CLINTON SENDS DOLE REMINDER OF ASSAULT-WEAPONS STANCE.Byline: The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times President Clinton on Wednesday moved to box in his presumptive pre·sump·tive adj. 1. Providing a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance. 2. Founded on probability or presumption. pre·sump Republican challenger, Bob Dole, on an issue that divides Republican voters - restricting assault weapons. ``I will say one thing that the Republican candidate for president has not said, and probably will not and cannot say,'' Clinton said in a speech in Charlotte. ``I will veto any attempt to repeal The Annulment or abrogation of a previously existing statute by the enactment of a later law that revokes the former law. The revocation of the law can either be done through an express repeal the assault-weapons ban.'' On Tuesday in Virginia, Dole seemed to back away from his previous support for overturning the ban, saying he had ``moved beyond'' the issue. But it remained unclear whether Dole, if elected president, would oppose efforts by others to overturn it. Asked about the issue Wednesday, Dole said only that the matter was ``yesterday's news.'' The National Rifle Association National Rifle Association (NRA) Governing organization for the sport of shooting with rifles and pistols. It was founded in Britain in 1860. The U.S. organization, formed in 1871, has a membership of some four million. Both the British and the U.S. vigorously fought the ban on the manufacture, import and sale of 19 models of assault weapons, and Dole told the association last year that overturning it was among his legislative priorities. But the suburban Republican women whose votes Dole needs strongly back the ban. Seeking to block Dole from bridging that gap, Clinton inserted remarks about the ban into a speech before a supportive audience at the 87th annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), organization composed mainly of American blacks, but with many white members, whose goal is the end of racial discrimination and segregation. . He called the ban integral to his administration's assault on crime, trying to pocket what has traditionally been a Republican issue. ``We should stand with law enforcement,'' Clinton said. ``We should stand with the victims of crime. You can't tell me it doesn't make any difference.'' Democrats already have made a campaign issue of the assault-weapons ban, including it in a litany litany (lĭt`ənē) [Gr.,=prayer], solemn prayer characterized by varying petitions with set responses. The term is mainly used for Christian forms. Litanies were developed in Christendom for use in processions. of Clinton's accomplishments in some political commercials because they believe it sharply distinguishes the two candidates. They did not seem concerned Wednesday that Dole might succeed in muddying that distinction. ``He tried to be too cute cute adj. cut·er, cut·est 1. Delightfully pretty or dainty. 2. Obviously contrived to charm; precious: "[He] by half,'' said Joe Lockhart, national press secretary for Clinton's campaign. ``There isn't a middle ground on this issue.'' |
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