Merkinball
Deity
Obama has come out in support of the opinion. Perhaps it is because, based on the watered-down majority opinion, it appears 9 Justices believe policy supercedes the Constitution.
I dunno what Obama's position really is though. It seems to depend on the audience. Ya know, one day he supports the decision to overturn on constitutional grounds, a few weeks ago he supported the ban itself based on constitutional grounds. Ya know.
February 12th, 2008, during a forum sponsored by ABC TV and ThePolitico.com, the moderator is Leon Harris: "One other issue that's of great importance here in the District as well as gun control. You said in Idaho recently, quoting here, 'I have no intention of taking away folks' guns.' But you do support the DC handgun ban, and you've said that it's constitutional. How can you reconcile those two different positions?"
OBAMA: Well, because I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it is important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun ownership genuinely. And a lot of people, law-abiding citizens use it for hunting, sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. We also have a violence on the streets that is a result of illegal handgun use. And so there's nothing wrong I think with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets
Then yesterday in Chicago.
An unidentified reporter said,
Quote:
"The Supreme Court's expected to rule tomorrow on the DC gun ban. Can you review for us where you stand on that?"
OBAMA: Why don't I wait until the decision comes out and then I will comment on it, as opposed to trying to prognosticate what the Supreme Court is going to decide tomorrow.
REPORTER: You commented on it before you -- you support the DC gun ban.
OBAMA: What I've said is that I do not -- what I've said is that I'm a strong supporter of the Second Amendment --
And now today,
Quote:
Bloomberg TV, Peter Cook: "The court today, a very important ruling in regard to the handgun law in DC, 5-4 ruling, what's your reaction?"
OBAMA: I believe that the Second Amendment means something, that it is an individual right, and that's what the Supreme Court held, so I agree with that aspect of the opinion. What I've also said is that every individual right can be bound by the interests of the community at large. And the Supreme Court agreed with that as well. It looks to me that the DC handgun ban overshot the runway; that it went beyond constitutional limits.
Yyyyyyyyyyyup.