Edwards on guns?

[mkafrica]

I was recently discussing politics at work with a conservative (one of far too few in my place of employ) who was looking into each candidate, still trying to make up his mind as to who he's going to vote for, since his primary candidate was going to be Duncan Hunter...

Anyway, he told me that John Edwards is actually for the Second Amendment rights, and is against the liberal definition of gun control.

Does anyone here at FC know whether this is verifiable or not, and/or where I might be able to find out?

Also, does the NRA or other gun rights organizations have a system of rating candidates for their stance on firearms?

EDIT: This is what I pulled from ontheissues.org:


In rural America, hunting and gun ownership is a way of life. (Sep 2007)
Don't need AK-47 to hunt; renew assault weapons ban. (Jul 2007)
Right to bear arms protected by Second Amendment, with rules. (Mar 2004)
Hunting is fine, but criminals & kids should have limits. (Jan 2004)
Leading Dems distance themselves from divisive gun debate. (Oct 2003)
Guns are about independence-don't mess with that. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
Voted NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)

[jayson]

Gun Owners of America has some good articles and information compiled, but they haven't gotten around to reviewing John Edward's record yet. Here is the link anyway:

www.gunowners.org

[Neil Peart]

He's got a better record on gun control than the average Dumbocrat, but still comes up short.

[Rhino]

He's got a better record on gun control than the average Dumbocrat...Which isn't saying much. :lol:

[Rhino]

Mr. Cox said Mr. Edwards voted during his single Senate term for a measure to impose background checks at gun shows, for a ban on so-called assault weapons, and against a bill to protect gun makers from lawsuits. “Words on the campaign trail don’t erase votes on the Senate floor. … He’s been on the wrong side at every opportunity,” the lobbyist told The New York Sun.http://www.alphecca.com/?p=486

[Rhino]

Edwards’ Priorities On Gun Control:

Edwards Voted To Require Federal Licensure And Registration Of Gun Shows.

Edwards Voted Against Voluntary Background Checks For Gun Purchases.

Edwards Voted To Require Justice Department To Hold Background Files On Gun Buyers For 90 Days.

Edwards Favored Broad Tort Liability For Gun Manufacturers. http://www.jregrassroots.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4774

[Rhino]

John Edwards has some interesting connections to the American Hunters & Shooters Association, a gun control organization that masquerades as a gun rights group. The AHSA website was licensed and set up by DCS Congressional, a political consulting operation that caters to far-left candidates and causes. Gerry Kavanaugh, president of DCS was an advisor to the Edwards for President campaign in 2004. Founding principle of DCS, David Bonior, is currently Edwards’ campaign manager. When he was in the House of Representatives, Bonior was one of the most consistent votes for gun control in the house. While these connections do not prove that Edwards agrees with all positions of the deceptive AHSA and DCS, these close ties are at best extremely troubling, and for me raise questions about Mr. Edwards’ ethics. http://www.snubnose.info/wordpress/rkba/john-edwards-on-gun-control/

[Rhino]

The simple truth is that John Edwards is anything but the populist charmer the Kerry campaign would have you believe. Edwards` standard stump speech revolves around the concept of "Two Americas," but it would be more accurate to examine his record from the perspective of the Two John Edwards--the easygoing Southern country boy versus the shrewd, calculating trial lawyer with national aspirations.

Only the latter shows up on Edwards` voting record. Consider in particular the Senate debate over S. 659 (S. 1805), legislation to block the baseless lawsuits that are designed to bankrupt the gun industry.

On March 2, 2004, when John Kerry staked his campaign on a high-profile appearance in the Senate to sabotage S. 659 at every opportunity, Edwards was making himself rather somewhat scarce. He surfaced only to vote in favor of continuing the Clinton gun ban and in favor of the amendment to ban gun shows. On all other recorded votes during the day, including the vote on final passage of the bill, Edwards was nowhere to be seen. Was Edwards unwilling to offend his fat-cat base of trial lawyers, or did he simply prefer not to cast votes that might undercut the credibility of his down-home country boy routine?

Most likely both factors were in play. We have to look earlier in his record to see his true leanings on the issues, before he began to apply the filter of his national aspirations to his true positions on the issues. What we see helps explain why North Carolina voters are unwilling to give Edwards majority support.

In the early years of his Senate career, Edwards voted to "commend" the Million Mom March, to end private sales at gun shows, and to maintain long-term federal registration of gun buyer records. He voted for national registration of all gun show vendors, and voted to ban importation of ammunition magazines. There wasn`t much in the way of gun control legislation that Edwards didn`t support.

What`s he against? He voted against increasing penalties for illegal firearms transfers. He opposed funding to hire additional prosecutors to prosecute drug cases, and opposed federal prosecution of juvenile offenders aged 14 or older.

He voted against the nomination of Attorney General John Ashcroft, who went on to establish new government policy confirming the Second Amendment as an individual right. But he voted for so-called campaign finance "reform," which established unprecedented censorship on the NRA`s right to political free speech.

In all, Edwards voted against gun owners--or didn`t show up to vote at all--83% of the time. This is an anti-gun record by any estimation, but let`s see if Edwards` Southern charade continued on hunting issues......http://www.nraila.org/Issues/Articles/Read.aspx?id=142&issue=019

[mkafrica]

Thanks guys, and thanks Rhino, for linking those articles! The manner in which I was told that Edwards was good on gun rights kind of left me doubtful, and I just needed confirmation for my gut instincts... :)

[Lazarus]

Anyone who supports a ban on assault weapons understands NOTHING about the 2nd Amendment or its purpose, and is in fact a threat to our very freedom because they don't understand or believe in the right of the people to throw off an oppressive government when it becomes tyranny...

Anyone who cites the 2nd Amendment as being a guarantee of the right of sport shooting or hunting only reduces the Constitution to a promise of "bread and circus"...