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The TV today has been alive with stories about the POTUS' address tonight coupled with comments/articles on the cowardly and horrific attack on Rep. Giffords by a gun-wielding wacko. We're told that there will be a vacant seat in the hall tonight in her honor.

Watch out gun owners everywhere! I really, really hope that I'm wrong but, "it's too quite out there".

AndyC wrote:Michael Bloomberg:

"But in discussing the terrible tragedy in Tucson, he missed an opportunity to bring the country together on an issue that has support among the vast majority of Americans: fixing the nation’s broken background check system that is designed to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Its absence was disappointing, but it will not slow the momentum we are building around the country, and in both parties, for common sense measures to strengthen law enforcement and improve public safety."

All day long, there were too many subtle, and not so subtle, news references to that terrible attack for it to be ignored by both parties. Rep. Giffords was even mentioned with a wish for a full and speedy recovery in the Repubs counter speech. Of course, we all wish her a full and speedy recovery. I'm afraid more attempts are forthcoming to further curtail our 2A RKBA and the media is stoking the flames.

No one wants to be wrong, but in this case; I surely hope that I am bad wrong.

I R Ready.

Oldgringo wrote: I'm afraid more attempts are forthcoming to further curtail our 2A RKBA and the media is stoking the flames.

No one wants to be wrong, but in this case; I surely hope that I am bad wrong.

Stoking the anti-gun meme is the normal media routine 24/7. For instance, take note of how nearly every day there is a national news story about the criminal use of a gun, and nearly every use of a gun in self-defense by ordinary citizens is only a local news story. Now the media is swarming for attack, apparently sensing blood in the water.

Surprisingly (kind of) there was no mention of gun control. I really feel that was played on purpose as it is WAY to volatile a subject now and would have split the members on supporting his rah-rah message.

Keith B wrote:Surprisingly (kind of) there was no mention of gun control. I really feel that was played on purpose as it is WAY to volatile a subject now and would have split the members on supporting his rah-rah message.

Dianne Sawyer said the same thing as POTUS was walking out of the room. Said he would have a speech regarding gun control in the near future. (Brace yourself!)

I did notice Carolyn McCarthy walked up to greet Obama as soon as he left the podium, one of the first hands he shook and they whispered back-n-forth in each others' ears for a moment.

...she may have his ear, but if he goes down that road, when 2012 comes 'round, the voters will have his REAR!!!

According to FOX the President's approval ratings are higher than many past Presidents at this point in their term.

Purplehood wrote:According to FOX the President's approval ratings are higher than many past Presidents at this point in their term.

Quite frankly my dear, I did not take exception to anything that I HEARD him say last night. (I didn't hear the first half.) Several TV pundits were questioning the speech this morning because he did not mention gun control.

I just don't trust any of 'em.

Why should Obama call for gun control when he has the likes of Carolyn McCarthy to carry that water and take the heat for him?

Purplehood wrote:According to FOX the President's approval ratings are higher than many past Presidents at this point in their term.

Makes you wonder who they are asking.

Fearless prediction:

Obama will have a relatively minor speech on gun control within next few weeks. It will focus mainly on some manner of forcing states to provide mental health records to ATF/FBI for purposes of NICS screening (wasn't this already done by Bush in wake of Virginia Tech? but just no follow through by some states?). There will also be mention of "closing gun show loophole" and "limiting size of magazines" but POTUS will not throw his weight around on the latter two issues, instead focusing on the mental health records.

This way he can say to his base that he "did something" about guns in wake of Tucson, but doesn't risk deeply dividing his own party and Congress in general on a real gun debate thus cementing a GOP takeover of the Senate and his re-election failure in 2012.

Helmke, Bloomberg, and McCarthy were all foaming at the mouth in follow up comments on the SOTU speech lacking any mention of gun control. If there was some secret plan for Obama to strongly get behind what these folks really want, seems their comments would've been more tempered.

Purplehood wrote:According to FOX the President's approval ratings are higher than many past Presidents at this point in their term.

To add to the overuse of sports metaphor in politics, he is peaking too early - it's only "mid season", just past "halftime" and there is plenty of time for his ratings to slide back into the 30s before November 2012.