Barack Obama seeks national effort to end mass shooting

But despite promising last week to “politicise” the issue, President Obama said his visit to Oregon was “about the families”.

As the president flew out of Roseburg Regional Airport, heading north to Seattle, the protesters had largely left, too. “The other half were negative or seemed to be protesting his calls action to tighten the nation’s gun laws”, the pool report said.

This was the eighth time during his presidency that Obama has visited the scene of a mass shooting to console family members and pay his respects to the memories of those gunned down. “He’s coming here purely to push his garbage, and we don’t want it”, said Michelle Finn, who is helping to organize the protests planned for intersections near the small airport where Obama’s helicopter is expected to touch down. The massacre was the 294th mass shooting taking place in America in 2015, according to shootingtracker.com. But the tragic headlines aren’t the only reason a few politicians are more willing to stick their necks out, in defiance of the powerful gun lobby. One student died and three others are being treated at Flagstaff Medical Center, Fowler said.

In Roseburg, however, it’s about more than just gun control. It’s a response to Texas Republican Sen.

“Spend more money on mental health”, Harju said.

Young Conservatives posted a statement on its website that referred to the Roseburg protests as “truly a handsome sight to see patriots standing up for their Second Amendment rights to protect life, liberty and property”. But at least the conversation is alive. As such, he has not been vocal on firearms – a departure from the liberal passion that otherwise defines his platform.

The gunman, Chris Harper Mercer, had no criminal record and had passed background checks to amass an arsenal of 13 weapons. “I may not agree, about gun control, but he’s here to support Roseburg”. More important for Clinton, in fact, is what the issue does to her image among the larger electorate.

Sally Telford is a gun owner. Parents were outraged to discover that a gun store, Nova Firearms, opened just metres from an elementary school a few days before the Oregon shooting.

Local officials say he is welcome, but that sentiment is not universal. The White House did not say how many people Obama met with.

Leslie Corp holds up an American flag and the Gadsden flag while waiting outside of Roseburg Municipal Airport for President Barack Obama’s arrival in Roseburg, Ore., Friday, October 9, 2015. Jeb Bush appeared insensitive when he said “stuff happens”.

“I am embarrassed of what’s going on up there”, Allenby said, pointing to the main group of protesters. But if Obama immediately turns the conversation back to gun control, he said, he’ll know the president wasn’t genuine with his visit.

“Law-abiding gun owners will not accept blame for acts of criminals”, National Rifle Association head Wayne LaPierre said in his 2013 remarks to Congress. “Teaching safe and responsible gun ownership works”. President Obama went there today.