“The words of a president matter.” Joe Biden has tweeted this phrase, used it during an October 2020 townhall appearance and in his response to the storming of the U.S. Capitol Hill in January. Following the Atlanta spa shootings and Boulder, Colo., grocery store shooting, President Biden’s words confirm what we all knew was coming: a full-court press to restrict gun rights is officially underway — or is it?
March 23, President Biden made his strongest anti-gun/anti-industry statement yet since entering office during a televised appearance: “I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common sense steps that will save lives in the future.”
He continued, “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator … we should do it again.”
Biden urged the Senate to “immediately pass” the two House-passed bills (H.R.8, H.R.1446) that would criminalize private sales and extend background check delay periods up to 30 days.
Just two days later, however, gun control took the back burner during Biden’s long-awaited first press conference — and was only mentioned in two of the 31 questions he faced.
When asked if he had “made a decision” on working to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) or taking executive action, like outlawing ghost guns, Biden responded, “All of the above. It’s a matter of timing. The successful presidents better than me have been successful in large part because they know how to time what they’re doing. Order it, decide and prioritize what needs to be done.”
Stark contrast to “I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour” from 48 hours earlier — which was criticized by at least one gun control organization.
“Action on gun violence is not a matter of calendaring for the most beneficial time. It’s a matter of life and death,” said Kris Brown, president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, in an interview with USA Today.
