NRA endorses Creigh Deeds.

Who’s the man?

Creigh Deeds is the man.

I said who’s the man?

Creigh Deeds is the man!

Who’s been symbolically neutered?

Bob McDonnell!

I said who’s been symbolically neutered?

Bob McDonnell!

(I probably shouldn’t dance around my living room in the nude like this.)

Published by Waldo Jaquith

Waldo Jaquith (JAKE-with) is an open government technologist who lives near Char­lottes­­ville, VA, USA. more »

26 replies on “NRA endorses Creigh Deeds.”

  1. As I promised, I will now join the NRA. I encourage other Democrats to do so at https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp

    I have long been an advocate for second amendment rights and I’ve been a gun owner since the age of 18 (when I was first legally able to purchase a rifle). But I have always refused to become an NRA member because they had frequently behaved like a partisan arm of the Republican party rather than a real independent advocate for gun owners. Now, I am convinced of their independence based on their refusal to endorse Bush in ’04 and now their endorsement of Creigh Deeds.

    They need to start offering bumper stickers that read ‘Another NRA Democrat.’

  2. I personally find it hard to swallow voting for anyone who is endorsed by the NRA, but I’ll try to reserve judgment. In Virginia it is nearly impossible to elected if you hold the controversial view that guns are dangerous objects and should be treated as such.

  3. Duane,

    Approximately 40,000 injuries and deaths are caused by chainsaws every year in the US. This figure is just the reported accidents given by hospitals willing or able to furnish the information. A chainsaw is a very, very dangerous object and should be treated as such. But by banning them? Sometimes you need a chainsaw. Sure, the odds of any one person’s house or driveway being hit by a falled tree is minimal. But it happened to me and I was darn glad that there were chainsaws around to clean up the damage. And about as often, a lot of people find that they need a gun.

    Wouldn’t it make more sense for an organization to reach out to people who own chainsaws or may come into contact with them in order to teach them to handle chainsaws safely? And provide forums for chainsaw users to meet and talk shop?

    This is essentially what the NRA is. Groups like this are important for any sport, profession or hobby that is potentially harmful. They set standards and make useful, yet dangerous things be as safe and successful as possible. The NRA fosters the responsible use of firearms. They have developed a gun safety program that has been proven to reduce the liklihood of firearms accidents involving children. NRA members believe in this strongly – this is not just political posturing.

    If you want to reduce violence, the NRA is not your enemy. Criminals and irresponsible people who buy guns without learning gun safety from a group like the NRA are your enemy.

    There is nothing partisan about this view. There is nothing in the fundamental philosophy of the Democratic or Republican parties that should dictate guns being a party issue one way or another. And in fact what I have found in talking to Democrats in Virginia is that very few of them think we need any more gun control.

  4. “Interesting. Does this mean that you generally vote for the candidate endorsed by the NRA?”

    So just because Deeds was endorsed by the NRA I as a Democrat should not vote for him? Wrong. Did you think that all Democrats are opposed to responsible gun ownership? We’re not a monolithic bloc.

    Are you going to vote for a candidate who is not endorsed by the NRA? Can we count on your vote for Mr. Deeds?

  5. Recent polls show that Virginians think gun laws are just about right, and don’t need to be changed.

    The part of gun control that never gets brought up is the first part of the second ammendment, the part that talks about “a well armed militia”. I think the key to safe gun ownership is training. If we’re gonna have ’em we’d better know how to use them and we’d better know the law.

  6. I’m a gun owner. I have been for years. I advocate responsible gun ownership in general — I think it’s broadly a good idea. I haven’t been a member of the NRA because they’ve long shown themselves to be a wing of the Republican Party. Endorsements like this show that they’re smarter than I give them credit for.

  7. Thanks for the link, Shipwrecked. I, too, will be very interested to see how this affects the race. I can’t pretend to know what the impact will be, but I’m very interested to read others’ takes on it.

  8. Mr. Joad,

    Do you vote for others who are endorsed by the NRA, or only those with a (D) next to their name on the ballot?
    If it’s the latter, why?

    they’ve long shown themselves to be a wing of the Republican Party

    huh? They’ve long shown themselves to be passionate about the Second Amendment.
    The Republican Party just happens to be the major party with positions on that issue that most closely resemble the NRA’s.

  9. Tom — sorry, I forgot to answer your question.

    I’ve never chosen a candidate by any endorsements. That also means I won’t brag about endorsements when candidates I like get them.
    The reason for that should be obvious: if I boasted (or danced naked in my living room) about an endorsement from Group X for the candidate I support this year, but next year Group X endorses a candidate that I don’t support, I’d look pretty silly.

    I’m pretty sure that the NRA endorsed both Mike Farris and John Hager. I voted for Beyer and Payne, and couldn’t care less that the NRA disagreed with me.

    This year’s AG race is the only one that I’m not particularly concerned about. I have a deep respect for both candidates, and will be very happy with either one… and my vote won’t be influenced by the NRA’s endorsement of Deeds or the FOP’s endorsement of McDonnell.

  10. “Do you vote for others who are endorsed by the NRA, or only those with a (D) next to their name on the ballot?
    If it’s the latter, why? ”

    I grew up with guns in my house. We had 4-5 rifles/shotguns and about 3-4 handguns in the house at any given time. We were taught to respect guns. With permission and supervision, we were allowed to use them. I was participating in Turkey Shoots when I was 12. I think that there are plenty of responsible gun owners to outweigh the irresponsible.

    As for my voting patterns, it really depends on what the other issues are. Generally, I only vote Dem. The gun issue isn’t that important to me to be a make or break issue. To me, it’s a bonus to be a Democrat in VA and have an NRA endorsement. So it makes the choice easier for me. If a Democrat doesn’t support gun ownership, I’ll still probably vote for them because I most likely would agree with their stands economic, transportation, and civil liberties. I’m sure I confuse the hell out of those robo phone surveys when they see that I’m a Democrat that supports taxation, abortion and gun ownership rights.

    The NRA endorsed Kilgore. I won’t vote for him. Why? Because he does not match up with me on any other issue. So why would I vote for him?

    So I ask you again, are you going to vote for a candidate who is not endorsed by the NRA? Can we count on your vote for Mr. Deeds?

  11. So what’s the damage? 90,000 NRA members in Virginia – but some of those are also members of the Virginia Citizen Defense League, who announced today that they aren’t endorsing anyone in the AG’s race b/c both candidates are strong.

    Others are NRA members who aren’t single issue voters. They might be swayed by Creigh Deeds’ poor record on abortion (see his appearance with Mitch at a Planned Parenthood funder last night).

    Still others are going to go for Del. McDonnell’s endorsement by the FOP.

    So what’s the damage? 5000 votes? 10,000 votes? I have no idea.

  12. Jack,

    I never used the word “ban” with reference to guns, but I have witnessed the NRA come down hard on politicians who favor waiting periods, mandatory safety training and background checks. In spite of the public image the NRA projects concerning gun safety and sportsmanship, their political agenda is to eviscerate politicians who enact any restriction whatsoever. As a somewhat absurd example to put this in perspective, the Virginia assembly last year relaxed restrictions to permit guns on school grounds. This was heralded by the NRA as a political win.

    It is a shame that many responsible gun owners give their money to the NRA, in light of their political agenda. I would actually respect Mr. Deeds if he declined the NRA endorsement, but I’m definitely on the idealistic slant on this issue.

  13. Waldo

    Where the NRA endorsement means the most, Creigh already enjoys wide support. Where this endorsement truly helps Deeds is on Bob’s backyard. If voters receive conflicting signals on which candidate to support – that is something from the pro life community and pro gun community that conflicts – they will have less reason to motivate to the polls. A lower turnout of likely GOP voters will help the whole Democratic ticket.

    Additionally, this endorsement tells us is that the NRA feels like Deeds is going to win the race.

    As an aside – I am thoroughly pleased to hear that you are a gun owner. Hopefully you have taken an NRA approved safety course. We don’t need you shooting yourself while dancing naked in your living room.

  14. This was a wonderful NRA endorsement on many levels. The equally significant NRA move was its CEO Wayne LaPierre’s debating PETA’s Andrew Butler on television debate later this month. This isn’t a second amendment clash, but it’s one that says LaPierre is a “fight that I can’t walk
    away from.”

  15. Hopefully you have taken an NRA approved safety course.

    Actually, my safety course was getting my Riflery merit badge in the Boy Scouts, which was largely premised on safety instruction. I don’t know if that’s NRA-approved or not — I have to admit that I’ve never given it much thought.

  16. Dear Jack,
    I would have to agree with your comments (re: Chainsaws and guns). I too am pleased to hear the NRA has endorsed Creigh Deeds. I have long thought that the minority wing of the democratic party who want to control guns have carried too much sway in the party. I have even considered joining the NRA to add my non-right wing voice to the mix.

    Still I will not yet join the NRA …yet. I have found that NRA is still very much a partisan bunch in terms of endorsements, and they concentrate to much on the fear of loosing ones guns and far too little on responsible ownership. Have you ever noticed that they rarely give candidates a rating other than F or A. Certainly we have learned by now that most issues do not fall under an either or model. Grades of B, C, & D have their place (Just as they do in school.) (Aren’t you glad that potential med students who deserve D’s aren’t awarded A’s for lack of any other choice. The “straight A” doctors that resulted would be far from ideal.)
    I will continue to own my rifle, shotguns, blackpowder rifle, and compound bow, & I will continue to vote on issues that are based or rational consideration istead of fear, and I will continue promote and to vote for real intelligent, pragmatic, centrist politicians like Tim Kaine, Creigh Deeds, & Mark Warner.

Comments are closed.