American gun owners wary of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump—who as early as 2000 supported an “assault weapons” ban as well as longer waiting periods for gun purchases—received a vote of confidence today from America’s largest gun rights group: the National Rifle Association.
“On behalf of the thousands of patriots in this room, and the five million NRA members across this country, and the tens of millions who support us, I’m officially announcing the NRA’s endorsement of Donald Trump for president,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the NRA-ILA. “We have to unite, and we have to unite right now,” he said.
Trump followed the endorsement with a speech designed to both re-assert his support of gun rights and remind the pro-Second Amendment community of Hillary Clinton’s avowed hatred of the individual right to keep and bear arms.
“I will not let you down. Remember that. I will not let you down,” he said. “Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment. We’re not talking about changing—she wants to abolish the Second Amendment. We’re not going to let that happen.”
Trump jumped back and forth between a pre-written speech and his usual off-the-cuff technique. That he ever referred to a script is significant and, according to one report, suggests that Trump knows how important the pro-gun community’s support is to his continued success.
“It’s so important to me I wrote it down,” he said, referring to his remarks on gun rights.
Trump began by mentioning his sons’ well-known enthusiasm for guns as well as his long-time membership in the NRA.
“My sons have been members of the NRA for many, many years. They have so many rifles and so many guns, sometimes even I get a little bit concerned,” Trump joked.
“They know so much about [firearms], and really they’re surrogates,” he continued. “They go around and speak, and every time they speak to a gun organization, people call me and they say, ‘You’re boys and great boys and, boy, do they know their business.’ It’s one of those things, and that’s just the way we want it.”
Trump also mentioned the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, noting that there were “no guns on the other side.”
“If you would have had guns on the other side, if I took a couple of these folks in here, I promise there wouldn’t have been 130 killed and hundreds lying in the hospital, it might not have happened.”
The majority of his remarks on firearms, however, revolved around Hillary Clinton and her fight to increase gun control across the country.
“The Second Amendment is under a threat like never before,” he said. “Crooked Hillary Clinton is the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate ever to run for office.”
To “crooked” he added “heartless” and “hypocrite,” noting Clinton’s desire to disarm women in high-crime neighborhoods while simultaneously enjoying the benefit of 24/7 armed security.
“Americans use guns to defend themselves against violent crime more than a million times a year,” he noted. “Heartless hypocrites like the Clintons want to… get rid of guns, and yet they have bodyguards who have guns. I think we should… let their bodyguards immediately disarm, and let’s see how they feel walking around without the guns on their bodyguards.”
Finally, Trump reminded his audience that the next president will be able to nominate as many as five Supreme Court justices over the next four years, which could decide the future of gun rights for generations to come. That’s why, according to Trump, “the Second Amendment is on the ballot in November.”
“The only way to save our Second Amendment is to vote for a person that you all know named Donald Trump. I will never let you down. I will protect our Second Amendment.”
Why are we looking at a post that centers around 2016? Trump is conservative, a la salutes military and the flag, moved embassy to Jerusalem, strongly pro-life, strongly anti-one-world-order, against government handouts, and damn near an economic isolationist. Anybody who thinks he now is in any way liberal is unbelievably uneducated and an utter fool.
I want to call BS on the whole nomination process so far this year. Certainly, there are real candidates out there, somewhere. I mean really, Donald Trump the incoherent? Hillary Clinton, the Liar’s wife? Screw this, I call a National Do-Over day.
If being “incoherent” is all that Trump is guilty of, then we’re good. I’m so tired of all the polished, well-spoken politician/traitors that we have had over the last several decades and in particular the last two election cycles who, with their rehearsed scripts and memorized talking points, really were two-faced liars and do nothing to uphold the Constitution.
And obviously, his message on several points is getting across quite clearly, your opinion of him being “incoherent” or not.
Anyone backing Trump, including NRA, is unbelievably stupid and if he wins, America will get what it deserves
Hey Dave put a sock on it..
jack
DAVE! you and those like you are the problem BUTT HOLE
One thing for sure, this election process has and will continue to be interesting to say the least! The real problem that no one is really looking at is what brought us here, or has forgotten We as citizens of these United States, have allowed the government to slowly but surely take over so many aspects of our lives in the name of safety and security, for the common good, in the end we will have none! We have had so many illegals, from all over the world, in this country that 50 years ago we would’ve declared it an invasion. We have allowed government to not only infringed upon out 2nd amendment rights, since 1934, that now the government and politicians openly speak out to take it completely away! We were warned so long ago, about a hundred years ago, about the communist saying they would take American down,”without firing a shot” also telling us that if they cannot vote openly for a communist, they will vote democrat, showing us how closely tied together they are. Then we also have the likes of B. Sanders who already tells us what he is! What has brought us even to be discussing this is Apathy, lack of real involvement and depending on the government to do things for us, that we should be doing, not only for ourselves but our fellow human counter parts who are Americans just because they are! America was not designed that way and our forefathers did not intend for us to go down the path we are not only headed in, but in! History shows us what to avoid but we always seem to never listen and repeat the very things that should be avoided, if we will just stop and do our part as real American’s, to uphold, defend and protect the constitution against All Enemies, foreign and domestic. This is the very corner stone of the building of the house of America, Americas commandments if you will, written in stone, the last vestige of Freedom in the world! The government and our apathy has lowered the very freedom to become a citizen of these United States to something that can be given away, by bad government, to anyone who walks, sneaks and or smuggles across our border, instead of fighting, earning and doing what is necessary to prove they are who they are and will declare their allegiance to this country and what it stands for, renouncing allegiance to the country they ran from and not being a worm or leech on our society! We must always first and foremost remember why we have a constitution in the first place and that the 9th amendment reminds us “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”
This should be at the forefront in our minds that by virtue of the Bill of Rights and our constitution should never be seen as a document that grants to the people of the United States only the specific rights it addressed, it is affirming the existence of such “unenumerated” rights outside those expressly protected by the Bill of Rights, there is not enough paper to write them down on! Any human right we let slip by and through our fingers, is just another victory for those that would do us harm! We are only as free as “We The People” allow government to control, not grant of deny freedoms! Think about it! God Bless America!
Trump wont be bad for 2a rights his sons are both avid sportsman and so was their grandfather. Do some research of your own it wont take long to find out they fly fish,and hunt.
Personally I do not believe we currently have a choice for President. Hillary cannot be trusted to protect the Constitution, and Donald cannot complete a sentence. Neither will adhere to the origins of the document, or its principals. I was taught by my parents that the Constitution would not have been ratified if not for the inclusion of the Bill Of Rights. No ten amendments, no ratification. No ratification = no government. Remove any of the first ten amendments and you have no Federal Government. So any anti-amendment talk by any Federal Government figure means that they are violating the “Oath of Office” they have given to the people. At that point they should be removed from office and face trial for treason. Should the Congress repeal any of the first amendments, our United States of America, no longer exist, and we become just 50 independent Countries.
Since when does “finish a sentence” becomes a qualification for POTUS? We have had and currently have hundreds and thousands of politicians across the country at various levels who can certainly craft a wonderful, complete sentence and look what it has gotten us! Really, the trivial complaints about Trump cause me to shake my head. We’ve had “polished” and “presidential” candidates so many times, and look what it has gotten us! You want more of the same? This is more of what the Founding Fathers had in mind–they did not envision professional politicians to be “serving” our country.
This who Donald Trump is, if he would be bad for gun rights and the constitution why are his sons avid hunters and anglers? There grandfather was also an avid hunter.
http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-sportsman-hunts-with-trumps-sons-calls-them-authentic-blue-collar-kids
I don’t agree. Trump is no liberal. You show me a billionaire and I’ll show you he ain’t a liberal. You’re ridiculous thinking that way. Trump has a NY concealed weapons permit, and carries a Colt snub-nosed Detective Special, has for years. Does Hillary? She hires her guns… No sir, Trump is no bad choice, he’s out to clean up the special interest groups that plague Congress with lobbyist’s. Hillary is Monsanto’s bitch… She does as she’s told by them, a Saudi prince, Bayer and DowChemical… BigPharma… Trump is not Bribable, is not Buyable, and is not Swayable by outside forces…
I second that! I Second Amendment that!
I come from a family of Southern Democrats that voted for John Kennedy, but after he was assinatted the Democrats became DEMONCRATS and I switched to INDEPENDENT becasue of the 2nd Amendment and DEMONCRATS insistence on trashing our venerable GUN RIGHTS!
I believed in Reagan until he turned Communist and signed the 1986 Gun Control Act that tried to stop the manufacture of full auto weapons except for the military and police and other restrictions!
Here is what I believe: Any law or codified rule that RESTRICTS Law Abiding Citizens from OWNING (KEEP) or carrying any firearm concealed or otherwise (BEAR) is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and I don’t give a damn what a bunch of pompous fat lawyers protected by personal security think!!
Can I get an AMEN??
Yup. You can… Amen!
If he does half of what he says he’s going to do then we are better off. If you vote for anyone else you are assured our guns will be gone.
Unfortunately, it sure looks that way Tim ;-(
Think the NRA made the pragmatic best choice. Trump is obviously not be the most pro-gun candidate we could have hoped for. However, like it or not, he’s going to be the Republican candidate for president and he has a chance of winning in November. Endorsing a third party candidate would have been tantamount to endorsing Hillary Clinton. Do I trust him, no. I think he’s a snake who will say whatever he thinks people want to hear. Still, in a race between him and Clinton, he is far and away the lesser of two evils.
Agree with Tim and Paul. As is befitting for politics, the choice usually comes down to the lesser of two evils. Without a doubt, Hilary would be far worse for 2A rights, and Bernie has turned from his previous A- rating from the NRA to a solid F. There is no other choice, and apathy is basically a vote for HilBill.
If they try and take our guns,and those who don’t turn them in will be in the millions .How are they going to handle A million felons with guns?
I agree, give him the benefit of the doubt. Look at the other options we have. A scatterbrained socialist and a lying pig named killary. You know they will take guns. Like other politicians their beliefs change upon being shown new and different options.
A lot of guys/gals forget that he carries concealed on ‘occasion’…. We all know how the Dem-side feels about 2A, their position will never change…. lets give Trump the benefit of the doubt….
I don’t believe him — I don’t trust him. Trump lies constantly; he’s taken multiple positions on too many issues, saying whatever he thinks the audience of the day wants to hear; his political history, until recently, has been liberal-Democrat and anti-gun. He may be less destructive to the country than Hillary, or he may not, since no one really knows where he stands due to his failure to display any unchanging principles.
We seem to have a choice coming in November between a known disaster, and a possible one (the Wicked Witch of the West vs the Flim-Flam Man). I hope Trump proves me wrong and moves the country back toward the sort of individual liberty and limited government the Constitution defines, if he’s elected. But, he’s shown no inclination in that direction so far — I won’t believe it unless I see it in action.
There was another Democrat turned Actor Turned Republican that stabbed all gun owners in the back with the 1986 FOPA.
In his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve” Trump wrote that he supports a ban on assault weapons and a slightly longer waiting period to buy a gun.
This is what the NRA has backed.
support who they are now not what they used to be. i’m a mostly single issue voter and thats the main reason i’m voting for Trump.
Hello , We all need to listen before we talk.I can tell you first hand i was at an anti safe act rally in new york.Mr. Trump spoke against ,the ANTI SAFE ACT, Long before running for office.He has a carry permit in new york.He is a good man.He is there for the peaple.
Trump no peach but Clinton is rotting fruit
> “It’s so important to me I wrote it down,” he said, referring to his remarks on gun rights.
~ He’s so clueless regarding gun rights and the Constitution, that he has to have others tell him what to say in order to lie with precision
Ok, he promises not to “abolish” the 2A, but – like the NRA who endorses him – is not opposed to negotiate away key aspects of its defensive purposes.
Socialists are permitted to comment here? His understanding of the 2A is far better than your understanding if him.Take your Bernie Sanders T-shirt off and learn something about the man, and his family. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Trump is the liberal with new york values. The nra is just a bunch of lobbiest. Grover Norquist?
Trump is a LIBERAL, not a conservative, he does not espouse the values of the Constitution, or the NRA. Unfortunately he is the only choice we have. Once again America has been sold an empty package by the media.
Mark, you clearly have done no research on the man. You are speaking without intelligence and clearly without doing your own research. If you actually take the time to understand who Trump is, I promise you, what you know about him is what you’ve been fed, not what you know.
Sorry man, but if you’re supporting Trump, you don’t get to play the intelligence card. He is an authoritarian who will sell your civil rights down the river without thinking twice about it. Why? Because to him, you’re an insect. He couldn’t care less about the constitution, or your liberty, or your right to do anything. That said, I suspect that he would not attack gun rights with even a fraction of the fervor that Hillary would. So, in that regard, I guess he’s not all bad.
Mr. Fret, why don’t you provide some supporting details? You don’t have any, and I guess it was just pure chance that he’s officially the nominee knocking out how many other naysayers? As already stated, anyone who really understands the man knows you haven’t done your homework. Going off sound bites generated by the liberal media or more likely by Super PAC efforts supporting people like Crews, or Kasich is not doing your homework. I understand you’re pissed off that Crews didn’t make the cut or perhaps because that boring pancake stuffer, John Kasich also failed miserably, but it’s time to move on, my friend. And please, do some damn bare-bones research – read between the lines! Donald is brilliant in a way you are completely failing to recognize. He’s one of us in more ways than you think.
“reading between the lines” is half the explanation that can only make sense why anyone resembling a conservative would support tRump. They must be filling in what they want to hear into the massive gaps surrounding the tiny bits that tRump actually articulates.
“Make America great again” and all of a sudden 16,000 different views of what that means gets inserted and overlaid and misinterpreted by each person that thinks he’s agreeing with them. He speaks in phrases and slogans that allow misinterpretation by the duped masses.
One needs only to listen to tRump himself, past and present, pay attention to the substance (if any) that he actually articulates, while also paying attention to what he dodges and turns into self-confessed hyperbole, to discern that he’s a huckster, playing out his reality tv personna on the campaign trail.
Suckers.
“Mr. Fret???” Have you never seen Star Wars? Whatever. Moving on…
If you require somebody to hand feed you examples, then you’re not paying attention. But since you asked, here’s a perfect example (one of MANY) taken directly from one of his speeches:
“We have to talk to them, maybe in certain areas, closing that internet up in some way. And people will say, ‘Oooooh, freedom of speech! Freedom of speech!’ These are foolish people. We have a lot of foolish people.”
No man who understands the value of liberty; has any grasp whatsoever on its nature, or its inextricable utility in the pursuit of happiness would ever dream of uttering those words. Trump is not brilliant. He’s a power-hungry narcissist who wants to control you. I don’t read or listen to any liberal media outlet. I support libertarian ideologies. I never supported Cruz or Kasich, so I couldn’t care less that they dropped out.
If you think I need to read between the lines, I’d suggest you need to first read the lines themselves, starting with those of our Declaration of Independence, then the Constitution, then the Federalist Papers, then, hell, throw in some Foucault, Bastiat… the list goes on and on. Then… wait for it… think. Then talk to me about ‘reading between the lines.’
You’re years behind and you don’t even know it. I’m done with you.
I can picture Hillary and Slickwilly in a foxhole next to me talking to Jane Fonda on her cell phone! I will vote for Mr. Trump!!! Yes, I am a VietNam Army vet and proud to serve the U S A !!!!!
Come on now, we know Willy would have dodged that 🙂
I come from the Chinese mainland, because I like pistols, so I registered. In this life, I will not have a gun
Well that’s nice!
Confucius says: WTF are you talking about.
Hahahahahahahaha…….I thought the same thing!!
Huh? Did that make sense to Anyone??
Maybe it’s just me..?
Congratulations, NRA. You have just been conned by the barker outside a freak show.
So, will you jump off the roof when he proves you wrong? Or would you rather they support Monica’s suck toy’s wife?
I’ll vote Trump. I’m a life NRA and GOA member.
Look, Trump may not be the “dream” candidate for conservatives(which I am), but if the “Never Trump” types don’t get on board, THEY will be the reason our country is lost. Too many decent, conservative folks have endorsed Trump for me to believe he is a plant. We have been electing politicians….Look where that’s gotten us!!! Another politician is NOT what we need to elect. However bad you might think Trump will be……Hillary will be unquestionably worse…..she will be the end of our freedoms and country. The possibility of Supreme Court Justice appointees ALONE should be enough reason to vote for Trump. So get over yourselves….get over the fact that he’s not perfect…..and do what’s right for our country!!!! VOTE FOR TRUMP!!!! Vote for Trump, or truly ALL IS LOST. This IS make or break for our country.
Go drink your name.
Your comment is no surprise coming from your own name. Time to get out of the past. Both parties are realizing they truly do not know their voter base, and are being userped by outside candidates appealing to the forgotten voters.
This means that unfortunately I agree with Draino. At this point, I’d vote for Mickey Mouse over Hillary. And Trump is who we get. At least he is an outsider and will make things interesting for the ruling elite. Same with Bernie, he is equally as interesting in that sense. Will they get anything done outside their parties lines? Nah…
tRump = outsider.
LOL, smh
Political buyer becoming political seller x=x outsider.
A crass bafoon.
Of course all of the adults in the world are worried about the belligerent narcissist greedy arrogant clueless spoiled brat sitting at the table.
If you’re a Conservative, and you want a conservative directing this nations affairs, then Trump is your only choice! If you don’t want Hillary Clinton as President, and you don’t want liberal-minded politicians running things, Trump is your best choice!
That’s what it boils down to, if you don’t want Hillary, you mustn’t waste your vote on anyone else… Vote Trump!
blame those who vote for Hillary for getting her elected.
Not those with enough discernment to see that tRump isn’t the right guy to vote for.
I draw the line this year of not voting for the lesser of two evils, as they both seem evil to me, as far as the presidency goes.
Maybe if Hillary’s elected, we can make inroads in Congress with more conservatives elected (real, not RINOs).
One prediction is if tRump’s elected as Republican, that the lash back will materialize as voting liberals into Congress.
Either way, blame those for how they vote for, not for not voting against someone.
Sorry but your reply is complete BS. The stupid 2 party system is what we have. Take a dose of reality and understand that there are only 2 choices; Trump or Hillary. Investigate what each stands for rather than listen other people’s opinions then vote for the one that most closely aligns with your beliefs.
If you don’t vote then you are accepting what everyone else decides and you have forfeited your right to complain about anything related to politics.
And get off the stupid soap box of Trump said something liberal in the past. Have you ever changed your mind on anything? Have you ever been presented with facts or evidence that caused you to change your point of view? I doubt you can answer no to both of those questions so stop with the Trump said something liberal 16 years ago.
I know I have done some dumb things 16, 20, 40, 50 years ago but I know better now. I remember about 10 years ago that I used to think Chris Matthews made sense. So stop acting like you are perfect and have never changed your mind about anything.
In my opinion, Trump will be good for the country. He already has all the world leaders nervous because they know he is going to shake up the Status Quo and hold them accountable when they don’t keep up their end of the bargain.
I hope to vote, but it’ll probably either be a write-in or for a third party.
If Hillary’s elected, it’ll be no more my fault for not voting against Hillary, than it will be the fault of everyone not voting for the third party.
The Hillary voters bear the blame for Hillary’s election.
I’ll not vote for Hitler (tRump) to try to defeat Stalin (Hillary).
WOW!!!! You are truely one of the stupid idiots that will make it a Clinton presidency. You eF’n morons are clueless.
You can blame the nevertrump group all you’d like. The primary voters that put this childish lying lifelong liberal into this spot OWN what happens come November. Stow the tired argument of ‘not voting for x is a vote for y’. If Trump was such a winner, you don’t need the votes of all of us who can’t fathom voting for either of these two liberals. One simply lies to you that he is not, while the other tries to prove how much of one she is.
At the first off ramp for this stance he gets, he will bail on the NRA if he ends up in office and end up doing the same things Hillary will. There is no difference. If you haven’t noticed at this point he doesn’t hold firm to any position, you haven’t been paying attention.
It’s this type of mentality that has us stuck with our ridiculous 2-party system! If people would get their heads out of the sand and actually research their options, they’d realize there are more than 2 candidates. Vote for someone that stands for what you believe in, NOT the lesser of 2 evils.
Screw the democrats. Screw the republicans. In fact, screw labels at all! Just tell me what you stand for and I’ll decide who gets my vote. I refuse to vote on some party line for someone I cannot stand just to avoid someone worse! If people actually voted how they wanted, the 2-party system would dissolve and we’d start moving back in the right direction.