Do Gun Owners Fear an Obama Presidency?

This is a rush transcript from "America's Election HQ," October 30, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BILL HEMMER, HOST: What does the election mean for gun owners in America? One group is not pulling for Barack Obama. The NRA, National Rifle Association, spent millions on ads against him. Some people are reportedly buying up guns in the event of an Obama presidency coming out of Tuesday's vote.

Chris Cox, chief lobbyist for the NRA. Chris, good evening to you.

CHRIS COX, CHIEF LOBBYIST, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: Thanks for having me, Bill.

HEMMER: What are these owners so worried about, you think?

• Video: Watch Bill Hemmer's interview

COX: Well, they're worried about Barack Obama winning and they're worried if he wins, he will take their guns away. And the truth is, they have a reason to worry.

HEMMER: Why?

COX: This guy — he supported the most radical gun control agenda that's ever been imagined. He voted to ban single shot and double-barrel shotguns. He's voted to ban almost all hunting ammunition. He supported a 500 percent tax increase on guns and ammunition. So this guy is bad news when it comes to the Second Amendment and if people are buying guns, it doesn't really surprise me.

HEMMER: You're laying it on. He is saying that this piece of paper when he was in the Illinois legislature wasn't his handwriting. You are not buying that, are you?

COX: No, because the second questionnaire had his handwriting on it. You don't even have to go back that far. This year he said he supported Washington D.C.'s handgun ban and Washington's D.C.'s ban on self-defense in the home. And that's something that has gun owners really worried. This is a —

HEMMER: I was on his Web site today and I was looking around for this issue. It's a bit hard to find. It's under additional issues under the category of sportsmen.

But this is what the campaign is telling us, "Barack Obama," they say, "believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right and he respects the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans who purchase, transport and use guns." That's a statement. Chris?

COX: Well, Bill, four years ago, we saw John Kerry do signing and nobody really believed he was somehow a supporter of hunting heritage. And Barack Obama's rhetoric is very different from his record. And what we're going to do is expose the guy who opposes self-defense with a firearm, opposes hunting, opposes legitimate firearms for personal protection.

And it's important that Americans know that he is spending millions of dollars because he has zero credibility when it comes to the Second Amendment.

HEMMER: Do you have an issue with John McCain? I went to his Web site, too. It's a little more prominent. It's under the category of Second Amendment. He wants an instant background check for all dealers, whether you're private or whether you're licensed. Do you have an issue with that?

COX: We have had disagreements with Sen. McCain. But if you compare Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama, there is a clear choice on the Second Amendment. McCain has voted against gun bans. He votes for self-defense and Barack Obama has been on the wrong side of every issue.

HEMMER: All right. We've got to leave it there. We're out of time. Chris COX from the NRA, thank you for your time. To be continued.

COX: Thanks for having me.

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