Hillary's strong pleas for gun control are probably going to hurt her in NH and Iowa,

[Nye Bevan]

which are rural states with lots of hunters. For a presidential candidate, just as endorsing ethanol subsidies makes a lot of political sense, so does remaining silent on things like gun control which would tend to be losing issues in the early primary states (especially when she is up against someone who opposed even the Brady bill). I am sure that she fully realizes this but I am glad that she is speaking out on this principle, and as a Hillary supporter I hope that the delegates that she may lose in the early rural states will be made up for elsewhere later on.

[L0oniX]

1. Early Bernie wins will propel him more into the spot light. We'll see what affect that has.

[frazzled]

2. How can you be silent on a matter of such extreme importance?

Are you truly advocating for silence on an issue that permeates the culture of this nation and drags us down in the eyes of the world? That takes the lives of so many citizens each and every day? That threatens our peace and stability and security?

Brava to Mrs. Clinton for holding strong on this issue.

[Nye Bevan]

3. Please read my post and not just the subject line (nt)

[frazzled]

4. Sorry, I just read the first sentence or two

about losing votes, and my emotions overcame me. This is a sensitive time, and emotions are raw.

[99Forever]

5. So you advocate that candidates should lie by omission.

Why am I unsurprised?

[Nye Bevan]

7. Perhaps you also did not read my entire post? (nt)

[Autumn]

6. It will hurt her in CO too but if she really feels that I applaud her for it

and I hope she doesn't back track on this issue.

[tularetom]

8. Don't worry, if that happens she'll change her position like she did in 2008

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/25549477/hillary-clinton-cant-shoot-straight-on-gun-control

These recent comments on gun control appear to be an effort to gin up the base -- and possible donors -- by throwing out these liberal nuggets now.

Six years ago, she aimed to the right when she was running a national election and needed western and southern states to beat Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.

Clinton saw an opening when Obama was caught at a private fundraiser in San Francisco saying that people in small towns “get bitter-- they cling to guns or religion.”

Suddenly Clinton’s campaign stops turned into pro-gun rallies.

“People enjoy hunting and shooting because it’s an important part of who they are. Not because they are bitter,” she said. At another stop, she told supporters that her father taught her to shoot as a girl, then she waxed poetic about going duck hunting.

Obama felt the target on his back.

“She’s talking like she’s Annie Oakley,” said the first-term Illinois senator. “Hillary Clinton is out there like she’s on the duck blind every Sunday. She’s packing a six-shooter. Come on, she knows better. That’s some politics being played by Hillary Clinton.”

So see, all that gun control stuff is just to placate liberals. if it looks like public opinion opposes additional restrictions on private ownership of firearms, she can easily do a 180. She's really flexible!

[uponit7771]

9. ...and help her in the urban areas

[Nye Bevan]

10. Very probably.

But as others have pointed out, momentum is important in the primaries and the urban areas don't vote until later on. I admire her principles and I believe that she is doing the right thing, but she is certainly ceding some ground to Sanders here.

[DCBob]

11. This would be more of an issue in the general.

In the Dem primary I think Dem voters are more understanding and sensitive to the need for improved gun control legislation.

[Robbins]

12. She is pandering

Corporate dems won't fight NRA.