Obama on Oregon Shooting: ‘I Will Politicize It’

“We are the only country on earth that sees these kind of mass shootings every few months” he said.

But Obama admitted he had little power to craft tougher gun laws given the political clout wielded by the National Rifle Association, and vowed to elevate discussion about the “political dynamic” he said was the main obstacle to preventing more gun deaths.

Panic and fear erupted Thursday at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College in Roseburg when a gunman killed 10 people and wounded several others. He cited evidence that 10 times as many people are killed each year in gun violence as died on 9/11.

Police say the gunman, identified as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, was confronted and after an exchange of gunfire was killed. “(I) welcome a bipartisan debate on ways to make our communities safer, while also preserving the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans”. We as a nation – those of us who love guns and those of us who abhor them; those of us who are gun rights advocates and those of us who call for stricter gun controls – bear the collective responsibility for the daily carnage of gun violence.

“This is not the way the United States should be operating”, Obama said, adding, “I want ot be clear”. In an effort to avoid criticism for “politicizing the issue” – though he argued guns threaten the body politic – President Obama asked media outlets to publish gun violence stats. But based on my experience as president, I can’t guarantee that, and that’s terrible to say, and it can change. That day! Somehow this has become routine. “My response to it up here at this podium becomes routine”.

“We hardly know any of the details about this horrific tragedy”, Huckabee said.

“And each time this happens, I’m going to bring this up”, he said.

Speaking in the White House briefing room Thursday, Obama challenged voters wanting to deal with the problem to vote for elected officials who agree with that priority.

Obama reiterated his frustration at the failure of the Republican-controlled Congress to back new gun control measures, and threw down the gauntlet to lawmakers. “I’d ask the American people to think about how they can get our government to change these laws, and to save lives”.

Since taking office in 2009, Obama has spoken out forcefully or issued statements following 15 mass shootings, including the 2012 massacre of 20 students and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

‘Does anybody really believe that?

Huckabee maintained that “gun free zones”, like the community college targeted in Thursday’s shooting, “are sitting duck zones”.