Romney on Uzis

Lots of activists think they have better political ideas than the leaders of the Democratic Party. Apparently the Democratic National Committee agrees -- it just launched FlipperTV, a crowdsourcing project that provides hours of raw footage of Republican candidates, so that users can make their own political videos, documentaries and online advertisements. Democrats also hope to tap the vigilance of crowds, so to speak, to catch Republican candidates in statements or flip-flops that DNC staffers may have missed.

A DNC web staffer tells The Nation that the project relies on paid trackers who followed the four leading Republican candidates, ranging from full speeches to short answers given on the campaign trail. It's actually a great way to see the candidates' more spontaneous, creative side. Mitt Romney looks very rehearsed on television, for example, but this clip shows him experimenting with a novel argument in favor of the assault weapons ban: try shooting an Uzi and you'll see why they should be kept off the streets. It makes sense, and you probably won't hear him say that in a televised GOP debate. (It's the second clip on the DNC Romney page.)

Ari Melber writes for The Nation, where this post first appeared.

Comments

[oogabooga]

Just roust the young punk street gangsters on a regular basis, confiscate their artillery and send them on their way. Do it again and again until the street killings start to slow significantly, and then keep up the frisks and searches. Do not resell the confiscated guns, Police Departments, destroy them! This way, we cut down on the killing by getting arms out of the hands of trigger-happy teen boys but the NRA gun nuts can keep their sacred weaponry.

[1will]

Romney's answer was vague, sometimes off topic and rambling but he's a politician so that's the norm.
At least he has enough knowledge of firearms not to compare a fully automatic UZI with semi automatic weapons that only go bang once every time you pull the trigger. I give him credit for that. Most politicians in general and none on the Left would have made that distinction.

[Thirdpower]

Interesting. He's asked about the Assault Weapon Ban and starts talking about fully automatic firearms.

[Tellmethetruth]

I watched the debate and my first impression was how articulate the Republican candidates were and then I realized how accustomed I had become to the inarticulate George W Bush. How did W ever get through the Republican debates in 2000 and 2004?

But, after time, I realized Romney was phoney, and the rest of them made Ron Paul seem mainstream. Huckabee is no doubt articulate and probably their best candidate. I was amazed at how awful Guiliani and McCain were, yesterday's news.

Ron Paul's popularity is based upon one thing - American's never wanted to be in Iraq - were decieved getting there, and really, really, really want out of the Middle East. Kucinich has had the microphone taken away from him, the media has blacked him out, and Ron Paul is allowed to speak instead...and other than getting out of Iraq every thing else is too much on the isolationist, survivalist for me. But, this makes me wonder how the common want of 80% of Americans is protrayed as an extremist viewpoint - namely to get out of Iraq.

Back to the Democrats - the Republicans have no solution other than to cut taxes for themselves, cut entitlements to the rest of us, and to hate someone - this year it is immigrants - women, and yes gays. Sick of the politics of hate.