I need help, re: guns and gun control.

[benEzra]

30. It mostly stems from the DLC/Third Way blitz on the "assault weapon" fraud in the '90s through '04.

A lot of the DNC/DLC leadership at that time didn't realize that "assault weapon" was scare-speak for popular civilian rifles or any civilian gun holding over 10 rounds (e.g., most midsize and full-size 9mm's and .40's, among other things) and the backlash among gun owners of all political stripes was immense, even among long-time Dems.

Obama came out of that background and made some intemperate statements about banning "assault weapons" prior to becoming President, but later backed way off the issue (and told AG Holder and congressional Dems to STFU when they started making noises about a new ban in '09) and for the most part has been a rather pro-gun President, as the AHSA (DLC affiliated shooting group) predicted.

FWIW, you could point out that Romney would be worse on guns, I think. Here's what Romney said about the most popular civilian target rifles and defensive carbines in the United States:

These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.

--Mitt Romney, 2004

Obama signed the law reauthorizing licensed carry in National Parks (Reagan had banned it) and the law allowing gun owners to transport unloaded guns in checked baggage on Amtrak trains like we've always done on airlines, so he has hardly been in the pockets of the gun-control lobby---much to their chagrin.