In a statement issued by his campaign on Friday, Kerry accused Bush of bowing to the National Rifle Association and its motivated members.
"The NRA put the squeeze on George Bush, and they're spending tens of millions of dollars to support his campaign," said Kerry, a hunter who believes the Second Amendment confers the right of ordinary Americans to bear arms. "Is George Bush going to stand with special interests or with the safety of the American people?"
On Capitol Hill, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) were among lawmakers who continued to push for a vote on extending the ban, but they encountered procedural difficulties and a sense of futility fueled by the virtual certainty that the House would never go along. Former president Bill Clinton has said he believes support of the weapons ban cost Democrats as many as 20 House seats.
Instead, the two senators held a news conference to urge major retailers not to sell the once-banned weapons.
The other day, a young firefighter finished a target session at the Wolverine Shooting Sports range. After putting his pistol in the trunk of his car, he talked about his enthusiasm for the end of the weapons ban. Declining to be identified, the 22-year-old said he intends to buy a fully festooned AR-15 when Colt puts them back on the market.
"I'll be there. First day. Make the collection complete," the man said with a smile. "Everybody in my family collects guns. My uncle has a big walk-in closet. I like the AR-15."
"He'll be there," affirmed his 24-year-old fiancée, who had been firing alongside him. She is a police officer in Detroit's 2nd Precinct who wishes the ban would endure. It already is easy enough to buy semiautomatic weapons, she said, but when popular guns are more available, people will buy them. In the days after a gun show, she said, police always discover more guns on the streets.
Asked about the end of the weapons ban, the couple summed up the national conundrum.
"It's bad and it's good," the firefighter said. "It's bad for police officers because more people can get them."
"But it's good," the police officer interjected ruefully, "because he wants an AR-15."
Staff writer Helen Dewar contributed to this report.
