Legal Commentary

Kentucky Hosts NRA Convention This Weekend, McCain to Speak

By Jeralyn

The NRA is holding its annual meeting in Louisville, KY this weekend. John McCain will be speaking. He has tended to campaign against Obama rather than Hillary. There are Democrats who belong to the NRA. The NRA backs Democrats who support their issue. If McCain attacks Obama on gun rights, will he cost him any primary votes?

Here's who the NRA backed in 2006:

The NRA has returned the favor. In this year's election, the group is backing Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, Oklahoma Rep. Dan Boren, Tennessee Rep. John Tanner and West Virginia Rep. Alan Mollohan, among others. In gubernatorial races, the NRA has endorsed Democrats in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming, and Bill Richardson, the former Clinton energy secretary and cabinet member, in New Mexico.

"The NRA is not an affiliate of the Republican party," said Grover Norquist, a conservative activist who also is an NRA board member. "They endorse incumbent Democrats who have voted with them on their issue. They understand that the first time they oppose a Democrat who has been supportive of the gun issue, they lose that D vote."

More...

The NRA has an active get out the vote effort. Hillary sent out these mailers in Indiana attacking Obama on gun rights. I wonder if they went out in Kentucky as well.

In April, the NRA wrote: "Obama’s alleged support of the Second Amendment is utterly cynical and false." To be sure, the NRA doesn't buy that Hillary is now a pro-gun rights candidate. But, with everyone convinced Obama has the nomination, I think he will be the one that the NRA and McCain attack the most in Louisville this weekend.

Bill Clinton was in Louisville yesterday as part of a three day swing through the state. Obama spent one day (Monday) in Kentucky. Hillary will be there tomorrow.

Clinton's visit to Louisville marked the start of a three-day swing through Kentucky. He had appearances last night in Bardstown and Elizabethtown and will make five stops today in Western Kentucky.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on May 16, 2008 (boomark / email).