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NRA'S HESTON LASHES OUT AT GORE
By PAUL NOWELL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) . Charlton Heston told more than 5,000 National Rifle Association members Saturday that he wants to serve an unprecedented third term as their president to complete a mission: ensuring Al Gore's defeat in November.
``George Washington hung around until the Revolutionary War was won,'' he said. ``Roosevelt hung around until the world war was won. Reagan hung around until the Cold War was won. If you want, I'll hang around until we win this one, too.''
Heston said the nation's gun owners are at grave risk of losing their Second Amendment right to bear arms if Gore wins the presidency.
He and other speakers accused the Clinton administration of plotting to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens, then ban them, beginning with licensing and registration.
``If Gore is elected, the Second Amendment will face 16 cumulative years of Clinton-Gore attacks,'' said Kayne Robinson, the NRA's first vice president. ``It cannot survive.''
Heston said the NRA has done everything he has asked during his two terms as president, including increasing its fund raising and membership. ``That leaves me with one mission undone . winning in November,'' he said.
His offer was greeted with a rousing ovation. He is expected to be re-elected Monday.
As Heston concluded his speech, he was handed a vintage musket, then gave an encore of his performance at his first NRA convention in 1990 in St. Louis, when he intoned the Second Amendment.
``So as we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take our freedom away, I want to say those words again for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, Mr. Gore.''
Lifting the musket over his head, Heston grumbled: ``From my cold dead hands!''
Before Heston's speech, gun advocates marched through the streets of downtown Charlotte to show solidarity.
About 400 marchers, many in T-shirts reading ``Guns Save Lives,'' followed a bagpiper about six blocks to the center where the NRA convention is being held.
Marie Wieglib of Troutman, N.C., was pulling a wagon carrying her two young sons and bearing a sign that read ``We're an NRA family.''
``I'm doing it for them,'' Wieglib said, nodding to her sons Reid, 5, and Jess, 4. ``I'm saving their inheritance.''
Heston and other speakers never mentioned presumptive Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush, but they repeatedly brought up Gore and Clinton.
Gore's campaign said Saturday that the presumptive Democratic nominee would continue to push for stricter gun control. Gore has criticized Bush signing a bill allowing Texans to carry concealed handguns.
``George W. Bush and the NRA are working hip holster to hip holster to promote an extremist agenda,'' said Gore campaign spokesman Chris Lehane. ``Al Gore will continue to fight for common sense gun reform to protect our families and he'll fight against the NRA and George W. Bush's extremist positions.''
Last week, Bush announced that Texas will spend about $1 million a year for five years to buy trigger locks that citizens can obtain for free at police departments and fire stations. As president, Bush said, he would ask Congress to expand the program nationwide.
President Clinton and Gore support a mandatory trigger lock requirement, along with background checks for firearm purchases at gun shows and a ban on imports of high-capacity ammunition clips.
NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre accused Gore and Clinton of lying about guns ``to scare America's moms and run against the Second Amendment.''
``He paints a fictional nightmare of a nonexistent world where a reckless population of stupid gun owners cause 13 innocent kids a day to die from guns,'' LaPierre said. ``Well, it's all a big, stinking, dangerous Al Gore lie.''
New York Post®, nypostonline.com™, nypost.com™ and newyorkpost.com™ are registered trademarks of NYP Holdings, Inc. Copyright 1999 NYP Holdings, Inc.
NRA'S HESTON LASHES OUT AT GORE
By PAUL NOWELL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) . Charlton Heston told more than 5,000 National Rifle Association members Saturday that he wants to serve an unprecedented third term as their president to complete a mission: ensuring Al Gore's defeat in November.
``George Washington hung around until the Revolutionary War was won,'' he said. ``Roosevelt hung around until the world war was won. Reagan hung around until the Cold War was won. If you want, I'll hang around until we win this one, too.''
Heston said the nation's gun owners are at grave risk of losing their Second Amendment right to bear arms if Gore wins the presidency.
He and other speakers accused the Clinton administration of plotting to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens, then ban them, beginning with licensing and registration.
``If Gore is elected, the Second Amendment will face 16 cumulative years of Clinton-Gore attacks,'' said Kayne Robinson, the NRA's first vice president. ``It cannot survive.''
Heston said the NRA has done everything he has asked during his two terms as president, including increasing its fund raising and membership. ``That leaves me with one mission undone . winning in November,'' he said.
His offer was greeted with a rousing ovation. He is expected to be re-elected Monday.
As Heston concluded his speech, he was handed a vintage musket, then gave an encore of his performance at his first NRA convention in 1990 in St. Louis, when he intoned the Second Amendment.
``So as we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take our freedom away, I want to say those words again for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, Mr. Gore.''
Lifting the musket over his head, Heston grumbled: ``From my cold dead hands!''
Before Heston's speech, gun advocates marched through the streets of downtown Charlotte to show solidarity.
About 400 marchers, many in T-shirts reading ``Guns Save Lives,'' followed a bagpiper about six blocks to the center where the NRA convention is being held.
Marie Wieglib of Troutman, N.C., was pulling a wagon carrying her two young sons and bearing a sign that read ``We're an NRA family.''
``I'm doing it for them,'' Wieglib said, nodding to her sons Reid, 5, and Jess, 4. ``I'm saving their inheritance.''
Heston and other speakers never mentioned presumptive Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush, but they repeatedly brought up Gore and Clinton.
Gore's campaign said Saturday that the presumptive Democratic nominee would continue to push for stricter gun control. Gore has criticized Bush signing a bill allowing Texans to carry concealed handguns.
``George W. Bush and the NRA are working hip holster to hip holster to promote an extremist agenda,'' said Gore campaign spokesman Chris Lehane. ``Al Gore will continue to fight for common sense gun reform to protect our families and he'll fight against the NRA and George W. Bush's extremist positions.''
Last week, Bush announced that Texas will spend about $1 million a year for five years to buy trigger locks that citizens can obtain for free at police departments and fire stations. As president, Bush said, he would ask Congress to expand the program nationwide.
President Clinton and Gore support a mandatory trigger lock requirement, along with background checks for firearm purchases at gun shows and a ban on imports of high-capacity ammunition clips.
NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre accused Gore and Clinton of lying about guns ``to scare America's moms and run against the Second Amendment.''
``He paints a fictional nightmare of a nonexistent world where a reckless population of stupid gun owners cause 13 innocent kids a day to die from guns,'' LaPierre said. ``Well, it's all a big, stinking, dangerous Al Gore lie.''
New York Post®, nypostonline.com™, nypost.com™ and newyorkpost.com™ are registered trademarks of NYP Holdings, Inc. Copyright 1999 NYP Holdings, Inc.
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