Obama to fight for gun control
President says he’ll use his ‘full weight’
WASHINGTON – Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first-graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama pledged to put his “full weight” behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence.
Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association’s proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The president made his comments Saturday in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Instead, the president vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence, adding that he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity bullet magazines. He left no doubt it will be one of his top priorities next year.
“It is not enough for us to say, ‘This is too hard so we’re not going to try,’” Obama said.
“I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can’t have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high-capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids,” he added. “And, yes, it’s going to be hard.”
The president added that he’s ready to meet with Republicans and Democrats, anyone with a stake in the issue. Obama seemed unimpressed by the NRA proposal. “I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools,” he said. “And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem.”
The president said he intends to press the issue with the public.