Bloomberg vs. Bob: Yes, It's Largely Politics

By: Lowell
Published On: 5/17/2007 7:30:12 AM

Here's the analysis of reporter Tim Craig in today's Washington Post of the spat over guns between two Republicans - Mayor Bloomberg of New York and Virginia's Attorney General Bob McDonnell (bolding added for emphasis):

... hey, this is Virginia, home to the National Rifle Association and hundreds of thousands of gun owners. Virginians in most parts of the state like their guns, despite what the Europeans or those New Yorkers say.

That is why McDonnell, a possible candidate for governor in 2009, scored a big political victory last week by provoking a fight with Bloomberg. McDonnell got to burnish his credentials with the gun groups that make up a significant portion of the Republican base that will decide the GOP nominee for governor.

During his 2005 bid for attorney general, McDonnell became the second statewide Republican candidate in 15 years who didn't win the NRA's endorsement. >b?The NRA, upset that McDonnell had supported the 1993 one-handgun-a-month law, instead threw its support behind Democrat R. Creigh Deeds, a state senator from Bath.

Now, McDonnell's a hero for standing up to Bloomberg.

So, congratulations to our hero, Bob McDonnell, for standing up to big, bad Mayor Bloomberg and his dastardly ways. :)  According to RPV blogger Shaun Kenney, it's "[s]core one for individual rights."  Perhaps.  But more likely, it's "score one for Bob McDonnell in his race against Bill Bolling for the 2009 Republican gubernatorial nomination."  That's right, what's going on here is largely politics.  There's nothing sinister about that, but let's just be clear and not make this more than it is.  Tougher gun laws play well in New York City, they don't play well in much of Virginia. Wha next: the pastrami sandwich kurfluffle? :)

Comments



Duh (novamiddleman - 5/17/2007 8:06:08 AM)
It's always about politics :-)

P.S. the gun issue plays slightly differently in Virgina vs New York or even RoVa vs NoVa.

Thats why Deeds does what he does. 

Now, Chap is running into a problem because he has a Virginia or RoVa position and is running in NoVa.

Chap should be challenging JMDD in the republican primary
:-p



yeah, and that NRA endorsement did so much good (LAS - 5/17/2007 10:23:07 AM)
for Creigh Deeds. How much money did they throw his way, again? How much money did they give to the Republican party which in turn gave it to other Republican candidates, like McDonnell?


That's because the NRA is really (Lowell - 5/17/2007 10:40:06 AM)
a pro-Republican organization more than it is a pro-gun organization.  They "endorsed" Deeds but didn't do squat for him.  Of course not, he's a Democrat!


"Score one for individual rights?" (LAS - 5/17/2007 10:21:27 AM)
What a load of crap. Let's be clear here: these were gun shop owners who were caught on tape knowingly selling guns to straw purchasers. They were breaking the law. That has got squat to do with individual rights and everything with the pursuit of the almightly dollar, regardless of the law.

What has this got to do with whether or not you like guns? I thought it was about the law. 22 guns from the Richmond gun shop have been used in crimes in NYC--some of them murders. The gun shop owner says he's not responsible--but how can that be if he knowingly sells guns to straw purchasers?

I guess it doesn't matter that these guns are used commit crimes elsewhere in America--are not New Yorkers Americans? I guess not; screw them. I suppose they have it coming for being "yankees."



Dealers didn't break the law (countertop - 5/24/2007 11:11:24 AM)
I have no idea how you can say they clearly and knowingly broke the law...when the whole idea of a straw purchase is to avoid making yourself known as a lawbreaker to the gun shop.  The dealers all obeyed the law, running all necessary background checks and receiving all the necessary information.  The only party who broke the law was Mr. Bloomberg's agents who falsely filled out BOTH the federal firearms purchase forms AND the state forms, signing each under penalty of prison.