Giuliani to Speak to NRA Members

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, an ardent gun-control advocate as mayor, will address the National Rifle Association on Friday. Giuliani will join a number of presidential candidates, mostly Republican but Democratic candidate Bill Richardson (by videotaped message) will also address the group at its "Celebration of American Values" conference at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Also on the list of speakers during the 1 1/2 day conference are:

Attorney General John Ashcroft
Senator John Barrasso
Governor Haley Barbour
Senator John McCain
Former Senator Fred Thompson
Radio Talk Show Personality Glenn Beck
Congressman John Dingell
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
Governor James Gilmore
Speaker Newt Gingrich
Governor Mike Huckabee
Congressman Duncan Hunter (videotaped message)
Senator Mitch McConnell
Governor Mitt Romney (videotaped message)
Senator John Thune

The shooting industry will also roll-out the initiative to boost NRA membership and support. That will happen on Friday at a noon press conference, again in the Capital Hilton Presidential Ballroom.

The Brady Bunch for their part are not happy that Giuliani is addressing the group and are urging him not to abandon his long history of support for gun control. Giuliani backed handgun licensing while admiting it would not stop crime, backed registration of firearms, backed the Clinton gun-ban in 1994 and in the past has called the NRA extremists. As Mayor, he also sued gun manufacturers, saying they manufactured too may guns. As a presidential candidate, he now says he supports the Second Amendment and believes gun laws should be addressed by the states.

I will be at the conference and it will be interesting to see what type of reception Giuliani receives from the crowd.