Three more children and teacher Victoria Soto were laid to rest in Connecticut on Wednesday, as President Obama named Vice President Biden to spearhead the White House’s response to the Sandy Hook tragedy. “I will use all the powers of this office to help advance efforts aimed at preventing more tragedies like this,” said President Obama at a press conference. “If this effort is to succeed it will require the help of the American people. Biden was nicknamed the Sheriff after he wrote the the 1988 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. The president said Wednesday that Vice President Biden’s project will have concrete proposals no later than the end of January.
After Tuesday’s press briefing where Jay Carney signaled that the Obama administration is ready to act on the issues of gun control reform, this is the next step. Among the policies already under discussion are renewing the federal assault weapon bans and closing gun show loopholes. The NRA, which will hold a press conference on Friday, has pledged a “meaningful contribution” to the debate.
In correlation with the new task force by the White House on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said House Democrats are creating their own task force to combat gun violence. This will be led by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA).
This massacre in Newtown marks the fourth time during the president’s first term that a mass shooting has occurred. With the president’s approval rating at one of its highest marks at 54%, down just two points from when Osama Bin Laden was killed, the president has some political capital to spend.
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