Second Amendment grassroots activists have expressed a range of emotions, from disappointment to fury, while liberals and conservatives battle on social media over who won the Presidential debate Tuesday night.
One contention emerging from the discussion is how ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis allowed Kamala Harris to get away with dancing around questions about her gun control history. She told the moderators that she is a gun owner, so she is not planning to seize anyone’s firearms.
Challenged by Donald Trump about her efforts to disarm American citizens, Harris surprised many viewers by admitting herr gun ownership. For gun rights activists, owning a single firearm doesn’t say a thing about someone’s loyalty to the Second Amendment. After all, Joe Biden owns and shotgun, and he is an ardent gun prohibitionist, many argue.
As noted by NPR’s coverage of the gun issue following the debate, “This business about taking everyone’s guns away, Tim Walz and I are both gun owners. We’re not taking any of these guns away. So stop with the continuous lying about this stuff.”
But when she campaigned for the presidency five years ago, Harris advocated for “mandatory buyback” of so-called “assault weapons.” The term “mandatory buyback” has been considered a substitute for “compensated confiscation.” That translates to taking someone’s firearm, no matter if there is money provided to the gun owner.
As explained by Axios, “It’s the latest sign that Harris is focusing on appealing to moderates and Trump-wary conservatives in the run-up to Election Day. Harris has said previously that she owns a firearm, but she doesn’t talk about it often on the campaign trail and has repeatedly advocated for stronger gun controls.”
The Washington Post has published a revealing look at Harris’ positions on gun control. The report notes her support of red flag laws, her opposition to allowing armed teachers as a last line of defense against school shooters, and her support of legislation to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects the firearm industry from junk/harassment lawsuits.
The Independent, a British publication, was among the news agencies which commented on the “surprise” among voters after Harris acknowledged her gun ownership.
Trump alleged Harris has “a plan to confiscate everybody’s guns,” as quoted by The Independent report. While there has been no publication of such a plan, her record on strict gun control is well established.
The fact that guns and rights became part of the debate shows the Second Amendment and gun owner rights will be part of the fabric of this campaign.
Trump’s performance during the debate is earning mixed reviews, with conservative commentators and news agencies saying the former president was up against a trio of opponents, Harris and the two ABC moderators. Neither Muir nor Davis challenged Harris on her past positions on guns, but a second debate—if it happens—may bring that out.
