Sharron Angle Floated '2nd Amendment Remedies' As 'Cure' For 'The Harry Reid Problems'
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Sharron Angle, the Tea Party candidate turned Republican primary winner in Nevada, has taken heat for a number of extreme affiliations and policy positions. One of the more outlandish was a statement she made during a radio interview last January in which she floated the idea that the public would bring down an out-of-control Congress with "Second Amendment remedies."
Since the clip surfaced, courtesy of the Plum Line's Greg Sargent, there has been no comment from the Angle campaign. The candidate herself spent much of Tuesday rubbing elbows with Republicans on the Hill and avoiding the media. In the interim, however, the Huffington Post has been forwarded more evidence demonstrating the candidate's apparent comfort with the notion of armed insurrection against the government.
In an interview she gave with conservative talk show host Bill Manders earlier in the campaign, Angle conspicuously floated, once again, "Second Amendment remedies" to deal not just with the supposedly ever-growing "tyrannical" U.S. government, but to replace her now general election opponent: Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
Angle: I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry. This not for someone who's in the military. This not for law enforcement. This is for us. And in fact when you read that Constitution and the founding fathers, they intended this to stop tyranny. This is for us when our government becomes tyrannical...
Manders: If we needed it at any time in history, it might be right now.Angle: Well it's to defend ourselves. And you know, I'm hoping that we're not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.
Manders cut to break after the statement. So there was no expansion on Angle's proclamation. Prior to that sound bite, however, Angle hinted that she was likely carrying a concealed .44 magnum model 29 during the interview.
"Whoa," said Manders, "you're not carrying that today are you in here?"
"Well," Angle replied, "you know, as part of your test, they always say, 'Don't ever tell anybody if you're carrying because the bad guys don't need to know if you're carrying.' That's what makes that [sic] concealed carries effective."
As for the notion of "Second Amendment remedies," there is a certain sliver of conventional wisdom that holds that positions like these aren't all that unappealing to the decidedly pro-gun, libertarian-streaking voters of Nevada. For what it's worth, even Manders -- a decidedly conservative voice -- suggested during a later show that Angle needs to moderate her views in order to win election -- though it's unclear if that includes her position on armed insurrection.
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First Posted: 06/16/10 10:41 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 05:45 PM ET