Group uses Reagan shooting to push tougher gun laws

A pro-gun-control group is using footage of the attempted assassination of President Reagan in a new ad. 

The ad from the United Network of Rational Americans uses the footage to argue expanded background checks might have prevented John Hinckley Jr. from shooting the president. It also says Reagan himself made that argument. 

"President Reagan believed something could have prevented the attack," the ad's narrator says. "Ten years later, he wrote the attack might never have happened if a bill requiring background checks had been law."

Hinckley shot Reagan 32 years ago this week despite the presence of armed Secret Service agents and police, the group notes. He was later found not guilty by reason of insanity in the shooting, which injured four. Reagan suffered a punctured lung and press secretary James Brady was left paralyzed.

The ad cites a 1991 op-ed by Reagan in support of the Brady Bill, named for his press secretary. That legislation requires a background check on individuals who purchase weapons from a federally licensed dealer. Next month, the Senate will consider legislation that would expand background checks to private and gun show sales.

The use of the Reagan footage could inflame an already divisive debate. United Network of Rational Americans was founded by Scott Crider, an activist who made headlines with the "Dogs Against Romney" group during the 2012 presidential campaign. That group staged events that mocked the Republican presidential nominee over an incident where the Romney family took a road trip with their Irish Setter placed in a carrier on top of their car.

"Thirty-two years ago this week, President Ronald Reagan was shot by a mentally disturbed man," Crider said in a statement posted to Facebook. "The best armed security in the world couldn't prevent it."

In an event Thursday at the White House, President Obama asked supporters to pressure their members of Congress to support an expansion of background checks.

“If they're not part of that 90 percent that agree that we should make it harder for a criminal or someone with a severe mental illness to get a gun, you should ask them why not," Obama said.

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Obama in South Korea is no Reagan in Reykjavik

One the arguments Mitt Romney’s opponents have against him was defined by Romney’s own campaign’s “etch-a-sketch” comment. No one seems to know what Mitt Romney really stands for and the etch-a-sketch comment gave a visual image, created by Romney’s own campaign, to drive home the lack of trust in Mitt Romney.

With an open microphone, Barack Obama has now done the same to himself. One of the arguments Barack Obama’s opponents make is that after this next election, Obama will not have to worry about public support for his actions. Without having to worry about losing an election, the President who has already gone to war against religious groups, dragged his feet on oil drilling expansion, and sought to destroy private health care for American citizens will be even more emboldened to bring his European style socialist vision for America to reality.

Speaking before a live mic to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, President Obama explained to him that he and the Russians could find common ground, but Vladimir Putin would have to give President Obama “space” until after the election. Medvedev questions what President Obama meant about “space.” President Obama responded, “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.”

Just as Romney’s words reinforce people’s fears that he will say or do anything to get elected, President Obama’s words reinforce people’s fears that should he win re-election, he will say and do whatever the hell he wants since the voters won’t be able to toss him out of office.

More than that though, contrast Barack Obama dealing with the latest iteration of Russian thugocracy to Ronald Reagan dealing with the communists. In Reykjavik, Reagan was willing to walk away from the table to preserve his promises. In Seoul, Barack Obama just wants to appear to walk away from the table until after re-election. Reagan stood against the communists in Russia. Barack Obama is perfectly willing to stand with the Russian thugocracy, but they need to give him space until after the election.

If Republicans need a defining theme of who Barack Obama really is, that theme is increasingly clear. He is a man who wants it both ways on every issue, which ultimately makes the nation a loser.

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