Chimp or Cheney May Address NRA

[MrBenchley]

"The National Rifle Association has yet to name the main speaker for its national convention in Pittsburgh this spring, but the organization is touting that "a special keynote speaker" will be there.
Vice President Dick Cheney has been mentioned as a keynote for the 133rd NRA members' banquet on April 17 at the convention center, although that's not final, an NRA spokesman said Monday.
With the presidential election year heating up, political observers say the forum would be an opportune campaign event for the Bush-Cheney team, maybe even the president himself. Others, though, point out that Bush is likely to receive the NRA's backing anyway -- over any of the Democrats in the running for president -- and probably would just as soon avoid a high-profile appearance in a setting that polarizes the gun issue.
The NRA endorsed Bush in 2000 and contributed large sums to his campaign. The keynote speaker at last year's annual convention in Orlando was Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother. "

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/pittsburgh/s_178731.html

[slackmaster]

1. Article misstates an issue before Congress

The NRA wants to focus political attention and pressure this year on a pair of issues before Congress, including a measure to limit the liability of gun manufacturers in lawsuits involving gun violence. The second issue seeks to end the 1994 ban on so-called assault weapons, a restriction that NRA says is only "cosmetic" and has little impact on violence and crime.

There is no issue before Congress to end the 10-year moratorium on the manufacture and sale to ordinary citizens of firearms defined as "assault weapons" in 1994. The moratorium will expire automatically. The NRA wants to prevent the ban from being renewed or replaced by a stricter one.