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28 Jun, 2019 09:46

Biden slammed on Twitter for saying the NRA is not the enemy at Democratic debate

Biden slammed on Twitter for saying the NRA is not the enemy at Democratic debate

Joe Biden’s insistence that the National Rifle Association ‘is not the enemy’ in the Democratic Party’s push for gun control has not gone down well, with liberals tweeting their anger at his remarks.

Biden claimed that gun manufacturers, not the NRA, were to blame for hampering Democratic efforts to bring about gun control reform, sparking an explosive reaction online as people tried to get their heads around his “really weird” comments. 

The former vice-president was speaking about his gun control record and said that smart guns should have biometric readers so that only the gun’s owner can pull its trigger. “It’s within our right to do that, we can do that, our enemy is the gun manufacturers, not the NRA,” he said.

The Twitter criticism came swiftly, as people backing gun control pointed out that “the NRA is who fronts for the gun manufacturers and pushes laws that boost gun sales and aggressive use,” and suggested that Biden’s comments show “this guy doesn’t understand any issue on the table.” 

"No Biden for me. Please drop out,”tweeted another. 

Conservatives were just as surprised by Biden’s unexpected take on the NRA.

Gun control is a big issue within the Democratic Party as it struggles to bring about gun reform, despite regular mass shootings across the country. The NRA’s staunch lobbying to protect gun ownership draw on its ability to rally its members around issues like the second amendment and self defense, and making donations to Republican politicians. 

Although Biden wrote an Assault Weapons Ban and has pushed for background checks and other reforms, he also voted in favor of the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act, which the NRA called “the law that saved gun rights” in America. It overturned six Supreme Court rulings, allowed rifles and shotguns to be sold through the mail, limited inspections on gun dealers, and allowed them to sell guns at gun shows. 

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