“The Brady Campaign is putting pressure on PBS NewsHour host Jim Lehrer to ask about gun violence when he leads the first presidential debate on Oct. 3.,” huffingtonpost.com reports. “In a petition launched Monday, the gun control group says Lehrer should ask President Barack Obama and Republican presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney about their plans for preventing gun deaths and injuries.” Strangely (or not), the Brady’s website wearebetterthanthis.org doesn’t specify the question in question. No doubt they’d like it to be something highly emotive and inherently critical like “Given that we’re sitting XX miles from the scene of a horrific shooting where 12 innocent people were killed and 58 wounded by a man who had legally purchased an assault rifle, what should be done to . . .” No doubt nothing would be learned from the replies. So what would you ask the candidates about guns, gun control or gun rights?

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68 COMMENTS

  1. I think something could be learned from that reply, if the candidate states “while those deaths were tragic and horrifying, we don’t blame cars for car accidents so why should we blame guns for psychopaths?” that person is getting my vote…

  2. “What do you intend to do to stop the flow of arms from the U.S. government to criminal organizations in Mexico?”

    • Sorry to say this, but…

      I suspect that this question provides a good setup to the gun controllers favorite evasive reply:

      “I support the right of Americans to own guns, but I also…”

  4. What reasonable restrictions would you support regarding the buying, reading, or carrying of the Holy Koran to combat all the deaths caused by Islamic extremists?

    And, as a follow-up, same question but applied to another Constitutionally protected right of firearms ownership?

  6. Would you support or oppose a measure requiring voters to show a state-issued I.D. to poll workers, fill out a federal form under penalty of perjury, and undergo a computerized background check to determine eligibility before being allowed to vote?

      • My comment calling this out as being Jim Crow crap was deleted as being “off topic” and yet the above comment stands despite the topic being “what GUN RELATED question would you ask…”

        I see.

  7. Do you support a “high-capacity” magazine ban, and if so, would you be willing to limit your secret service detail to only ten rounds of ammunition?

  8. Mr. President, why do you think so many otherwise reasonable people are buying in to the hysterical notion that you give a tin shit about changing gun laws given that the trend is towards rising gun ownership rates among people who traditionally vote for Democrats?

  9. “So what would you ask the candidates about guns, gun control or gun rights?”

    I’m not sure it makes any difference since the only reply the candidates will consider will be in consideration of how their replies will effect the number of voting supporters that turn out on election day.

    Otherwise, focusing a question on gun control vs gun rights is controlling the thoughts in people’s heads. The masses can find truth in and agree with whatever subject is covered.

  10. When will the law be changed so silencers stop being treated as Class III weapons? Come to think of it, when will the same happen for SBR’s and SBS’? And when will the machine gun registry be re-opened?

  11. What do you plan to do about the de facto, un-constitutional, handgun ban in D.C.?

    What do you plan to do about the state of Illionois severely restricting it’s residents ability to bear arms and therefore violating their 2nd Amendment right?

  12. How do you explain the direct correlation between strictness of gun control and the amount of gun violence?

  13. I’d like to ask Obama what Country he is working for? Who sent him? And ask him to please go back.

  14. Would you allow the 2nd amendment to continue to be ignored by certain states that are not allowing their citizens the right to bear arms and if so why?

  15. I’d ask each one to define the Second Amendment, and then follow up by asking how many lies they’ve told that day.

  16. Would you consider this statement to be a binding campaign promise?

    “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

    Thanks, I didn’t so…

  17. Who authorized the failed Fast and Furious gun walking operation? Why has no one been held accountable after all of this time?

  20. “Why would you take guns away from law abiding citizens? Doing so would be the equivalent of disarming your secret service agents, How would you feel walking around knowing there is no way to protect yourself or have someone else protect you? Cops are never within ear shot of a crime and there’s a reason for that, who would pull a gun on someone knowing there is a on duty cop just a holler away?” I for one trust my reactions and judgement in a life or death situation. The people who they should take guns away from will never give their guns up, so stop taking them away from those who legally carry, legally own, and legally defend themselves and family, because you think taking legal guns off the “streets” will stop the “bad guys”. You’ve done nothing but put law abiding citizens in more danger than they’ve ever been in before.

  21. “Are you willing to state here on TV that there are more people saved by the use of a gun, then there are people killed by guns? “

  22. what i would like to see is the canidates hooked up to a lie detector during the debates. with results for each question shown on a big screen behind them.

  24. I’d probably ask about the illegal passage of the Hughes Amendment and if it is standard procedure for the Democrat party to distort the truth and lie in open session of Congress to get their way.

    And then I’d enjoy my new status on the no fly list. What can I say, I’m very very cynical of the whole government process any more.

  25. “What will you do to protect my constitutionally-guaranteed right to defend myself and my family’s lives with a firearm?”

    Some variation on that. Directness is best.

    • Paul Ryan may understand what you’re talking about, but I doubt that Obama, Romney, or Biden would. My answer would be, “Yes, depending on the circumstances.”

  27. What advice do you have for citizens disarmed by law living in crime ridden areas to protect themselves?

  28. I believe in the whole Constitution and Liberty. How are you going to reinstate the Constitution as supreme law and minimize the intrusion gov’t has in our lives?

    Follow up: Why should I belive anything you say?

  29. I’d be tempted to ask what ammo make of .38+p HP @100-110 grain they suggest for home defense; Hornady or Cor Bon?

  31. “The American people are supposed to elect you to run a world superpower, and yet none of you can seem to grasp the meaning of the word ‘infringe.’ Please justify that.”

  32. I would simply ask, “The Second Amendment says, ‘A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’ What part of ‘shall not be infringed’ do the executive, legislative, and judicial branches not understand?”

  34. I would ask the following.
    Following the tragic events in Aurora, how do you explain the massive increase in concealed carry permit requests, and firearm purchases? On the surface it appears citizens are taking their protection seriously into their own hands. (FINALLY)

  35. Would you as President be prepared to spend one day walking down the street in a big American city without your bodyguard detail? … no, well then its settled, Shut up about gun control .

  36. Mr. President, considering all the damage you have done to this nation would you be willing to shoot yourself?

  38. Gentlemen,

    If Merriam-Webster defines infringe as:
    in·fringe

    verb /inˈfrinj/infringed, past participle; infringed, past tense; infringes, 3rd person singular present; infringing, present participle

    1. Actively break the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.) – making an unauthorized copy would infringe copyright

    2. Act so as to limit or undermine (something); encroach on – his legal rights were being infringed – I wouldn’t infringe on his privacy

    Then how would you interpret the 2nd Amendment as written?

    A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be INFRINGED.

  39. The questions I would ask are:

    1) What is the exact text of the Second Amendment to the Constitution?

    A person running for President should have the Constitution memorized. He or she should understand it. He or she will, after all, take an oath to support and defend the Constitution.

    2) What right or rights does the Second Amendment acknowledge?

  40. 1) What is the exact text of the Second Amendment?
    2) What right or rights does the Second Amendment acknowledge?

  41. One key point in using weapons is knowing when not to use them. Guns in the wrong hands can destroy. However, if some wish to outlaw or limit everything that has that potential, perhaps they should outlaw spoons and forks because in the hands of a glutton, obesity causes thousands of deaths, disease, and lost production. Limit who should hold drivers license or own cars; however, many with multiple offenses of DUI are still on the streets. Remove all mental patients who pose a threat to society and isolate them before they spin out of control or forget to take their meds. Limit all movies, music, and literature that feeds the pathology of the killers, the perverts, and those who have no respect for a society based on common sense and rules not anarchy. Limit organizations, clubs, secret societies that advocate the overthrow of law and order and advocate wrong values as do many supremist groups and secret soceties. As a matter of fact, the rules and guidelines have not regulated those who are out of control and refuse to cooperate with any concept of a civilized society. What is to be done when we are not represented by those who are directly affected by such concerns. The only answer I can think of is become involved in the legislative side to insure justice is being represented in truth; support those who carry out the enforcement side to give them a boost for the difficult job of regulating our communities when they become disfunctional; also, always seek the truth found in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 as a key to a better tomorrow.

  42. “What will you do at the federal level to expand the number of Conceal Carry Permits in each state?”

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