It’s very tempting to ignore the new television ad from the National Rifle Association. The group isn’t investing much in the spot — it’s airing online and on the Sportsman Channel — and is no doubt hoping for lots of “earned media” to get its message out for free.
But given the NRA’s influence, I nevertheless think it’s newsworthy to consider what kind of message the organization is pushing. And as of today, it’s this:
“Are the president’s kids more important than yours?” a narrator asks viewers. “Then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools, when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school?”
An NRA spokesperson later told reporters this morning, “Whoever thinks the ad is about President Obama’s daughters are missing the point completely.” Of course, it was the NRA that released an ad about President Obama’s daughters.
The spot also throws in a line about Obama wanting the wealthy “paying their fair share” in taxes. Why? I don’t know; I’ve misplaced my crazy-to-English decoder ring. The NRA, in addition to apparently wanting Secret Service agents for each of the nation’s 62 million children under the age of 15, also opposes gun-free school zones. I’m beginning to think the NRA isn’t fully prepared for a serious, mature conversation about public policy.
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