The Political Chase

The Duck Hunter

The elitist-scorning presidential candidate presented her bona fides to voters in Valparaiso, Indiana yesterday by telling them how experienced she was with guns. CNN’s account of Clinton’s stump speech:

Hillary Clinton appealed to Second Amendment supporters on Saturday by hinting that she has some experience of her own pulling triggers.

“I disagree with Sen. Obama’s assertion that people in our country cling to guns and have certain attitudes about trade and immigration simply out of frustration,” she began, referring to the Obama comments on small-town Americans that set off a political tumult on Friday.

She then introduced a fond memory from her youth.

“You know, my dad took me out behind the cottage that my grandfather built on a little lake called Lake Winola outside of Scranton and taught me how to shoot when I was a little girl,” she said. . . .

Noting that many hunters and gun collectors want to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, Clinton referred to her positive childhood experiences with firearms.

“As I told you, my dad taught me how to shoot behind our cottage,” she said. “I have gone hunting. I am not a hunter. But I have gone hunting.”

Clinton said she has hunted ducks.

In the April 26 MSNBC Democratic presidential debate last year, NBC’s Brian Williams raised the issue of gun control and the Second Amendment. At about 11:10 in the video, you can see Williams asking: “How many of you in your adult lifetime have had a gun in your house?”. Three candidates raised their hands. The duck hunter did not.