Obama to Travel Around the Country on New Gun Control Campaign

As New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pumps millions of dollars into the airwaves, President Obama is getting ready for a brand new campaign. Obama will travel around the country on a gun control tour, despite Democrat Harry Reid killing Senator Dianne Feinstein’s latest gun control legislation last week. Reid has offered for Feinstein to issue her legislation as an amendment, but won’t bring the legislation as part of a larger gun control package to the Senate floor for a vote.

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Bloomberg’s pro-gun control group Mayors Against Illegal Guns is launching the campaign in states where senators may be on the fence regarding a package of firearms proposals making its way to the Senate floor. As the push for that legislation appears to falter, President Obama plans to soon tour the country to talk about the need to reduce gun violence, a senior administration official confirmed to Fox News. Bloomberg also confirmed Sunday that he plans to spend $12 million to run ads in at least 10 states, suggesting there could be a political price to pay for opposing the measures.

And of course, Bloomberg’s personal obsession and mission against the National Rifle Association continues.

NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre on Sunday challenged New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to spend $12 million on ads meant to pressure senators into backing strict new gun control measures, saying Bloomberg “can’t buy America.”

Making clear he intends to be a counterweight to the NRA, Bloomberg said he wants to make sure the powerful gun lobby is not “the only voice” in this debate. If he can achieve that, Bloomberg said, “then I think my money would be well spent.”

LaPierre bristled at Bloomberg’s comments.

“He can’t spend enough of his $27 billion to try to impose his will on the American public,” LaPierre said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He can’t buy America.”

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Meanwhile, the NRA just hit its best fundraising totals in a decade.

The group raised nearly $1.6 million in February, according to the latest Federal Election Commission filings posted Tuesday night. February’s numbers follow a $1.1 million haul in January.

The NRA hasn’t posted such strong fundraising numbers since the height of the 2000 presidential campaign, when the committee raised $1.7 million in October.

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