Ballot Access News reports
On October 23, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat who is pro-gun rights himself, was quoted in the Missoulian newspaper as saying that there is very little difference on policy concerning gun laws between Barack Obama and John McCain. He also suggests that voters who are most concerned to protect the rights of gun owners might wish to vote for Bob Barr.
Schweitzer said he doesn’t believe McCain can point to any edge over Obama with voters on the gun issue because the Republican senator sponsored a 2004 amendment to require criminal background checks on all firearms transactions at gun shows.
“If guns are your primary issue, you’re probably not going to like either of these guys,” Schweitzer said.
The NRA has given Barr a grade of A-plus, while handing McCain a C and giving Obama an F for their votes on gun-related issues in Congress over the years.
Schweitzer, who said he enjoys going to gun shows, said McCain’s amendment could have shut down them down in Montana and elsewhere.
Ron Paul is also on the ballot in Montana.
The url for the Missoulian article is:
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/08/13/news/local/news03.txt
indicating that it was published August 13.
“Tuesday” of that week would have been Aug. 11.
Since this other story Missoulian article, datelined Aug. 12, has Schweitzer making the identical comments on Tuesday, Aug. 12 —
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/08/12/bnews/br12.txt
— it’s reasonable to think that the first article is referring to Schweitzer’s Aug. 11 comments as well.
And, no, Mr. Jass, Bob Barr did not exactly support the Lautenberg amendment:
http://www.nolanchart.com/article4583.html
I think Schweitzer probably would have achieved his objective better by telling gun owners to vote for Ron Paul, who is better known, more popular, and even better on guns than Barr.
Manchurian Candidate McCain and his spendorific sidekick Nailin’ Palin are likely to go down in defeat in the great state of Montana, and in many other states that usually end up faithfully in the Republican column for president.
Schweitzer is playing it pretty slick to help O-bomb’em, encouraging pro-gun voters to go for Barr and reminding people that Ron Paul is still on the ballot in Montana.
By the way, Politics1 today listed a Montana poll showing Paul (4%) + Barr (1%) covering the spread of a 4 point O’bomb’em lead.
Baldwin probably as well, although he’s not on in Montana.
Yes.
Isn’t Ron Paul better on guns than Bob Barr? After all, Barr did support the Lautenberg Amendment.
“Best gun candidate” is one way to put it.