NRA formally endorses McCain's presidential bid

The National Rifle Association is endorsing Republican presidential nominee John McCain despite differences with the Arizona senator on gun-show rules and campaign finance restrictions.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and the chairman of the NRA's political action committee planned stops Thursday in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Colorado and Nevada to talk about the move.

LaPierre said the two agree on many issues important to the group.

"He's cast more than 60 votes in the Senate in support of the Second Amendment," LaPierre said.

The NRA's Political Victory Fund has spent more than $2.3 million opposing Democratic nominee Barack Obama. The chairman of the political action committee, Chris W. Cox, says its spending in the presidential race will grow to "eight figures" by Election Day. Besides ads, encouraging battleground-state gun owners to vote will be a key focus, he said.

The PAC was running an ad Thursday in USA Today accusing Obama of waffling on gun-rights issues and challenging his statements that he supports the right to bear arms. Obama has said he respects the Second Amendment but doesn't think it precludes "some commonsense gun laws so that we don't have kids being shot on the streets of cities like Chicago."

The NRA PAC's future spending will target Obama on gun issues and start publicizing the records of McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, LaPierre said. McCain's selection of Palin was a plus, LaPierre said.

"She's a hunter, she's a Second Amendment supporter and she's a tremendous asset to the ticket," he said.

Palin, an NRA member, received an A-plus rating from the group when she ran for governor in 2006. That compares to an NRA grade in the average range for McCain in his last Senate race. McCain isn't an NRA member.

Palin has been an NRA booster, particularly for its education and safety programs, during her career in government. As mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she used $750 from her city campaign fund to upgrade her NRA membership.

The NRA doesn't always endorse presidential candidates. It has backed President Bush but declined to endorse Bob Dole in the 1996 race or President George H.W. Bush in 1992.

Obama has been endorsed by the American Hunters and Shooters Association, which calls itself a "mainstream group of hunters" that supports safe and responsible gun ownership.

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I'm soooooooo glad the NRA (negotiate rights away) has given McMadman their blessing. Now, finally, maybe, some of the sheeple will awaken.

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I know there's strong feelings on this issue...every election. This country can weather a McCain presidency. I don't think we will be recognized after an Obama presidency. Fear? You bet. If nothing else, judicial appointments should be higher on our list of important items in deciding - not just the supremes, but look for one or twoSCOTUS Justicesin the next four years.

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Should be interesting to see which trolls disappear from the forum after the election.

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It has been said that the NRA has become nothing more than 'controlled opposition'.

Why can't they get it right? Why couldn't they have had someguts and gotten behind Ron Paul when it mattered?

Or Bob Barr?

I think an organization with as much clout, membership, and money shouldn't be as weak and compromising on the 2d Amendment as the NRA is. They could be so much better...

Voting for the 'lesser of two evils'? Not for me anymore, thank you. I did that last election. With all the election fraud going on, I might as well vote for someone I like and trust (like Ron Paul) since my vote's probably going to be stolen anyway. Texas uses electronic voting machines with no paper trail.

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My brother from a different mother I was thinking the same thing.

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We're being told that we need to forget about all that, and realize that an Obama presidency would be such a catastrophe for gun rights as to trump all the above objections to endorsing McCain.

My answer to that is that Obama is not getting my guns while I live--and McCain isn't getting my principles--at any price.

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Fear? From who, Obama? Sh$t, you got Sarah (I lie 4Jeasus) Palin and McCain who is a coward and you want those two idiots in the White House. After Bush and the right wing failed policies of the republican party has brought the world economy to a grinding halt. Eight years and nothing to show for it but failure. What you going to do now? Continue the rhetoric?

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Dukester wrote:

Fear? From who, Obama? Sh$t, you got Sarah (I lie 4Jeasus) Palin and McCain who is a coward and you want those two idiots in the White House. After Bush and the right wing failed policies of the republican party has brought the world economy to a grinding halt. Eight years and nothing to show for it but failure. What you going to do now? Continue the rhetoric?

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Dukester,

You are such a blue neck.

I really don't have a dog in the fight as I will vote Libertarian.

The complete lack of heuristic logic in your post is amazing. George Bush may be a Republican, but his economic policy certainly has not been "right wing." It really has been the classic spend, spend, spend left wing economic policy.

To blame world economic failure on the Republican Party is silly. The Democrat party certainlyis as much to blame in our tenuous situation as the Republican Party.

Yourhate filled attacks really are quite inappropriate and offensive. John McCain is a part time gun grabber but I really think your ignorance shows when you call him a coward. His well documented performance in a place called the Hanoi Hilton proves your lie.

Intelligence is difficult to measure, but Obama is the one that has shown again and again that he cannot think on his feet.

Your vile anti-Christian comment shows a backward, ignorant and intolerant side which I think you will find is not welcome in this forum.

In short your intolerant, illogical and ignorant rant will probably not change any undecided minds here and, I imagine, make supporters of Obama who discuss issues with logic and reason cringe.

BARR 08

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