As a general rule of thumb, Obama should never accuse anyone else of fear mongering.
WASHINGTON — President Obama made one thing clear Wednesday: He’s losing the gun control battle to the National Rifle Association.
Speaking before a crowd of uniformed Denver police officers, Obama ticked through a list of NRA’s objections to universal background checks, pleading with them and Congress, to have an adult conversation with him.
While Obama said both sides of the gun debate are to blame for intransigence, he accused the NRA, without naming the powerful gun lobby, of playing to people’s worst fears about the government.
And Obama acknowledged that what he’s doing isn’t popular with Congress, where several Senate Democrats from conservative states have yet to sign on to support a universal background checks proposal.
He cited the high approval ratings for his reforms among the American people and gun owners – the very people he was addressing – while Congress remains wary. The Senate is expected to consider a background checks bill next week.