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NRA's LaPierre throws down gauntlet; Rights rally in Olympia Friday January 14, 20162:44 PM MST(Updated 4 p.m. 1/) Reinforcing the adage to “be careful what you ask for, you may get it,” National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre yesterday threw down the gauntlet, challenging President Barack Obama in a video message to a one-on-one debate about guns in response to the president’s assertion last week that he is “happy” to meet with and talk to the NRA.President Obama said he would be happy to meet with the NRA, now he'll have a chance to prove it. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesLate Thursday afternoon, an NRA spokesman told Examiner that member reaction has been all positive. One look at NRA's Facebook page confirms that the challenge had been shared more than 11,000 times, and there were more than 76,000 "Likes" logged.With LaPierre’s challenge on the table, the country will see just how long the president’s happiness lasts. The veteran NRA leader, who has served as executive vice president of the 5 million member association for more than two decades, was hardly subtle in an eight-minute message initially broadcast on NRA News Wednesday evening.This comes as Washington State gun rights activists are planning a rally on the Capitol steps in Olympia tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. There are currently several gun control bills in the hopper, and hearings on those measures are scheduled next Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee.Yesterday the results of two conflicting polls were published, one by Reuters and the other from Rasmussen Reports. Reuters said their survey revealed that 50 percent of poll respondents “said they supported Obama’s executive actions” on guns, although the breakdown along party lines is telling. While more than 80 percent of Democrats reportedly support his proposals, 72 percent of Republicans oppose them and hope his successor overturns them.Rasmussen, meanwhile, reported yesterday that only 28 percent of respondents to its survey trust the federal government to fairly enforce gun control laws. Fifty-nine percent don’t trust the government and 13 percent are “undecided.”Friday’s Olympia rally is sponsored by the Gun Rights Coalition. Several legislators are expected to speak. Recalling what happened last year when a splinter group went inside the House visitors’ gallery and raised long guns, resulting in a ban on open carry in both the House and Senate chambers, the GRC this time around posted the following message on their website:“We would like to ask anyone that carries firearms to please keep them holstered or slung. Each of us is responsible for our own actions. That includes both appropriate safety and conducting ourselves in a respectful manner that will reflect positively on the group as a whole. Thanks.”Reaction to LaPierre’s challenge has been predictable. The New York Daily News described his presentation as a “rant.” Other reports generally reacted more favorably.In his remarks, LaPierre was blunt, telling the president, “I’ll meet you in a one-on-one one-hour debate with a mutually-agreed upon moderator on any network that will take it. No pre-screened questions and no gas-bag answers. Americans will judge for themselves who they trust and believe on this issue, you or the NRA. Let’s see if you’re game for a fair debate. It’s your chance to show the American people you’re not afraid to meet the NRA on neutral ground.”So far, there has been no official response from the White House.
This comes as Washington State gun rights activists are planning a rally on the Capitol steps in Olympia tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. There are currently several gun control bills in the hopper, and hearings on those measures are scheduled next Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee.
