Hillary Targets Bernie Sanders on Guns

In an exclusive interview on MSNBC with Chris Matthews, Hillary Clinton ripped into Senator Bernie Sanders on the gun issue.

“When it really mattered, Sen. Sanders voted with the gun lobby, and I voted against the gun lobby,” Clinton asserted. She was referring to Sanders’ vote on a bill that would grant immunity for firearms manufacturers when firearms are used in crimes.

Clinton characterized the immunity law as the NRA’s “most important priority in 20 years.”

“I’ve raised this issue before, standing next to Sen. Sanders,” she said, referring to the Democratic debates. “He’s refused to give a straight answer. He could, today, introduce legislation to repeal the immunity that was given to gun makers and sellers. I hope he will join me and the president in supporting real change. And that’s what I’m looking for.”

Hillary, who is nothing else if not an opportunist, is trying to ride along with President Obama’s publicity regarding his unconstitutional executive orders.  Perhaps she thinks Obama’s position on guns is the popular one. She would be mistaken.

“So this is a significant difference, and it’s important that, you know, maybe it’s time for Sen. Sanders to stand up and say I got this one wrong. But he hasn’t,” Clinton said in the interview. “He’s defended his vote time and again. He said he would consider changes to the law, but, you know, that was three months ago and there’s been no [motion] to introduce anything in the Congress or to stand with, you know, those Democrats who want to repeal this, you know, really irresponsible blanket immunity that was voted in for the gun makers and sellers.”

And before her appearance with friend Chris Matthews, Clinton was tossing snark at Sanders, calling him “out of step” with the White House.

This issue is all Clinton has to try and maneuver to Sanders’ left.

Hillary’s attacks on Sanders were not only focused on the immunity legislation. “Sen. Sanders voted five times against The Brady Bill, five times. And it has been the principal instrument for us keeping more than 2 million guns out of the hands of fugitives, felons, stalkers, the people who should not have them in the first place,” she said.

Bur Sanders hails from the gun-friendly state of Vermont, where there are not many firearms restrictions. He would never have been able to retain his Senate seat all these years if he had campaigned on an anti-gun agenda. Will Sanders’ differences on the gun issue hurt his chances for the Democratic nomination? The last IBD/TIFF poll shows Sanders trails Clinton by only 4 points, so perhaps this issue isn’t as important as the Democrats think it is.