'Wolves In Sheeps Clothing' (aka Dems Debate Guns In Nevada)

Updated Jan. 16, 2008, 10:12 pm -- From the comments section on Jeff Soyer's post about the gun control portion of the democrat debate in Las Vegas last night. Many have asked, as have I, just what the heck an "illegal gun" is. One pundit wrote, "They're not 'illegal guns,' they're 'undocumented firearms.'"

I am laughing so hard I'm crying.

In the meantime, writer Dave Weigel of Reason.com live-blogged the dem debate and says the whole thing boiled down to the following: "Apparently, the biggest issue in Nevada is whether Clinton regrets what Edwards regrets he regretfully said about Obama's regrets. This is a high-def root canal."

Makes me glad I was in a meeting last night.

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Here is the the transcript of the gun control discussion that took place during last night’s democrat presidential debate in Las Vegas, courtesy of Jeff Soyer. Go to Alphecca.com for the full gun control discussion.

CLINTON: Well, I am against illegal guns, and illegal guns are the cause of so much death and injury in our country. I also am a political realist and I understand that the political winds are very powerful against doing enough to try to get guns off the street, get them out of the hands of young people. (Note -- this was her answer to a question on her previous statements of setting up a national gun registry and whether she would focus on that initiative as president.)

OBAMA: I don’t think that we can get that done. But what I do think we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. One good example — this is consistently blocked — the efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers. (Note -- this was his answer to a question about Obama's previous statements on the need to register and license ALL firearms owners, and whether he would do that as president.)

EDWARDS: I think that’s fair, but I haven’t changed my position on this. I’m against it. Having grown up where I did in the rural South, everyone around me had guns, everyone hunted. And I think it is enormously important to protect people’s Second Amendment rights. (Note -- this was his answer in response to a question of whether democrats recognize it is hard to win an election if they push hard for gun control).

They said exactly what self defense, hunting, sports shooting and collectors would expect them to say, and they each tried both to play to their base, but also the unenlightened middle of the roaders who don't know the details of the issue. Each got a lot of information wrong (Hillary on police death causes, Obama on gun traces by federal authorities), and all three want the ban on competition rifles reinstated.

Oh, and can anyone tell me what the heck an "illegal gun" is?

For a full transcript of the entire debate, click here.