Obamateurism of the Day

One good reason not to hold a policy debate in the wake of tragedy is because of the nonsense it produces from politicians, especially those politicians who gauge their positions by holding a finger to the wind. The White House at first said Barack Obama wouldn’t press for more gun-control laws after the shooting in Aurora, then Obama changed his mind when his base began to gripe.  That prompted this platitude, and a curious claim:

“A lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals,” Mr. Obama said at the annual National Urban League convention in New Orleans. “They belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities.”

AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers?  Not American soldiers, who don’t use the Russian-designed Kalashnikovs.  Besides, the killer in Aurora used an AR-15, not an AK-47, as well as a Remington shotgun and a .40-caliber Glock. The AR-15 is the semi-automatic, civilian version of the M16, which is used by the American military.  The AR-15 is semi-automatic only so that civilians can purchase it legally, which they have done since the late 1950s.

Katie Pavlich pulls the rest of this statement apart, too:

First of all, alleged Colorado theater killer James Holmes wasn’t using an AK-47. Second, the U.S. military does not use AK-47s either, so I’m not exactly sure which soldiers President Obama was referring to. Third, all law abiding gun owners believe AK-47s shouldn’t be in the hands of criminals. Fourth, Obama mentioned Columbine and Virginia Tech, both gun-free campuses where students were left as sitting ducks before they were mowed down. Fifth, the Second Amendment isn’t about the American hunting and shooting heritage, it’s about the people protecting themselves from the government.

Actually, I’d add that it’s about defending yourself rather than building the kind of police state necessary to obviate the need for self-protection.  But Katie’s not finished:

Sixth, Obama spoke of pushing gun control without the help of that pesky thing called Congress. On this point he is correct. Last summer the Department of Justice, the same department responsible for funneling 2500 AK-47s and .50 caliber rifles to the Mexican drug cartels (criminals) through Operation Fast and Furious, pushed through a new long gun reporting measure for Southwest border gun dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

It’s a little rich to hear the administration that sent thousands of AK-47s into the hands of Mexican drug cartels scold the rest of us on the need to keep them away from, er, criminals.  If Obama had bothered to get his facts straight before opining on the matter, he could have avoided that reference altogether.

Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!

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