Same Old Claims in Another Language

El día de las elecciones, acompáñame para proteger nuestra derecha de defensa propia. Defiende tu libertad. Derrota a Obama.

Vaquera (English version): As an American, I've never taken my freedoms for granted. As a retired law enforcement officer, I have seen firsthand the tragedy that happens when people are stripped of their gun rights. Families should be able to defend themselves against rapists, drug dealers and other criminals illegally crossing our borders. But Barack Obama didn't think we should be allowed to use a firearm for self-defense. He even voted to allow the prosecution of people who use firearms to defend their families in their own homes. That's just wrong.

On election day, join me in protecting our right of self-defense. Defend freedom, defeat Obama.

Announcer: The NRA Victory fund is responsible for the content of this commercial.

Still False in Spanish
A National Rifle Association ad features Andy Vaquera, a retired police officer, in both Spanish and English versions. Vaquera says "families should be able to defend themselves against rapists, drug dealers, and other criminals illegally crossing our borders." We think it's safe to assume Vaquera believes families should be able to defend themselves against all criminals, not just ones that are illegal immigrants. But anyway, the thrust of his argument is that "Barack Obama didn't think we should be allowed to use a firearm for self-defense." Vaquera adds that Obama "voted to allow the prosecution of people who use firearms to defend their families in their own homes." That's a distortion.

The NRA made this assertion more forcefully in an English-language ad that claimed to re-create a "true story." We debunked that TV spot last week. The charge is based on a vote Obama cast as an Illinois state senator. Obama's vote, as we said, would not have denied anyone the right of self-defense. Nor would it have implemented criminal penalties for those who use a gun to do so.

In fact, Obama voted to preserve the status-quo, not changing any laws whatsoever. The bill in question was introduced after a man in a Chicago suburb shot an intruder and was fined $750 for violating a local gun ban, a "petty offense." The bill, which became law despite a gubernatorial veto, forbade localities with gun bans from penalizing owners of illegal weapons in cases where guns were used in self-defense in the home or a person's business. Obama voted against it.

As we said, "it would be fair to characterize Obama as voting to uphold enforcement of local gun bans, even in cases where the banned weapons were used in self-defense." But the NRA and Vaquera go too far in saying Obama "didn't think we should be allowed" to use a gun "for self-defense." We can't say what Obama thinks, nor can the NRA, but his vote doesn't support that assertion.

Obama's vote could only have applied where local gun bans existed, not everywhere as the NRA's ads imply. Furthermore, local gun bans are now pretty much a thing of the past. In June, the Supreme Court threw out the District of Columbia's local ban, saying it violated the Second Amendment. Obama issued a statement calling the decision "much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country."

No Amigo to Latinos?
Latinos 4 Reform Ad: "Friend of Latinos"
Announcer: Barack Obama amigo de los Latinos? El record demuestra lo contrario. Sabías que después de que el censo demonstró el grán crecimiento de la comunidad latina, Obama le dijo a la prensa en Chicago que aunque todos reconocen el crecimiento de los latinos, no se puede permitir que los Latinos le quiten poder de la comunidad afrícana-americana? Oiste bien…Pero hay más…

Sabías que a lo largo de su carrera en la legislatura, Obama nunca ha contratado a un Latino a posiciones importantes en sus oficinas? Sabías que Obama se opone al libre comercio con México, Centroamérica y Colombia, pero apoya el libre comercio con Africa? Y durante el debate de inmigración en el Senado, Obama nos ignoró por completo para no ofender a las unions y a los votantes de Iowa. Después de ignorar a los Latinos durante toda su vida, ahora nos lo ofrece todo. Por favor señor Obama, los Latinos estamos cansados de las promesas vacias de los políticos como usted que nos ofrecen todo cuando necesitan nuestros votos, pero después se olvidan de nosotros. Latinos piénsenlo bien, porque el futuro está en sus manos. Pagado por Latinos por la Reforma.