"They Probably Had More To Do
Than Anyone Else In The Fact
We Didn't Win The House This Time"
|
"...And they hurt Al Gore..." |
|
|
-- Bill Clinton |
|
Bill Clinton |
These were the words lame-duck President Bill Clinton used to
describe NRA during an interview with Dan Rather that was aired
on the CBS program "Sixty Minutes II" on December 19.
Just as
Clinton has credited NRA with the Republican takeover of the U.S.
House and Senate in 1994, when Rather asked Clinton if he thought
his "policy as well as personal failures" may have contributed to
President-elect George W. Bush's defeat of Al Gore, part of
Clinton's response included crediting NRA with an enormous amount
of political clout.
Clinton stated, "...I don't think there's any
doubt that, in at least five states I can think of, the NRA had a
decisive influence," because of the Association's opposition to a
number of the Clinton-Gore Administration's anti-gun proposals,
such as its attack on gun shows.
But Clinton, whose ultimate
legacy may be as the President most challenged when it comes to
telling the truth, also continued to try to convince America that
his Administration's gun-ban agenda was something else. However,
Clinton himself signed the 1994 legislation that banned certain
firearms based on their cosmetic appearance, and Gore, his Vice
President, stated support for a ban on affordable handguns, and
said semi-automatic handguns "really have no place in our
society."
Clinton did call NRA an "effective adversary," and
closed his comments about our Association by stating, "And they
hurt Al Gore" - one of the rare times we've ever agreed with Bill
Clinton.
Related Stories...
More Info About Election 2000
Finally, It's Official -- Bush Will Be 43rd President
NRA-ILA EVCs Lead The Charge This Election Season
11/17/00, America Still Waits for Florida
11/10/00, Elections Are Over -- 43rd President Remains Unknown
|
