To that end, the president said, “I want to throw my shoulders behind those who want to solve problems, and not those who want to get high scores from an interest group”. The president said that it was the only time he’d ever seen secret service members cry on duty. He fielded questions from those who support his actions, including a priest and victims of gun violence at the “Guns in America” special.
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That list could include Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, who voted against gun reform in 2013. He said the NRA was invited to the town hall but declined to participate.
He said the National Rifle Association (NRA) had deliberately misrepresented proposed legislation on gun control. In the wake of his announcement this week, the NRA tweeted that his executive orders “will do nothing to improve public safety”.
“And by the way, there’s a reason why the NRA is not here”, Obama said.
COOPER: There’s a lot of people believe it deeply, they just don’t trust you.
Before the town hall began, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam told CNN the organization saw “no reason to participate in a public relations spectacle orchestrated by the White House”. Support for the measures crosses party lines, with 67 percent of those asked saying they favour the changes.
Earlier this week a tearful Obama said unilateral measures were needed to tackle United States gun violence.
The new strategy coincides with the third anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, which killed 20 children and six adults.
He continues the conversation with M. Chris Herring, executive director of the Institute for Homeland Security and Workforce Development at North Carolina Central University, and E. Gregory Wallace, law professor at Campbell University, about gun regulations, and how the president’s action might affect North Carolina.
Obama has come under heavy fire from Republicans and Second Amendment advocates for his actions, which they say infringe on Americans’ right to bear arms.
Sen. Ted Cruz has emailed supporters an image of Obama in combat uniform, complete with helmet, claiming “Obama wants your guns”, while canvasing for campaign support.
President Obama said Thursday that while he and his wife Michelle Obama were campaigning in Iowa, the First Lady indicated that she would have wanted a gun if the couple lived in a rural area. “I’m only going to be here for another year”, adding that he has “been president for over seven years and gun sales don’t seem to have suffered during that time”. “I would hope that would agree with that”, he said. Obama quipped in response.
Although Obama’s executive measures were panned by virtually the entire Republican field of candidates, the president appears to be in line with the majority of Americans.
The White House also enlisted Democratic members of Congress to help push the president’s proposals.
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He also disputed the notion that most criminals acquired guns illegally or through personal connections, making background checks – a major focus of his policy initiative on firearms – of little utility.
