Obama Campaign Flip-Flops On D.C. Gun Ban

As we all know by now, the facts matter very little much anymore, and that it is the perception of whatever reality there is that drives the current media narrative that matters.

Let me make it clear, I am not happy with Senator Obama on his reversal regarding the FISA bill, but I have read the bill text itself, and it does put power back in the hands of the FISA court to review wiretap requests, instead of leaving that power to the White House. I am not happy with the provision granting retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies. I would like to see Senator Obama vote to strip this provision out, but it seems likely that the FISA bill itself in the Senate may be delayed until the next legislative session, given the outcry over this legislation.

From my perspective here, the bill was voted on to give some Members in tough districts political cover, and it seems that the Senate may hold this bill over until the next legislative session to give Senator Obama political cover as well. It'll probably be put on the backburner throughout the summer in favor of more "pressing" legislation.

Also, with this morning's expected ruling on the Supreme Court case regarding the D.C. gun ban, Senator Obama has reversed himself on this position. However, I am in favor of a complete reversal of the gun ban, because as a resident of Washington, D.C., I would like the ability to own a handgun for my own protection. I still have to point out the inconsistency of the Obama campaign on the Supreme Court case.

With that said, the reversal came this morning when Bill Burton, the Obama press secretary, issued a statement according to ABC News:

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Alexa Ainsworth Report: With the Supreme Court poised to rule on Washington, D.C.'s, gun ban, the Obama campaign is disavowing what it calls an "inartful" statement to the Chicago Tribune last year in which an unnamed aide characterized Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as believing that the DC ban was constitutional.

"That statement was obviously an inartful attempt to explain the Senator's consistent position," Obama spokesman Bill Burton tells ABC News.

This below was the original campaign statement according to Chicaco Tribune:

But the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said that he '...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.'

And now, the Obama campaign is saying that statement was 'inartful' and blamed it on an unnamed campaign aide. The perception behind this right now, given the current media narrative, is that Obama has changed his positions for political expedience. That perception is dangerous, even though the same ABC News report points out that Obama himself has avoided directly addressing the issue of the constitutionality of the D.C. gun ban.

When Obama has been asked on multiple occasions to weigh in on the D.C. gun case he has regularly maintained that the Second Amendment provides an individual right while at the same time saying that right is not absolute and that the Constitution does not prevent local governments from enacting what Obama calls "common sense laws."

Although he has been willing to describe his general views on this topic, Obama has sidestepped the question of whether the ban in the nation's capital runs afoul of the Second Amendment.

The campaign has to be very careful about the new perception of changing positions for political expediency because what that does is drive down enthusiasm, and provides fodder for the Republicans in the general election. He's basically in a "damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't" position, and that is the problem facing us here.