The executive vice president of the National Rifle Association has thrown down the gauntlet and is challenging President Barack Obama to a debate.
Wayne LaPierre makes the challenge in a video, which he begins by accusing Obama of acting against Congress, the will of the people, and the Constitution with his dictatorial executive orders.
“The president unilaterally decreed that anyone, any lawful citizen who sells, trades, or gives even one firearm might be vulnerable to arrest and charged with a felony,” LaPierre said.
LaPierre excoriated the president for depriving some Social Security recipients of their Second Amendment rights.
“With an opportunity for the president to score political points and claim a cheap victory, this executive action is a bright red line that law-abiding gun owners should cross at their own peril,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time before he makes an example out of someone, and to do so the president announced a federal gun force that will be four times the size of the special forces units he deployed against ISIS terrorists.”
The NRA’s vice president pledged to fight back against Obama’s executive orders. He also blasted Obama’s unwillingness to prosecute criminals, which he said is allowing them to terrorize law-abiding citizens.
“President Obama has made America a sanctuary nation for felons, criminal gangbangers, drug dealers, repeat offenders and illegal aliens,” LaPierre said. “Under the existing federal gun laws, he could take every felon with a gun, drug dealer with a gun and criminal gangbanger with a gun off the streets tomorrow and lock them up for five years or more. But under his direction, federal gun prosecutions have dropped dramatically.”
LaPierre pointed out that Obama could instruct his Justice Department to crack down on the gun criminals terrorizing the streets of Chicago, and he has yet to do it with one year left of his presidency. He also warned that Obama’s attempts to destroy the NRA is paving the way for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to abolish the Second Amendment altogether.
After playing a clip of Obama accusing the NRA of refusing to have an open dialogue, LaPierre responded, “Mr. President, pre-screened questions that lead to your long-winded answers are anything but an honest dialogue.”
LaPierre handed Obama a challenge: a one-on-one debate on a TV network for an hour with a moderator that both sides agree upon without any pre-approved questions.
“Americans will judge for themselves who they trust and believe on this issue: you, or the NRA,” LaPierre said. “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.”