Republican John McCain, said he spoke directly to Obama about the right to bear arms in the Second Amendment.
“If you are a sportsman, if you are a gun owner, if you are someone that honors and respects the Second Amendment, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama,” the Democratic governor said at a rally in the rural southern part of his state.
In June, after the Supreme Court struck down a strict gun control law in Washington, Obama said he supports the Second Amendment protection.
But he also added that he identifies with some living in inner cities who seek “common sense, effective safety measures” to try reduce gun violence in crime-ravaged communities.
In April, Obama’s comments to a closed-door fund-raiser in San Francisco saying small town voters would “cling” to their guns and religion because they were “bitter” over their economic conditions caused a storm of criticism.
McCain endeared himself to Americans in favor of the right to bear arms by picking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who enjoys hunting and who, according to former Tennessee Republican Sen. Fred Thompson, knows how to “field-dress a moose.”
Palin might differ with Strickland on which governor is a bigger champion of the Second Amendment.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Jessica Rinaldi (Guns are seen inside a display case at the Cabela’s store in Fort Worth, Texas June 26, 2008)
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[...] said he supports the Second Amendment with ‘reasonable restrictions’ but it’s highly unlikely his top priority is going to be to try to define what a “reasonable” restriction is with respect to gun [...]
- Posted by Quick, Go Get Your Guns!john thompson barack obama…
Nevertheless there will always be a minority who will not get the point you are trying to make….
- Posted by EricWOW….I find it interesting and disturbingly sad that, on an all too disturbing level of occurrence, Obama (and to generalize Democratic) supporters attack on a personal level and do not discuss the issue with factual basis points. Interesting and sad to the point that I have decided to vote for Palin and John McCain simply because through observance of the majority of Obama followers / supporters, the zealot mannerisms and not-so-veiled accusations of racism without Obama votes, have kinda’ grossed me out and turned me to the Republican mindset. The presidency is not an office for a radical messianic mindset supported by persons who all too quickly decry racism. Not in my understanding of America.
- Posted by Dan W.oh hell, yall… NO ONE is going to take the guns from law abiding citizens. You can legally carry a firearm, unconcealed, and walk around with it. If you take a gun safety class, you can carry a concealed weapon. there are no limits to the number of guns you can own. I own over two hundred! Besides…. would you give up your gun if some politician told you you had to turn it in? Hell no! So, be more worried about an old dinosaur dying and leaving an extreme bimbo no brain running this great country of ours. This republican CANNOT take that chance. Mccain blew it with his running mate! end of story!
- Posted by joeboyGuns shmuns. How many home invasions are there, really? I live in CT and agree that the recent slaughter of the family in the home-invasion case was absolutely horrible. Maybe some securely locked doors and a better policy about releasing dangerous guys (yes I do mean guys) from jail would be a better way of preventing this kind of thing.
I work in the inner city and I STILL don’t carry a gun. I have seen bullet holes in the morning, in the glass of my office window, due to the ill-aimed shots from the guys in the street, the night before. Call me a fool, but I believe the best defense is awareness.
Gun registration and user licensing is a great idea, just as driver registration and user licensing seems to work to regulate motor vehicle operation. Most rapid fire weapons are considered military, and should be more difficult to obtain and register. I have no problem with that. I also know that ex-military armored vehicles must have ther cannon disabled, which also seems OK with me.
Most of the people I know who actually carry a gun, outside of police work, are fearful individuals indeed. By that, I mean they are scared, or paranoid (in a subclinical sense). I do consider them weak. Many of them seem to have the political perception of a blind warrior, that is, paranoia about “communism” amd Karl Marx.
I have no interest in carrying a gun, and I am troubled by the accidental gun deaths that “hobby” and “self defense” gun ownership entails. Still, the second amendment is what it is. Unfortunately it is a riddle, with that “well-regulated militia” phrase. I still can’t figure out what exactly the writers meant, and apparently neither can some members of the Supreme Court.
- Posted by RobertTalk amongst yourselves . . .
If a dingy dimwit like Palin becomes VP to a 72 year old and then is maybe thrust into the Presidency the American people will have an endless list of new concerns and worries! The false notion Dems will impose major new controls on guns will pale as a concern, compared to the utter and complete diaster of a President Palin!
- Posted by r daltonI remember when the current Ohio Lt Gov ran for Governor arm in arm with Sarah Brady and Handgun Control Inc. The odd couple tried to purchase a handgun from a Summit County dealer to show how easy it was with TV cameras rolling. The dealer, smarter than Fisher/Brady, locked the doors and closed the store. Before we assume Obama will not impose draconian gun legislation we need to review his voting record in Illinois. There are so many roadblocks to make gun ownership inconvenient while still avowing we all have ownership rights. The assault weapon ban was crap as any one knowledgable about real assault weapons will tell you. We should expect waiting periods, arbitrary bans against hi capacity magazines, gun and ammunition “rationing”, storage requirements and expensive permits/taxation.
- Posted by azrael