In Magazine Interview, Kerry Says He Owns Assault Rifle

[LiviaOlivia]

The New York Times
September 26, 2004
FIREARMS
In Magazine Interview, Kerry Says He Owns Assault Rifle
By JODI WILGOREN

Senator John Kerry, a hunter who supported the recently expired assault weapons ban, frequently tells audiences he has never met anyone who wanted to use an AK-47 to shoot a deer. But it is not clear what Mr. Kerry does with the Chinese assault rifle he told Outdoor Life magazine he kept in his personal collection.

In interviews appearing in the October issue of Outdoor Life, Mr. Kerry and President Bush were asked whether they were gun owners, and, if so, to identify their favorite gun.

Mr. Bush named the Weatherby 20 gauge (although he gave a slightly different answer in a separate chat with Field and Stream magazine.) Mr. Kerry's answer was more complicated. "My favorite gun is the M-16 that saved my life and that of my crew in Vietnam," Mr. Kerry told the magazine. "I don't own one of those now, but one of my reminders of my service is a Communist Chinese assault rifle."

Mr. Kerry's campaign would not say what model rifle Mr. Kerry was referring to, where he got it and when, or how many guns he owned. A spokesman for the senator, Michael Meehan, said Mr. Kerry was a registered gun owner in Massachusetts. On Thursday morning, Mr. Meehan said he had not been able to ask Mr. Kerry about the rifle because of Mr. Kerry's hoarse voice; he did not respond to further inquiries.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/politics/campaign/26guns.html

[amlouden]

1. he was in vietnam

maybe it was a souvenir?

[FeebMaster]

2. More likely he bought it after he came back

since that would have been legal.

[FeebMaster]

3. Uh oh. Now you've gone and done it.

Brace yourself for random accusations of "bashing" Kerry and possibly even claims of parroting of NRA talking points. Don't pay too much attention to them, though. The people who will be making them don't like guns or gun owners. Some of them will even have you believe that all gun owners are racists.

[Fescue4u]

4. I think its great that he owns assault rifles

Maybe that'll help shutup so many of his critics that say he anti-gun.

[Speak no evil]

5. Guns or owners?

"Maybe that'll help shutup so many of his critics that say he anti-gun."

Others might say Kerry is not against guns, as long as they are not held by the people.

[Fescue4u]

6. Unfortunately both sides practice a bit of elitism

You've got Bush sitting in DC with a war trophy handgun from Saddam. As we know, handguns have been banned for a couple decades in DC.

In DC, only cops, government officials and criminals are allowed to have guns. (With bush fulfilling the last two categorys)

[FatSlob]

7. Hopefully freedom will soon be restored in DC.

I hear that Congress is looking at repealing all the Draconian gun laws in the District. Hopefully, the same will happen in NY, NJ, Maryland, California and others.

[Lefty48197]

10. Don't hold your breath. Those "pro gun" right wing legislators

are most interested in cutting taxes for the rich, while cutting wages for the workers. Those are the most important things for the "pro gun" legislators.

[MrSandman]

11. According to Meatloaf...

"2 out of 3 ain't bad"

[Lefty48197]

9. You mean like Wayne LaPierre, that stupid assed leader of the NRA right?

And what about all those stupid NRA members that say the same things, because Wayne has told them to think and say those things?

[Speak no evil]

12. That seems to be the conclusion they have reached

after looking at Kerry's voting record in the senate.

[Fescue4u]

13. You mean like Sarah Brady, that stupid assed leader of the HCI right?

With all stupid HCI'ers that say the same things, because Sarah brady has told them think and say those things.

[MrBenchley]

8. Third bite of the apple....

and from Jody Wilgoren no less....

[Redneck Socialist]

14. Didn't we cover this already? n/t

[LiviaOlivia]

15. This story in error. NY Times issues clarification

see LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x867161