Front Sight, Press

John McCain on Gun Control

Republican Sr. Senator (AZ); ‘00 Primary Candidate for President

John McCain suffers from “senator’s disease” as a presidential candidate: as a long-time U.S. Senator, he has the most documented track record on the issues of all the top echelon candidates for 2008. Living up to his reputation as a maverick and a free thinker, McCain has not toed the gun rights party line. His record is profoundly mixed. Sometimes he has been with us; sometimes he has been very much against us. At times he has advocated positions such as mandatory gun locks and background checks at gun shows and then voted against the legislation when it finally came to a vote. Also he has voted against particular issues and then later advocated them in public statements. He is really hard to get a fix on with gun rights.

“Bearing arms is a constitutionally protected right. With rights come responsibilities. I will continue to support effective, common sense measures that help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, children and the mentally incompetent; that assure Second Amendment rights are exercised responsibly; and that do not impinge upon law abiding citizens in the free exercise of their rights, including the right to protect themselves and their family.” – John McCain, www.mccain2000.com

Positions:

Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks

McCain favors outlawing cheaply made handguns called Saturday night specials, and favors mandating safety locks on certain guns. He said he is intrigued by new technology that electronically identifies a person handling a gun, allowing only the owner to fire it. McCain rallied Senate Republicans behind a Democratic measure requiring background checks at gun shows. Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press Aug 17, 1999

“In particular, the bill [McCain-Lieberman] makes it illegal for a person to operate a gun show without a federal license, and structures the license application process so that licenses need never be issued. The bill indirectly requires that people who attend gun shows must be registered. The bill even requires that people who don’t sell guns (e.g., the numerous book, food, and clothing vendors at gun shows) be registered; and it would allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to demand a list of every book being sold by a book vendor. Finally, McCain-Lieberman authorizes BATF to create additional, limitless gun-show regulations, which could be used to make it nearly impossible for gun shows to be held.” Dave Kopel

Supports ban on certain assault weapons

McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details. Source: Los Angeles Times, “McCain Calls for Hearings” Aug 17, 1999

Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban

McCain spoke generally of the need for some tighter gun controls on hardened criminals and children. In Congress, he pressured his colleagues to require background checks for buyers at guns shows, and he supported a requirement that trigger locks be sold with handguns. But the Senator opposed the two major gun-control measures of recent years, the 1994 ban on several types of assault weapons and the Brady Bill, which required a 5-day waiting period for handgun purchases. Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999

Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos

“If you want to take every gun in and dump it in the ocean, I’ll still take you to a Web site where it teaches children how to build a pipe bomb. And I’ll take you to a Web site where the worst kind of hate language that is terribly offensive to all of us exists. I can take you to a video game being sold to our children where the object of the game is to kill police. I understand the importance of weapons, but to define that as being the major cause [of youth violence], there’s a whole lot of causes.” Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999

Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights

We need to focus on halting the spread of violent crime and punishing violent criminals who abuse their Second Amendment rights, while preserving those same rights for law-abiding Americans. Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999

Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids

McCain has introduced the “Youth Violence Prevention Act.”

• The legislation would prevent juveniles from illegal access to weapons and punish those who would assist them in doing so
• prohibit juveniles who commit acts of gun violence from purchasing guns in the future
• sentence juveniles convicted of violent crimes under adult guidelines
• and punish juveniles who illegally carry or use handguns in schools. Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999

Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 ; vote number 2005-219 on Jul 29, 2005

Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence.

Vote to pass a bill that would block certain civil lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers of firearms and ammunition, mainly those lawsuits aimed at making them liable for gun violence. In this bill, trade groups would also be protected The bill would call for the dismissal of pending lawsuits against the gun industry. The exception would be lawsuits regarding a defect in a weapon or ammunition. It also would provide a 10-year reauthorization of the assault weapons ban which is set to expire in September 2004. The bill would increase the penalties for gun-related violent or drug trafficking crimes which have not resulted in death, to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment. The bill calls for criminal background checks on all firearm transactions at gun shows where at least 75 guns are sold. Exemptions would be made available for dealers selling guns from their homes as well as members-only gun swaps and meets carried out by nonprofit hunting clubs. Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S.1805/H.R.1036 ; vote number 2004-30 on Mar 2, 2004

Voted NO on background checks at gun shows.

Require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows. Reference: Lautenberg Amdt #362; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-134 on May 20, 1999

Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations.

The Hatch Amdt would increase mandatory penalties for the illegal transfer or use of firearms, fund additional drug case prosecutors, and require background check on purchasers at gun shows. [A YES vote supports stricter penalties]. Reference: Hatch Amendment #344; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-118 on May 14, 1999

Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows.

Vote to table or kill a motion to require that all gun sales at gun shows be completed by federally licensed gun dealers. Also requires background checks to be completed on buyers and requires gun show promoters to register with the Treasury. Reference: Bill S.254 ; vote number 1999-111 on May 11, 1999

Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks.

Vote to table [kill] an amendment to make it unlawful for gun dealers to sell handguns without providing trigger locks. Violation of the law would result in civil penalties, such as suspension or revocation of the dealer’s license, or a fine. Reference: Bill S 2260 ; vote number 1998-216 on Jul 21, 1998

Other positions on guns:

• Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
• Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
• Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
• Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
• Support legislation that would protect manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms from civil lawsuits by crime victims. Source: Project Vote Smart

“McCain has also done advertisements on behalf of Americans for Gun Safety, a gun-control organization that supports licensing and registering every gun owner in the United States. He has used the ads to greatly exaggerate the risks of children getting access to guns in the home—a claim that is based upon a questionable survey—and asked that people lock up guns. With the threats he claims existed, few would know that in 2002, for example, the number of children under 10 who died from accidental gun shots was 20, and the number of children under 15 was 56. Obviously, one death is too many, but McCain has launched no similar campaign against other much more dangerous items in people’s homes.

No mention was ever made by McCain about using guns for self-defense or that gunlocks might make it difficult to stop intruders who break into your home. And research indicates that McCain’s push for gunlocks is far more likely to lead to more deaths than it saves…

… McCain has helped protect guns owners, such as supporting legislation to protect gun makers from reckless lawsuits, but for McCain to argue this week that he is reliably pro-gun relies on conservatives having very short memories. Possibly the threat of Hillary Clinton being president will convince conservatives to vote for McCain, should he win the nomination. But unless he denounces his past positions, it won’t be because they believe he is a “pro-gun” conservative.” John R. Lott

Following the VT shooting, McCain bravely said this:

“I do believe in the constitutional right that everyone has — in the Second Amendment to the Constitution — to carry a weapon,” he said in response to a reporter’s question. “Obviously, we have to keep guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens.” Source

Quisling or free thinking moderate willing to stand up to the NRA juggernaut? I guess that depends on your point of view. I doubt that the hard-core gun rights people are ever going to forgive McCain for the 1-2 punch of McCain-Lieberman and McCain-Feingold. More middle of the road Republicans may see McCain as the only realistic hope for 2008 given the leftward drift of the country recently. From the gun rights perspective, I retain reservations about McCain, but faced with the choice, I would rather see him in the White House than Hillary or Barak.

Other Reading on John McCain and Guns:

John McCain’s “Gun Problem” by Josh Sugarmann

GOA On John McCain’s Record

Friendly Fire by John Lott

Gun Games by Dave Kopel

Complete Voting Record for McCain on Gun Law News

John McCain’s positions on Second Amendment rights on his campaign web site