Kerry chides Bush over weapons ban

WASHINGTON – Senator John Kerry sought to make President George W Bush pay a political price for the expiration of a partial assault weapons ban, but other Democrats reacted warily on an issue that has hurt the party in recent elections.

“George Bush made a choice today. He chose his powerful friends in the gun lobby over the police officers and the families he promised to protect,” the Democratic presidential candidate said yesterday, a few hours after the end of a decade-old ban on 19 types of military-style weapons.Half a continent away, the issue seemed different to Democratic Reppresentative Brad Carson of Oklahoma, a key figure in his party’s drive to gain a Senate majority this fall.”He opposes reauthorisation of the assault weapons ban,” said spokesman Kristopher Eisenla.”He is a champion and a supporter of gun owners’ rights.”The party’s divisions were on display in the House, as well.There, Carolyn McCarthy, a New York Democrat, and others called for a new ban – at a news conference that none of the party’s top congressional leaders attended.”It’s an issue that cuts both ways,” said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.The California lawmaker supports the ban but has not made its extension a priority.Five years ago, then-Vice President Al Gore cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate in favour of a provision requiring background checks for all firearms transactions at gun shows and pawn shops.Republican aides said at the time they had maneuvered the vice president into the vote.Some Democrats concurred that Gore’s high-profile support for gun control played a role in his narrow defeat in the race for the White House.Not all Democrats in Southern or Western states or House districts oppose the ban – just as some moderate Republicans favour a new one.”I side with law enforcement, police chiefs, police officers and the sheriffs in supporting the ban,” said Paul Babbitt, running against first-term Republican Rick Renzi in a sprawling Arizona district.- Nampa-APHe chose his powerful friends in the gun lobby over the police officers and the families he promised to protect,” the Democratic presidential candidate said yesterday, a few hours after the end of a decade-old ban on 19 types of military-style weapons.Half a continent away, the issue seemed different to Democratic Reppresentative Brad Carson of Oklahoma, a key figure in his party’s drive to gain a Senate majority this fall.”He opposes reauthorisation of the assault weapons ban,” said spokesman Kristopher Eisenla.”He is a champion and a supporter of gun owners’ rights.”The party’s divisions were on display in the House, as well.There, Carolyn McCarthy, a New York Democrat, and others called for a new ban – at a news conference that none of the party’s top congressional leaders attended.”It’s an issue that cuts both ways,” said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.The California lawmaker supports the ban but has not made its extension a priority.Five years ago, then-Vice President Al Gore cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate in favour of a provision requiring background checks for all firearms transactions at gun shows and pawn shops.Republican aides said at the time they had maneuvered the vice president into the vote.Some Democrats concurred that Gore’s high-profile support for gun control played a role in his narrow defeat in the race for the White House.Not all Democrats in Southern or Western states or House districts oppose the ban – just as some moderate Republicans favour a new one.”I side with law enforcement, police chiefs, police officers and the sheriffs in supporting the ban,” said Paul Babbitt, running against first-term Republican Rick Renzi in a sprawling Arizona district.- Nampa-AP