Kerry Asks FEC to Block NRA Channel

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry doesn't want to tune in to a National Rifle Association channel anytime soon.

The Massachusetts senator sent Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub a letter Tuesday asking the commission to block any attempt by the NRA to get a media exemption to campaign finance rules.

The gun-rights lobby is considering acquiring a television or radio outlet and seeking the same exemption from campaign finance rules that news organizations have. If the group won a media exemption, it would be free to say whatever it wanted about candidates at any time and spend unlimited amounts doing so.

"We urge you to prevent the NRA from hijacking America's airwaves with the gun lobby's money," Kerry's letter said. "If the NRA has something to say, it can play by the rules, just like the millions of people in America who do every day."
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-kerry-nra,0,437234.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Emoto]

1. Yeah, saw that...

This would not be the first time that Kerry has sought to distance himself from gun owners concerned about the continuing erosion of the rights protected by the Second Amendment. I don't know why he would bother with this, as there is plenty of political grist for the mill of his election campaign. The only thing I can think of is that to win the democratic nomination, one must typically be toward the left end of the party, and not move back to the center until after securing the nomination.

I think highly of John Kerry as a person, and honor him for his record of military service to this country, but there's no way I could ever vote for him in good conscience.

[helleborient]

2. This is what Fox Television does already...

Why isn't Kerry going after Fox as well??

There was a very thorough explanation on NPR yesterday as to why it is not legal to block this from the NRA, unless we are also blocking the Christian Broadcasting Network, Fox Television, Ted Turner when he set up CNN, etc.

News media is owned by private interests, for the most part in this country...and last I knew, we also guarantees of free speech in the Constitution.

[sandnsea]

3. We like the NRA now

You missed the New Democratic Party memo I guess.

[JohnKleeb]

4. I didnt get it

Lousy NRA.

[papau]

5. exemption from campaign finance rules that news organizations have

tax free issue corporation is too limiting - and besides the Dems have these, so you are not special.

but a media exemption - that's the ticket to soft money/bribe heaven.

[drfemoe]

6. I like the ones who are fed up with *u*hya ..

Why some gun owners are unhappy with Bush

http://csmonitor.com/2003/1204/p02s01-uspo.html
They say the administration has strayed too far from earlier GOP principles on the environment. edit: I didn't know they ever had any?

By Todd Wilkinson | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
When Jimmie Rosenbruch went north last month, bound for the high country of southeast Alaska to stalk mountain goats, the Utah sportsman and master hunting guide toted more than a rifle into the wilderness.

Mr. Rosenbruch, a burly lifelong Republican and acquaintance of former President George H.W. Bush, also carried personal displeasure over the natural- resource agenda of Mr. Bush's son.

In particular, Rosenbruch and a groundswell of other gun owners from the lower 48 are challenging the Bush administration's plan to undo protection of Alaska's Tongass and Chugach national forests by opening both to increased logging and road construction.

For the current president, who relied upon unwavering support from the so-called "hook and bullet" crowd to win in 2000, the kind of public criticism now being voiced by political conservatives like Rosenbruch represents a potential problem in 2004, observers say.

According to a report from the Fish and Wildlife Service, hunters and anglers are a formidable force not only in what they spend, but also in the political power they wield. More than 34 million Americans over age 16 fish annually; 13 million hunt.
... con't

[Kolesar]

7. we hashed that story out in the E &E forum

Trying to close ranks with hunters.

[dusty64]

8. Glad he is trying, don't

think it will do much good. I read yesterday they voted to give a satellite network to murdoch by 3-2, along party lines. The rightwing is VERY predictable.