second amendment rights and for being here at this incredibly important meeting. by your very presence you are sending a message to the president, so joe biden, diane feinstein, and michael bloomberg. and to all their friends in the media who have been claiming for months that you and american gun owners simply don't count. we've all been under attack since the connecticut tragedy by those who would exploit the second of a madman to their ageneral dafment we've been under attack because they realized to win they'd have to take down the n.r.a., deemize gun owners and convince the american citizen that is we are the problem rather than mass shooters and criminals the

federal government refuses to prosecute. within hours of the shootings in connecticut they swung into action. new york's mayor announced he would spend as much as it might take to support the gun banners and wrote checks immediately. edia figures denounced the n.r.a. it is as important today to destroy the n.r.a. as it was during world war ii to defeat the nazis. it was quite a performance. but support for the president's agenda began to weaken as elected officials and ordinary citizens looked deeper into what was being proposed. and second amendment supporters like you began showing up by the hundreds of thousands at rallies around this country. observers quickly realized that

the belief in our traditional rights and freedoms is as alive today as it was when the bill of rights was drafted so long ago. in the end -- [applause] in the end the fact that our opponents live in a different world or perhaps on a different planet than most americans doomed their efforts which i remember watching pbs as the president delivered his anti-second amendment die ranscribe and hearing a salvey commentator, a sure public broadcast viewers that a new day had dawned that most n.r.a. members agreed with the president and they were abandonning the national rifle association in droves. those assurances may have comforted his audience but

ignored the fact that that very day while the president was speaking and right after wards 58,000 americans troubled by president obama's proposals and fearing for the future of the second amendment picked up their tell phones and joined the national rifle association. [applause] in the end united states senators realized that their constituents actually do count. just because a president wants something doesn't mean she should alute and give it to him. they realize that because of you and millions of others made it clear that you're as prepared as toffer stand and fight for our freedoms. [applause] by the time it was over, we had

a million new members. nd we had turned the tide. [applause] i stand here today to thank you and to let you know that thoys of us you've honored by trusting to us represent and speak for you during these challenging times are grateful for what you helped accomplish. as your president, you can tell you that we've been blessed to have wayne as our command ner chief during this phase of strug toll protect our constitutional rights. [applause] today's n.r.a. exists in large part because of wayne. and our opponents knew that to destroy it and the second amendment, their going to have to go through wayne. they tried. they launched every personal

attack you can imagine and they failed. [applause] wayne's steadfast leadership and willingness and ability to put together a team of strategyists and activists that can out think and outfight our opponents was tested as never before. and as always, wayne was up to the challenge. he assessed our streppingts analyzed our weaknesses and knew what we could do on our own and what we needed outside help to accomplish. a former u.s. attorney and congressman who headed the drug enforcement administration and he was under secretary of homeland security. he was just the man we needed to lead an initiative to draw up a plan to protect our children in the wake oaf the kind of tragedy that took place

in newtown connecticut. wayne went to him and he responded. that took dedication and courage on both side which he took on the job because he know that is we are serious and that we would back him up. and he did a great job. chris cox at the institute for legislative action proved that with a small staff wand your support he could outdual the president and senate liberals who have vowed again and again to gut the second amendment by dividing us or fooling us with attractive sounding proposals that mask their true intenses. with chris and wayne providing the leadership and with our members and our supporters behind them, we overcame the doubts of those sunshine soldiers who thought they could buy piece by making deals with

our opponents and handed president obama is first major legislative defeat of his presidency. [applause] that, my friend, is quite an accomplishment. an accomplishment that few of us would have predicted back in january. but let's not fool ourselves. it doesn't mean the war is over. we must never confuse winning a battle with winning a war. e all know -- [applause] that as we meet here our opponents are regrouping and we know that they'll be back. they are as dedicated today as they have ever been to consigning you and me and all those who believe in the freedoms guaranteed us by this nation's founders to the outer

darkness. it was the inability of some senators who should frankly have known better to distinguish between a battle and a war that led them to agree to what they thought was a peace treaty but was in eality a short term arm tiss that would have helped chuck weaken us as they launch their next offensive. his is a mistake we will never make. [applause] we know the stakes. we know what you expect of us and of your n.r.a. we will never fail you. think for a minute about the talent we have at our disposal. wayne is the face of the national rifle association and you hear from chris and from your officers. but i'd like to take just a minute to pay attribute to the

directors you elect who develop the policies we follow and who provide all of us with the strategic advice we rely on as we do battle on your behalf. some of those who serve are household names. while others are drawn from the ranks of those who serve or have served an elected office, senators rnors or and congressmen. there are others though that you don't hear about as often but who are as vital a part of your n.r.a. leadership team. j.d. williams of oak oket, washington, d.c. and now texas s one such director.

j.d. has been a mentor to wayne, me and the n.r.a. itself for decades. as a successful attorney and perhaps the most respected lobbyist of his generation, the j.d. williams has been instrumentle in every second amendment battle waged in washington since the 1960's. he has been and continues to be a valued advisor to democrats and republicans alike. he was crucial to the formation of the institution for action and has been an unfailing wise counselor to wayne and every n.r.a. president with whom he has served. and would if we were a baseball team rather than a board be a most valuable player. i remember riding back after a day of shooting on the chesapeake which he said he

hadn't hunted ducks and geese until after he moved to washington. but remembered coming back after his first hunt and said this j.d. is why god put you on this earth. j.d. williams is rarely wrong but he was wrong that day. god put him on this earth to play a key role in the defense of freedom and the rights passed down to us by our founders. although god really didn't mind if he took a day off here and there to shoot a few ducks and geese on the side. i like j.d. williams and the rest of our board to stand because they represent you and they are the backbone of this association. thank you j.d. and thank you to the entire board of directors of the national rifle association. [applause]

everyone here, every member of the national rifle association, and every second amendment supporter in this country has benefited from your service j.d. and from the serviceover of your fellow directors. thank you all. [applause] fellow members of the n.r.a. family, it is an honor for me now to introduce another director of the national rifle association. please welcome lieutenant colonel oliver north. [applause]

>> thank you my fellow n.r.a. members. it has been my great blessing to have spent most of my life in the company of heroes. those of you who have read my books or seen my reports from the battlefields around the world, those are the classical definition of a hero is a person who puts himself or herself at risk for the benefit of others. they are the kind of people who snand harm's way and do not wither in the heat of battle. such is the character of the person i was asked to introduce to you today. years from now when the honest history of the national rifle association is written, the chronicle will have to describe this as a time of extraordinary durr ress for this great civil liberties organization and our

nation. the historians will have to report how a vicious assault was waged by politicians, by the 3450ed i can't, by the entertainment industry and well financed progressives with one purpose to destroy the n.r.a. that record will also have to reflect how the leaders of the n.r.a. responded to protect not just the membership of our organization but the precious liberties of all americans. over the past quarter year, the primary tar get of this venomous attack has worn the slings and arrows of the left yet never once flinched. he didn't cut and run, he didn't complain. he didn't moan the malicious lies being spread about his character, the threats to his family or the spiteful

intrusions into his privacy. instead he decided to stand and fight. he led the way. [applause] he led the way all great leaders lead by example, with integrity and courage and tireless energy that are the virtues of real leaders. he more than anyone else has led our great organization through a fire storm of conflict. he's endured the assaults as personal and as cruel as cold hearted as anything i've ever seen. i do know a little bit about that kind of treatment. and the toll it takes on our families. yet negotiate he nor his wife ever lost their good will, their charity, their desire to do the right thing for our

nation. imagine four months of waking up to a new attack on the front page of your morning paper erp. consider what it's like to see yours non-ized every time you turn on the television. every word twisted and stripped of context. they thought they could force him off stage like they've done to so many before him. instead he punched back harder than they imagend. he's rallied all across our country and testifying before the united states senate, something else i know a little something about. so he's remained true to the principles that have guided him. he stood up to the well financed obama bloomberg biden media attack machine.

everyone in this room, every member of our organization, every american who believes in the principles of freedom ought to be proud and thankful for his leadership, tenacity and courage. >> i came here to stand for what i believe is true. how have our nation's priorities gotten so far out of order? we care about our money so we protect our banks with armed guards. we care about our president so we protect him with armed agent agents. yet when it comes to our children, we leave them utterly defenseless. that must change 2340u. when it comes to keeping our kids in this country safe, nothing else matters. >> i have people all over the country saying i went to bed

feeling safer last night because i have a firearm. >> they have to face a threat most children do not have to face. >> we will not be duped. we will not be demonized and we will not be dieded. >> words do have meaning mr. president and those meanings are absolute especially when it comes to our bill of rights in this country. let me hold up emir error to the national news media and white house. why doesn't nbc news start with shocking news on chicago. why doesn't the press corp when they are is it canning jay carney why don't they say why is chicago dead last in guns. ng crimes with there are drugs and cocaine

being sold. gangs are trafficking 13-year-old girls which gun owners know the truth. >> have they lost their minds over at the white house? this president we will stand and fight throughout this country as americans for our freedoms. we promise you that. when it comes to that, sir, you keep your advice, we'll keep our guns. the only thing that stops a bad gie with a gun is a good guy ith a gun. >> ladies and gentlemen, members of the national rifle association please welcome my friend, my fellow virginia, ayne lapierre. >> thank you. thank you very much.

[applause] > thank you. thank you, you are kind which we do it all together one by one and people like you all over this country. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. thank you houston and good morning. colonel north, i really appreciate your kind words. you are a genuine american hero and for your service to god, to our country and to your n.r.a., we all salute you colonel and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. [applause] at this gathering one year ago

i predicted that our freedom might soon face its greatest threat ever. i spent the past year warning gun owners all over this country that have re-elected president obama would launch an all out historic attack against our second amendment and the personal freedom of hundreds of millions of law abiding americans. when i said that the news media alled me paranoid, obama veemently denied his eant gun agenda, mocked us. they even went to the extent of passing out fliers saying he would protect our rights. and a lot of americans were deceeved into believing him. deceived. it sure didn't take long for

barack obama to show himself, the real barack obama. even before he was sworn into office, before his inauguration, the president launched an all out historic attack, a siege against our rights from gun bans to magazine bans to convoluted skeems of reg station of every gun owner in america, from executive orders voted on by non-to vice presidential conventions and a flurry of legislative attacks to treaties to gut our second amendment. speeches and anti-gun rallies, media appearances and the heavy handed weight of the presidential bully pulpit. there is nothing the president will not do to get something, anything through congress to dvance his agenda to destroy

our second amendment, nothing. so far, thanks to you and millions of americans all over this country just like you, that is exactly what president obama has gotten, absolutely nothing. [applause] a lot of men and women in the u.s. house and senate have stood up to the president and they have defended our freedom. they have taken a lot of heat from the president, michael bloomberg and the media. so it's really important that they hear from every n.r.a. member, every gun owner, every american who values our freedom in our great country, to those senators and congressmen who have stood with the second

amendment, we say thank you and ask to you keep defending our rights. [applause] you have stood with us and you have also represented the people in your home states. let there be no doubt we stand firmly with you. that's important because while the senate vote less than two weeks ago was significant, it's but one skirkish in what can only be defined as a long war against our constitutional rights. as we is it here this morning we're in the midst of a once in a generation fight for everything that we care about. we have a chance to secure our freedom for a generation or lose it for ever. we must remain vigilant. we must remain ever resolute and steadfastly growing and

preparing for even the more critical bat thals loom before us. i am proud to report as i stand in front of you this morning that the state of our n.r.a. is stronger and larger than it has ever been. [applause] you and americans like to make that happen all over the country. that happenmade all over the country. our commitment to freedom is unwavering and our growth is unprecedented. 5day, the nra is a record million strong. [applause] thousands of americans join our cause every day and are still signing up.

the media and political elite denigrate us. they cringe at the sight of long lines at gun shows all over this country. they mock americans who are buying firearms and ammunition at a record based -- record pace, and they scold him scorn the nra. they don't get it. they don't get america. the president, of the united states of america, held a press conference 17 days ago and angrily called the nra liars. liars? really? who spent hisn entire reelection campaign saying he supported our second amendment rights. try to takever

anyone's come away. -- gun away. and he calls us liars? this from the president to repeatedly claimed that 40% of firearm sales don't involve a background check. that was never true. " gave "washington post him three pinocchio's for that one. she calls us liars echo -- he calls us liars? the biggest whopper of all is that 90% of americans support his background checks bill. media can't rant and rave about anything else. 90% of americans want -- don't want criminals and the mentally ill to get their hands on guns. what kind of polling they do down at the white house, but i do know

this. when it comes to keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals in the mentally deranged, nra members agree 100%. [applause] but mr. president, the bill you backed would not consular staff goal. your bill -- would not accomplish that goal. your bill, the bill you ordered was simply a maze of regulations that could criminalize lawful firearms transactions. ,nd create potentially create a massive government list of every law-abiding gun owner in the united states of america. you firstr bill supported, and you still support. it would create a database of every gun owner in america.

the mansion to me bill you later toomey billanchin- you later backed would not have presented tucson, aurora, and won't than -- prevent the next tragedy. of it hasd that any anything to do to keep ever killed an saver at any school anywhere. that is why the president could people to go along with it. american software the political posturing over this country. freedom.sure their they don't want government to take that freedom away. as they say in texas, the andident's 90% is all hat no cattle. [applause] iran into a member of congress

a couple of weeks ago. we spoke for a moment. he said, i guess i have to go back and listen to the 90% of the phone calls that are not coming in. [laughter] that is a true story. and it tells you everything you presidentow about obama's empty 90%. so mr. president, you can give all the speeches he want. you can conjure up all the polls you can and call nra numbers on the nasty names that you can think of, or your gun control legislation won't stop one criminal, would not make anyone safer anyway, and that flaw of failure on its merits and not the defeated deserved. it deserved.feat [applause]

the only nine date the president won't talk about his chicago. his own hometown. now run by his former chief of staff. the president won't talk about chicago, but he should. because in the entire united states, chicago ranks 90th out of 90 jurisdictions in federal firearms prosecutions. dead last. when i brought that up on meet the press, the media ignored it. the president doesn't talk about that 90, and the national news cameras perched like vultures right now in the back of the stall -- this hall, they have not mustered the courage to walk into the white

house briefing room and ask about chicago's 90th ranking that is getting people killed every day and every night. a shooting every 6.3 hours. [applause] the deadliest city in america. the president's own hometown. in federal last firearms prosecutions. and the media does not have the guts to ask him about it. if the president had one clue about how to clean a violent crime, don't you think he would do it in his own hometown? ,f his policies got us chicago why do we want to listen to him on anything else? [applause]

you will never hear the media asking that. maybe it is because all of those reporters still have obama bumper stickers on their cars. [laughter] yeah. and theonal media political elite, they are all part of the same class that think they are smarter than we are. they know better than we do. they can tell us what to do or own what to owner not, -- drink, what to eat or or not, and how to live or not. take michael bloomberg. he has gone from mayor of new york to the title of national nanny. from sugar to salt to trans fats to fruit drinks, sotos, --

sodas, tell you what you can and can't do or order when you go into a restaurant. this guy just can't seem to find enough ways to bus people around. whonow he wants to tell us to elect or not? come on, folks. seriously i ask you this -- if michael bloomberg not a billionaire, would anybody ever even bothered to listen to him? now he has joined the president, creating his own billionaire to per pack -- super pac, ready to spend hundreds of millions to attack the nra, demonized gun owners, destroy elected officials who won't bow down to his will and obliterate the second amendment. all while the anti-gun media was supposedly hates money and politics, is all too happy to take and all too breathless to

brad about -- brag about politics.s money in already they are conspiring right now. lanning, preparing, organizing. even waiting for the "next newtown." the next terrific crime. the next senseless, horrific .rime to exploit area just the other day, and anti-gun spokesman said, the next newtown is inevitable. those things can help. galvanized people to act. , politics does not get any more disgusting than that are. they wait to use the opportunity of violent tragedy rather than prevent tragedy at health. -- tragedy itself. let me say that again.

rather than implement solutions that could prevent senseless violence, they choose broken policies that enable tragedy. tragedy they wait to exploit. by choice, for political gain. there areat even now dangerous, deranged, evil people throughout society. to unleash unspeakable violence in our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches. they use tragedy to try and blame us. to shame us into compromising our freedom for their political agenda. they want to change america. change our culture. change our values. you know what? this is america. the first country in the world founded not on a race, not on a

religion, not on a royalty, but on a set of god-given principles that we call in alienable rights. [applause] we as americans come from that long line of patriots who broke from king george to live their own lives as free people. and nowhere does freedom of anymore and our second amendment right to own a firearm to defend ourselves, our families, and our nation. [applause] without that freedom, we really aren't free at all. there is nothing more good and andt and normal in america

an honest american citizen owning a firearm to defend himself or protect her family. [applause] they can try to blame us, shame us, with all their might. when it comes to defending the second amendment, we will never sacrifice our freedom on the altar of elitist acceptance. we will never surrender our guns, never. [applause]

you are the voice of america. they are hearing from you right now. more americans today understand the principle of the second amendment. the freedom it gives us as individuals. to be responsible for our own safety, protection, and survival. with me just a minute right now, living in a large, metropolitan area. where lawful firearms ownership is heavily regulated and discourage. imagine waking up to a phone call from the police at 3:00 a.m. in the morning, warning that a terrorist event is

occurring outside and ordering you to stay inside your home. i am talking of course about boston. where residents were imprisoned behind the locked doors of their own homes. a terrorist with bombs and guns justified. -- just outside. frighten citizens sheltered in place with no means to defend themselves or their families from whatever might come crashing through their door. wish theyostonians had a gun two weeks ago? [applause] -- how many other americans now ponder that life or death question? answert national poll that question decidedly. with danger lurking outside their doors, 69% of americans , id yes, i want my freedom

want my second amendment, i want my guns. [applause] lying in wait right now is a terrorist. it arranged a school shooter. a kidnapper. a rapist. a murderer. waiting in planning and plotting. in every community across our country. lying in wait right now. no amount of political schemes, congressional legislation, presidential commissions or media roundtables will ever change that inevitable reality. i said it before, and i will say ,t again, no bill in congress no rose garden speech, will ever change that inescapable fact. to stop a badway

guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. [applause] boston proved it. law enforcement officers do their jobs in that city so courageously, good guys with guns stopped terrorists with guns. [applause] all over our country, people

are more and more frustrated with washington, d.c. and the political and media elite. aey are dismayed over political debate that has nothing to do with addressing our problems and everything to do with advancing an old, tired, failed political agenda. everywhere i go, i have learned that the nra is truly at the heart of america's heartland. are the middle of the river of america's mainstream. is exactly what most americans want. we know our mental health system is in shambles. and we all want it fixed. we want criminals with guns prosecuted and incarcerated. we want the federal government on the books right now in force against drug dealers with guns,

gangs with guns, and violent felons with guns. [applause] everyone of you feels that way, i know it. if they would just do that, those violent criminals would not be on their way to the next crime scene. they would be sitting in prison. we all want our children to be safe. we want them to be protected. that is why we proposed trained police and security officers in every single school in our country. [applause] there is not a mom or dad an america that wants to leave their children. if the washington elite really wanted the same thing, they would stop demonizing law- abiding american gun owners, they would stop trying to convince the american people that all gun owners are

potential criminals in waiting, and they would actually implement programs that address our problems in a real and meaningful way. and trained armed security in every school. and force the federal thomas on the books right now. the federal gun laws on the books right now. repair our broken mental-health system. help help the mentally ill boy getting them off our streets and into treatment. and for god sakes, leave the rest of us alone in this country. [applause]

i hope washington hears that message you are sending right now. the political and media class, they just don't get it. in a lot of ways, they have lost track of what this great nation is really all about. it is about us and people like us all over our great country. it is always been we, the people. not the political class. all the way back to the founding of this country. here is what i am talking about. ♪ >> in a recent closed-door speech to donors and media, bill clinton spoke about american gun owners. "a a lot of these people, all they have got is hunting or fishing or they have been listening to the stuff are so long that they believe it all." and we all remember barack

obama's 2008 comments to a room of san francisco relates. "it is not surprising that they get it or, they cling to guns or religion." the arrogance of their superiority requires this reminder. they don't give us rights. we grant them power. , we pay't make us safe to protect them. they don't make us free, we are free already. as long as we have the second amendment, we always will be. we are america. our politicians are only as powerful as we, the people, allow them to be. [applause] we are the people. this is our country. this is a fight for our freedom and the freedom that separates us from every other nation on

earth. that freedom makes us stronger than other countries and that freedom makes us better than other countries. .hat freedom is on the line nevermore on the line than right now. through the 2014 congressional election. 17 days ago, president obama said this was only round one. round two is on the way. they're coming after us with a vengeance to destroy us. to destroy us and every ounce of our freedom. single nra us, every member, every single gun owner, all-americans all of this country, to get to work right meet them head-on with and an array that is strong and large enough to defeat any and all threats to our freedom. today --

[applause] we are a record 5 million strong. we must not and we will not slow down, not one single bit. by the time we're finished, the nra must and will be 10 million strong. 10 million. dedicated. [applause] patriotic. american. who cherish freedom and all that is good and right about america. if it is round one, round two, or around 15, the nra to go the distance. no matter what it takes, we will never give up or compromise our constitutional freedom, not one single inch. [applause]

our feet are planted firmly in a foundation of freedom. unswayed by the winds of political and media insanity. and they political and media elites who scorn on, we say let them be damned. [applause] so fill your heart with pride. clear your eyes with conviction. this is our time to stand and fight. now and in the next election and the one after that area did now and for the rest of our lives. to save our second amendment for future generations, we will

never back down. we will never surrender. we will always stand, we will always fight, we will always stand and fight for our american freedoms. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you, wayne. now it is my letter to introduce your second vice president, alan .ourt

>> thank you mr. president, and good morning the nra. had been in politics and lobbying for more than 40 years. during that time, politicians from both parties have come and gone. organizations from across the spectrum have risen and fallen. throughout that time, one thing is proven true time and time simply no other legislative and political team that is as smart, hard-working, and most importantly, successful, as our own institute for legislative action. [applause] true power comes from each of

you. each of you gathered in this room and run the country. your support is the lifeblood of one of the greatest political operations this country has ever seen. and you have demonstrated that can last night -- last month when the u.s. senate rejected the obama-bloomberg gun control agenda. [applause] every successful organization also needs good leadership. ila's tremendous success is a testament to the vision and leadership of my good friend, chris cox. [applause] chris leads the charge as the executive director. as part of that role, user says nra's chief lobbyist on capitol hill and in the state legislatures. , perhapserstands

better than anyone, that our gun rights are never safe. ila never stops working, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. from working with chris over the past two decades, i know that this philosophy that motivates him to constantly fight for our second amendment freedoms across america, no matter what the issue, no matter who is in office, and no matter how big or small it might seem at the time. chris and his team do all this so that when the final votes are cast, every legislator and every american gun owner has a complete understanding of every proposal and its impact on our freedom. sowould never tell you this, i will say it for him. 's visionary leadership is

responsible for some of our most monumental victories. here is an example. the supreme court decision in heller and mcdonald that affirmed our fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms, they did not start with lawyers filing lawsuits. they started at your ila headquarters in his office, where he and his team mapped out the strategy to elect gw bush, who nominated justice roberts and justice alito and helped elect second amendment senators .ho confirmed roberts and alito they became the cornerstone of the decisions that guaranteed our second amendment freedom. as i mentioned earlier, chris's leadership is evident in a recent victory in the u.s. senate. perhaps the biggest battle we have had in the past 20 years. , as the lateows margaret thatcher famously said,

are victory in politics never final. so he never stops working for us. i know that in a job like this, he does not get much rest. we can all rest better, because he is at the helm, leading the fight for freedom. ladies and gentlemen, these join me in giving a warm welcome and big round of applause to the executive director of your nra institute for legislative action, chris cox. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. thank you. after that kind introduction, i don't feel quite so bad

following wayne, but it is dull tough. it is great to be back in texas. thank you for those kind words. it is often been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. i would like to start today with a quote from 30 years ago. it comes from the 1983 nra annual meeting. "it's a nasty truth, but those who seek to inflict harm on not phased by gun control." those were the words of then president of the united states, ronald reagan. this year marks the 30th anniversary of president reagan's keynote address at our annual meeting. in that speech, he also said, good organizations do not just happen. they take root in a body of shared beliefs, they grow from strong leadership, with vision, initiative, and determination to reach great goals. he went on to say, what you have

accomplished, everyone of you you in this room, speaks for itself. an array is getting stronger every day. is getting stronger every day. [applause] we are getting stronger every day, thanks to you and millions more across america, we are stronger right now than at any time in our 142 year history. the fact is, we have to be stronger. because right now our freedoms under attack like never before. past five months. we have seen the politicians, the national media, their billionaire supporters, attack us, ridicule us and lemos -- blame us for the acts of violent criminals and madmen. they blame us. think about that. when a deranged criminal murders innocent children, they blame us. as an rat care that

members, we have done more than anyone to teach safe and responsible gun ownership areas we have fought harder than anyone to keep guns out of the hands of violent felons and the mentally ill. we have made our country safer themore free by protecting fundamental right of law-abiding americans to defend their homes and families. .ut they still blame us that is because where we see tragedy, a rock obama and michael bloomberg the opportunity. we pray for god to comfort those suffering unimaginable pain, they rushed to microphones, russian cameras. they gather in more rooms on capitol hill. use scheme about how to that suffering to push their political agenda. they follow rahm emanuel's advice, never a crisis go to waste. that is who they are and what

they believe. but not us. for those who still don't understand who we are and what we believe, we are the moms and dads and sons and daughters of the national rifle association and we want to prevent new town, not take advantage of it. [applause] but that is what our opponents do. they use tragedy to restrict freedom. this to us to stop them. we are freedoms greatest hope. its biggest army, and its brightest future. whilel not stand idly by politicians, billionaires, or the media try to destroy the rights that american heroes have died defending. so mr. president, do you really want to keep america safer? senator feinstein, do you really want to protect our kids? senator schumer, do you really

want to keep them out of the wrong hands? then prove it. prove it by prosecuting violent criminals, get serious about school security, and prevent by fixing our mental health system that everyone knows is broken. while you do that, do one more thing. leave our freedom alone. [applause] as dishonest as our opponents are, don't forget they are also ignorant. itorance is sometimes less, also has another name. joe biden. [applause] [laughter] biden is the ringleader of obama's gun control task force.

let's just say she has some interesting ideas on self. take a look. >> by a shotgun. joe biden on self-defense for women. >> you want to protect yourself, get a double barrel shotgun, as i told my wife. i said come until there is ever a problem walk out on the balcony here, but that double barrel shotgun and fire to blast outside the house. >> more than 300,000 women face aggravated assault every year. biden'sn zinsser -- answer. >> hard to blast outside the house. pre-k's not only would that be illegal, for tips on safe and responsible gun ownership, ask the and array, not joe biden. -- the nra, not joe biden. [applause] >> that i needed a different disclaimer. it should've said, the opinions

of the vice president are idiotic him a dangerous, and should not be attended at home or anywhere else eerie a -- anywhere else. [laughter] there is also senator dianne feinstein. wasn't it what you think our guns should be banned. >> step up and ban these weapons. the other very important part of this is to ban large capacity ammunition seeking devices. those that hold over 10 rounds. we have federal regulations and state laws that prohibit hunting ducks with more than three rounds, and yet it is legal to hunt humans with 15 rounds, 30 rounds, even 150 round magazines? >> hold on a minute. it is legal to hunt humans? [laughter] not even in texas. [laughter] [applause]

we have heard a lot of unintelligent garbage coming from politicians, and feinstein might just win the prize for that one. or maybe not. over in the house of representatives, she has some competition. take a look. >> in february you introduce the assault weapons ban and mont foresman protection act of 2007. it would regulate semiautomatic assault weapons, including those that have this of grapes -- pistol grips. and those with a barrel shroud. what is that gecko >> i think the more important thing is that the wood been a large capacity clips. i read the legislation. it said that it would regulate barrel shroud. what is that more should be regulated geck? >> most gangs and criminals

were using to kill our police officers. i am not saying it is the best built. that was the best the quack -- -- >> do you know what a barrel shroud is? >> i actually don't know. , whatyour last question is the efficacy of banning these magazine clips? i would tell you these are ammunition. they are bullets. the people who have those now, they are going to them. if you ban them in the future, the number of these high- capacity magazines is going to time.se dramatically over because the bolts will have been shot in a more be any more available. [laughter] carolyn mccarthy does not need to know what a barrel shroud is, and diana does not know what a magazine is, but they both know for damn sure that you should not have them. [laughter] a greato would make

skit on saturday night live, but it is pathetic coming from members of congress. on that subject, let's not forget president obama. he is not a much ignorant as dishonest. the president of the united states told the united states told a roomful of rich campaign donors in san francisco last month that the gun used at sandy , ak elementary school was fully automatic weapon. a fully automatic weapon. that was not an innocent mistake. that was a deliberate deception. you know so my automatic firearms are not fully automatic. 40% of gun sales are conducted with the back rent check is false. even your beloved "washington post" called to automatic one. -- you out on that one. even universal background checks would not have prevented new town. the centerpiece of president obama's response to new town

would not have prevented new town. it would not make a lick of difference in his hometown, either. you think that murderers and drug dealers and rapists and others in chicago or anywhere else are going to go to walmart for a federal background check women want to buy a gun? of coarse not. -- course not. this would criminalize transfers of honest citizens. if you don't get eric holder's permission first, you go to jail. in other words, you are guilty until they prove you innocent. that was his idea of a reasonable compromise to prevent newtown. the utes had -- the u.s. senate debated the background checks and more of the obama agenda. obama said he used every tool at his disposal to force his proposals through congress. bloomberg spent tens of millions on tv ads to pressure senators.

they spent millions on bogus polling across the country, claiming an overwhelming majority of americans supported their gun control schemes. beforepredicted victory the votes were even cast. you know what they did not caps on -- count on? they did not count on you. they underestimated you. they did not think you stand and fight, but you did. he made the phone calls, you send the letters,, use of the enough, you let your senators know -- [applause] you let them know that your freedom is not negotiable and it worked. republicans and democrats alike rejected chuck schumer's universal background checks, finance feinstein's gun ban and frank's magazine ban. it is offering steel, said give yourselves a hand. givel thanks to you, so

yourselves a hand. [applause] make no mistake, this is just one battle in a long war. as alan said, margaret thatcher pointed out that no political victories are ever final. we cannot afford to stop ourting, because we know opponents want. president obama is still crisscrossing the country in air force one, from colorado to new jersey, trying to commit the people that is gun control proposals are reasonable. we need to fight back with the truth. and explained that his ideas are not reasonable and to make people less safe. here is an example. limiting magazine capacity. that is a major part of their agenda. you have all heard it. someunds, five rounds, even proposed a three round limit. is it reasonable to tell another what you can use and

can't use to defend her children? earlier this year, a young georgia mother was at home when a violent criminal broke into her basement. fearing for her life, she grabbed her 30 and ran upstairs. she had in the closet with her kids. if you found them. when he attacked, she shot him five times in the face and neck. [applause] in spite of his wounds, he was able to walk down the stairs, get in his car and drive away. imagine the fear that mother must have felt. imagine if there had been two attackers. one bullet in the gun of a criminal is one too many, but 10 in the gun of a mother protecting her kids might not be enough. that is why we should never make policies that make it more difficult for honest people to defend themselves against attackers. [applause]

sadly, that is exactly what happened to amanda collins. while a college student, she was brutally raped on her campus. amanda had a little permit to carry a handgun, but the school banned her from carrying it on campus. while she escaped with her life, it would never be the same. another young woman, abducted near the same school, would not be so lucky. breanna denson went missing in the middle of a night just a few months after amanda was attacked. after a frantic four-week search, authorities found her body, crudely dumped underneath a discarded christmas tree. she had been kidnapped, raped, and strangled to death by the same bastard that had raped amanda. what is that policy banning self-defense not been in place ech? what is amanda shot that rapists he for he attacked her?

her life would've been changed for the better, and breanna's life would have been saved. [applause] no matter what president obama says, it is not reasonable to limit the ability of innocent people to defend themselves. , because it is immoral. make no mistake, we are in a culture were. we once faced hundreds of voices against this, there are now thousands attacking us every day. from organizing for america, to code pink, to occupy the nra, and occupy anything but a job, for that matter. [laughter] [applause] ?ho is the ringleader rich, mayorg, very

of new york city, michael bloomberg. we have an obligation to tell each other and try to convince people that if they are going with the nra, they are going against the lives of our children and of you and me are. >> that is what michael bloomberg thinks of us. he also knows what is best for us. just ask him. he wants to dictate everything emma from the food we eat, to thesodas we drink, to gums we on. he will use his multibillion- dollar bank account and global media empire to impose his will on us. his strategy is shameless. after the tragedy in aurora, colorado, it was reported that bloomberg and his gun team created a media and lobbying to that they intended, deploy following the next massacre.

unfortunately last december, they got their opportunity. while we work to prevent newtown, mayor bloomberg works to take advantage of it. the 5 million honest, hard- working men and women of the --ional rifle is nation association, we might not have billions of dollars, but we have a common decency that his money can't buy. mr. mayor, go spend your money on another yacht, another plane, or another caribbean estate. our freedom is not for sale. [applause] this is the threat we face.

it is 24 hours a day, seven days a week thomas at 300 to two year. a never-ending battle against an anti-gun billionaire who spares no expense to the fetus -- to defeat us. and a national news media that expresses contempt for us at every opportunity. , i would notf that bet against us. , every so- ago called political expert in america predicted the nra would be defeated by now. the second amendment would be gone. they did not count on you. they underestimated the strength of your convictions. and your dedication to defending freedom, no matter how strong the enemy or big the fight. the truth is, the only reason we are not living under dianne feinstein's gun down right now, not registering our guns with

obama's bureaucrats the only reason our freedom exist, is the nra of america and the nra is you. [applause] our future depends on young nra members. young nra and numbers like maddie. stand up. there she is. [applause] maddie is a high school student from down the road. she recently invited to dozen kids and their parents out to her family's ranch. none of them have been around firearms before. with the help of some instructors, maddie introduced into the wonderful world of shooting. she said she was filled with joy watching their faces light up when they shot a gun for the first time.

therwards, they said experience had changed their position on the second amendment. she even signed up a few new nra members that day, including to life members. [applause] if maddie and others like her who are the future of our freedom, and i believe our agent has never looked brighter. i do again for being here today. [applause] if you look around this room, you will see with the grass- roots army of freedom looks like. you army is each one of here today. and millions more of us across america. we are the only thing standing between barack obama, michael bloomberg, and our second amendment freedoms. i begin this morning with a quote from president reagan. that is how i would like to finish. and that great speech, this is

how he concluded. america is no strong grid and its people. that means you and me. i believe in you and i believe that if we work together, then one day we will say, we fought the good fight, we finished the race, we kept the faith. children'sdren and children, we could say we did all that could be done in the brief time given us here on earth. president reagan's words are as true today as they were in 1983. it is an honor for me to serve as your executive director of the nra institute for legislative action. while the nature of the site changes, our principles won't. we will never apologize for who we are and what we believe. we will never be intimidated i president. we will never never be shamed by a national news media, and we will never be scared of a billionaire. i promise you, we will stand and we will fight.

thank you, god bless you, god bless the national rifle association. [applause] quacks on the next washington journal we will look at president obama's second term with linda feldman of the christian science monitor and peter baker of the "new york times." discussion on the situation in syria. joinsnpr's peter sehgal us to talk about the new series he is hosting on the u.s. constitution and what it in the 21st century. journal" lie with your calls, tweets, and e-mails at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> the intelligentsia is german

-- driven by the certainty that religion and reason are in different boxes. science and religion are in different boxes. in the to actually are at war with each other. someone who is rational is not religious, someone who is religious is not rational. science is an antidote to religion. it is rational, it is the .ntidote to religion this is the ultimate idea. the belief that religion is .nimical to science and reason religion underpinned science and reason. >> author, columnist, and winner of the orwell prize for journalism, melanie phillips takes your calls and e-mails in depth, live on c-span two at sunday. >> next, president obama delivers his weekly address

from mexico city, where he talks about immigration and the latest jobs numbers. then, the republican address from north carolina governor pat healthcarecusing on and energy policy at the state and local level. >> hello, everybody. i'm speaking to you from the road, a trip to mexico and costa rica. latin america represents an incredible opportunity for the united states. we learned that our businesses created another 165,000 jobs last month. 6.8 million new jobs over the past 38 months. i won't be satisfied until everyone who wants a job can find one. i'm going to keep doing everything i can and go everywhere i need to go to help our businesses created jobs. one of the best ways to grow our economy is to sell more goods and services made in america to

the rest of the world trade that includes our neighbors to the south. 40% of our exports go to the americas. those exports are going faster than our trade with the rest of the world. i'm working with leaders to deepen our economic ties and expand trade between our nations. in mexico, i talked about migration reform, an important issue that affects both our countries. our border with mexico is more secure than it has been in years. we put more boots on that border than at any time in our history. illegal crossings are down more than 80% from their peak. but we have more to do. in recent weeks, we have seen a commonsense immigration reform bill introduced in the senate. this bill is a compromise. nobody got everything they wanted, including me. it is consistent with the principles i have wait out from the beginning.

it would strengthen security at our borders, hold employers accountable, and provide a pathway to earn citizenship for the 11 million individuals already living in this country illegally, and modernize our legal immigration system so we can reunite families and attract highly skilled entrepreneurs and engineers who will create jobs and grow our economy. these are all common sense steps that the majority of americans support. there is no reason that immigration reform cannot become a reality this year. in the meantime, i will keep working with our neighbors, our security, and prosperity. millions of americans earn a living right now because of the trade between our nations. after this week, i am confident that we can build on our shared heritage and values to open more markets for american businesses and create more jobs for american workers. thanks. have a great weekend.

>> i'm pat mccoury, governor of north carolina. like you, when i look to washington, i see entrenched gridlock and immediate need for executive leadership. washington bears no resemblance to states where strong republican governors are using their leadership skills to improve the daily lives of their citizens. here in north carolina, we are concentrating on reforms in three fundamental areas, the economy, education, and efficiency. since i took office in january, putting people back to work has been our top priority. because of a stagnant national economy and ineffective policies of the past, private sector growth has been at a standstill. to get job creation moving again, we launched the partnership for prosperity, an initiative that will provide a central point of contact for business.

the private sector posse ground- floor involvement is critical to this new venture -- sector's ground-floor involvement is critical to this new venture. it will allow us to cut red tape and respond to the needs of job creators. getting businesses to open and expand is only half the job. that is where education comes in. employers need a job ready workers who have technical skills that are mandatory in today's workplace. too often, employers tell me they can't find qualified applicants. -- applicants to close the skills gap. my budget prioritizes engineering, vocational and technical training, areas where there is immediate demand for ualified workers. areas where there is immediate demand for qualified workers. i've often beensk