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Subscribe to RSSAfter President Obama told a magazine that he shoots skeet at Camp David, critics and reporters demanded proof. The White House released a photo Saturday of the president in action. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
WASHINGTON -- Seeking to put to rest questions on whether Barack Obama was a straight shooter when he claimed he went skeet shooting "all the time," the White House on Saturday offered proof: a photo of the president blasting away at clay targets.
Obama drew skepticism when he made the assertion in a recent interview with the New Republic magazine, an attempt to show sympathy for hunters even as he pushes for tighter gun controls after the Newtown school shooting massacre in December.
Obama's aides were in the awkward position of standing by his comments while resisting reporters' demands for proof that he was indeed a regular on the shooting range at the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains.
The White House finally weighed in on Saturday with a photo of Obama skeet shooting at Camp David last August 4.
"For all the ‘skeeters'," Obama senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said in a Twitter message linked to the photo, which showed the president -- wearing sunglasses, jeans and noise mufflers on his ears -- firing a shotgun with smoke spraying from the barrel.
It was unclear, however, whether a single photo would satisfy skeptics about his claim that he and his guests frequently shoot clay pigeons at Camp David.
Obama, in the New Republic interview, was asked if he had ever fired a gun.
"Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time," Obama said.
"The whole family?" he was asked.
"Not the girls, but oftentimes guests of mine go up there. And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations. And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake."
Conservative critics immediately questioned the Democratic president's assertion, and talk show comedians had a field day with the idea that he had taken up shooting as a hobby.
U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, even challenged Obama to a skeet-shooting contest.
Obama's comment was widely seen as an attempt to reach out to gun owners to ease their concerns about his legislative proposals, the biggest gun control push in decades. He will travel to Minnesota on Monday to speak on gun control.
White House
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Hopefully they mean what they say and their Democrat base listens. Obama skeet shooting. OBAMA: "I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations. And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake." BIDEN in 2008: "I guarantee you Barack Obama ain’t taking my shotguns, so don’t buy that malarkey…don’t buy that malarkey. They’re going to start peddling that to you. If he tries to fool with my Beretta, he’s got a problem.” BILL CLINTON: "Do not patronize the passionate supporters of your opponents by looking down your nose at them. A lot of these people live in a world very different from the world lived in by the people proposing these things, I know because I come from this world."
SYN,
If you don't believe the Supreme Court has protected your right to keep your handguns, your rifles, and your shot guns in your homes who are you going to believe? Faux and the NRA have done such a disservice to their members with the fear tactics that benefit no one but the gun manufacturers with the massive sales profits they have made. I'm sure there are families who have gone without food and a house payment was late so "DAD" could by that new gun.
In 2008 the SCOTUS guaranteed you could keep your guns. You just can't have rocket launchers, and missiles, and bombs, and now if we as citizens do our jobs we'll get assault weapons on that list.
I am guaranteed LIFE LIBERTY and the pursuit of happiness. IN THAT ORDER of importance!!
And if my LIFE guarantee trumps your pursuit of happiness with your AR 15 OH WELL!!!! I want my guarantee by law Congress!!!!
Automobiles are bigger killers by far. Even just banning leisure driving would reduce many more deaths (including children) than by guns. As you said, in that order, LIFE, the life of those kids killed in automobile accidents. Would you support a ban on unnecessary leisure driving (driving the family out to the park, to go camping, to go to Disneyland)?
Drunk driving too, so let's ban all alcohol drinks while we're at it. Wouldn't you agree, so that we can assure families do not go without food so that "DAD" could buy that beer?
When nuts go off with guns, the first thing it seems people want to do is take them away from those who are law-abiding.
network gal.....Correction...
Under the National Firearms Act, you can own an "explosive missile", mortars etc.
This requires a Class III license, $200 fee and a thorough background check by the FBI and ATF...
I sure wished people who post out here would do a little research before they post disinformation....
The President just proved faux wrong....and in come skeet birthers!!!!. I can hear em now, "the photo is fake", "it's been shopped", one even said, "its impossible for the President to change cloths three times a day"......stupids, I somethimes change clothes three times a day, it's a lot easier for the President to change clothes three times a day than it is for me. Right wingers, take the tin foil off your heads....let your few brain cells breathe a little....and you might be able to put together a coherent thought
Wait, why would right-wingers want to prove the photo fake? Them being the side considered pro-gun, I would think they would be biased and ignore any hint that the photo might be fake.
Time is running out for America to return to their Lord – return, repent, revival. Save yourself and those you love before it’s too late. America has been warned, yet the people refuse to do the righteous thing. The biggest regret you will ever have it to ignore eternity for your family and friends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXei0Zb3dxM
I pray for each and everyone of you that you will heed the warnings.....
OK, I support the president, but this is just cheesy.
Who cares if he knows how to hold a gun or where he was born. We are in the middle of a financial crisis that could turn into a world-wide depression, and people want to complain about Michelle Obama's new hair style. Let's get the big stuff right before we worry about the little stuff. This is like the Roman's 'bread and circus'; keep the people distracted.
Where is our budget? The sequester will kill the economy. We can not let them (all the politicians) kick the can down the road again.
I'll bet the liberal weenie soiled himself when that big, bad gun went "Boom!"
Presidential photo ops don't get much more ridiculous than this. People are idiots for expecting him to prove he has any sort of experience with a gun, but the White House is equally stupid for releasing the picture in response.
Yes, this picture should have been censored from the public.
OK, let's examine the shotgun. It appears to be a Browning 725. Note the bottom barrel does not have the extended choke tube the upper barrel (which is being discharged in the photo). Therefore, one could assume for the purposes of shooting on this day only the upper barrel is being used. Having the extended choke tube in one barrel (the upper in this case) is a dangerous situation if the other barrel is used. The shot and wad from a round discharged from the barrel not having the extended choke tube could cause damage to the extended choke tube in the other barrel. At the very least it would effect the shot pattern from the barrel without the extended choke tube and reduce the overall score of the shooter. I am surprised no one else noticed his barrel in the Browning is also ported to reduce felt recoil. So the position of the shot gun, as shown in this photo, may not be as painful one might think. But, if the Pres. does shoot skeet and he only uses the top barrel, what does he do when doubles are thrown? I think the photo is a fake, and so is the guy holding the gun. It makes me so happy that the guy who wants to take away more of my freedom to make the world in his own image can't find photographers or staffers to look at the photoshopped picture before it is released to make sure it looks real. Good luck using that lower barrel on your next shot Mr. President. And yes, I do shoot clays so I think I can spot a fake when I see one.
LOL, what a tool. You could have just said I'm an idiot that thinks he is smarter then everyone could believe what you say. What you said naaaw I don't believe you have a clue what you are talking about. But I am sure some of your like minded brain dead republicans will believe you.
H8TPARTY....Braindead is correct with his observations...it is you that just showed your ignorance...
Also note that he is gripping the forearm by having his fingers up on the barrel. Not good.
Finally, if you also note the road that curves toward him likely goes in front of him, then he is shooting across a road or highway, which is illegal in most states.......Very unsafe at the least....
See Braindead I told you some like minded or in this case brain dead republicans would believe you knew what you were talking about. Shepherd believes you LOL!
Not a whole lot of elevation on that gun. Was the skeet tied to the ground?
I thought they hold their guns sideways. I don't get it....
And doesn't look even a little staged now does it? No-one has that perfect of form when they are shooting skeet. Why only one photo of one session of shooting?
I take solace in looking at this picture. I know Obama and friends must be a little scared their agenda is proceeding like they want and expected it to. I know that there is no way he is experienced like it was purported to be. I know he probably didn't hit any clay target. but most of all, I know this gun smacked him in the face... just like I would like to do sometimes.
Normally. I do not criticize the President. But this time is just too obvious. This photo, although appearing to be real, is obviously a staged display. The butt plat is too high on the shoulder, his cheek is pressed tightly against the stock, there is no apperent recoil from the gun, we use smokeless powder now days, the wrinkles in his shirt show no signs of stress from the recoil, clay pigons are thrown high in the air and the gun is near horizonal. Nice try Pres. but I'm going to have to give you a D- on this one.
First the prez has to prove his birth certificate,Then his college transcripts, now he has to prove he is actually skeet shooting??? or maybe he is not doing it correctly according to some...You all are grasping at straws and your anger betrays you..Wow The rightwing has really been reduced to a marginal political force...without any credibility, power and immasculated...Pathetic weak ideaology
i have been called many things from a flaming liberal to just plain nuts. This is a first, to be called a rightwinger. Wow, you sure do like flapping your gums without knowing what you are talking about. It's hard to tell you from a Palin supporter.
JUST ME......Where did I call you anything or address you???...But you invoking Idiot Sarah Palin Is a downright insult to me...Not first time I have been offended...No big deal From your post it is questionable you are a liberal.... My prior post is accurate Pathetic Right wing losers shrieking like little girls about the president skeet shooting...Have a nice day
Soon He'll be holding an AK 47 wearing fatiuges!
Time to take it to the Supreme Court for studying what the intention is of the 2nd Amendment. Can look at things like did citizens always have similar right to own a military type weapon from start after the amendment through the changing weapons development last 200 years? What would the citizens need to stop tyranny 100 years ago, 150 years ago when they wanted to fight and overthrow the government - the far right and maybe far left concern (are the tree huggers getting their assault weapons ready too)? Gattling Guns, machine guns? Now let's go through a quick example on why this decision is so important on specific types: A gang/club/cult gets big enough and serious enough about overthrowing their local gov and goes to all out war with their police or sheriffs. From what we saw, RPGs and machine guns like Uzis have been found in civilian hands if I remember correct, so these guys revolting could have those and easily overwhelm their local police/sheriffs. So the state sends in the Nat Guard to help them, do we want the instigators to have their equal weapons like mortars, bazookas, tanks to comply with the 2nd amendment interpreters who say it is mainly for overthworing tyranical gov?
That barrel is pretty horizontal for skeet. Butt looks a bit high for my tastes. Station 1, low house and he's really a fast shot, or else he's posing.
So what's he score?
A 72-year-old homeowner immediately retrieved his handgun when he heard several home intruders attempting to gain entry to his Las Vegas residence early Monday morning. And when the criminals entered his bedroom, he opened fire, killing one of the suspects and sending the rest fleeing, KLAS-TV reports.
"Several intruders, had gotten into the home, entered his bedroom and he fired at least one shot, and they fled," Metro Police Officer Bill Cassell said. "It is unusual, first of all, to have multiple people burglarizing a residence, especially when they are carrying weapons."
When police eventually arrived at the Las Vegas home, they found one of the intruders trying to escape in a car. The car hit a patrol car and then the suspect attempted to flee on foot, however, police were able to take the man into custody.
A second suspect, described as a Latin male, was last seen running from the neighborhood where the attempted robbery took place. He remains at large. Police found a third male, armed with a handgun, dead in the homeowner's backyard. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound.
The incident was the second time in three days that a homeowner in Las Vegas had used a firearm during an attempted burglary and fired at an intruder.
The elderly homeowner, identified as Dr. Joseph Piracci, is also a recent burglary victim. Police say charges against Piracci are not expected.
who really gives a damn.....Obama is a MORON. He thinks the federal government has no spending problem, thinks the answer is more taxes, and wants to cut pay for military yet gives more pay for federal workers. Its only a matter of time before all this debt comes due as all bills and then the truth will be know even to the limp wristed, gun grabbing liberals. Obama is not going to be seen in history as the wise man on the hill but rather the spend foolish idiot who fooled half the nation for 8 years.