Former congressman Beto O’Rourke’s vow to take AR-15s from gun owners appears to represent a stark reversal from his failed Senate run last year.
At Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate, O’Rourke was pressed by ABC’s “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir about whether he was proposing “taking away” guns from lawful gun owners. He said he was, specifically weapons “designed to kill people on a battlefield.”
“When we see that being used against children and in Odessa, I met the mother of a 15-year-old girl who was shot by an AR-15. And that mother watched her bleed to death over the course of an hour because so many other people were shot by that AR-15 in Odessa and Midland. There weren’t enough ambulances to get to them in time,” he said. O’Rourke’s hometown of El Paso also was the scene of a recent mass shooting.
He then vowed, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47. We’re not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore!”
His campaign has even produced a shirt with the slogan.
Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15.
Buy your shirt now: https://t.co/kEJxoLvfH5 pic.twitter.com/KKpAKX4IL8
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 13, 2019
Stephen Miller’s unlikely friendship with Lindsey Graham revealed in heartfelt White House tribute
Auto Journalist Swarmed by Cops After Flock Cameras Mistakenly Flag Car Theft: We ‘Live in a Surveillance State’
‘The halls of the Senate already feel empty’: Tearful Thune honors Lindsey Graham as sister takes his seat
Dem Rep Tried to Bait Israeli Authorities Into Confrontation with Him – Israeli Ambassador Has One Big Question
Driver accused of DUI survives astonishing 600-foot plunge down California cliff
Obama-appointed judge torches Trump admin in latest courtroom showdown, refers attorney for Bar review
Menlo College student accused of raping 12-year-old as prosecutors probe second victim
Family shattered after 3-time deported illegal immigrant allegedly blew through stop sign, roiling House race
Judge bars Trump from using IRS immunity deal to evade investigation over past tax filings
Breaking: Trump Reinstates Naval Blockade on Iran in Strait of Hormuz as Attacks Ramp Up
USMC flags candidate in Hegseth’s district as ‘incongruent with Marine Corps standards’
Trump makes surprise pick to fill Graham’s Senate seat
Mick Jagger Says Musicians and Athletes Should Entertain Fans, Not ‘Lecture’ Them About Politics
WV town’s police department thrown into chaos by evidence room fiasco, but officials say no one was fired
Lindsey Graham left behind modest wealth despite decades in Washington’s elite circles
However, O’Rourke had a much different stance when he was running for Senate. During an interview on “The Chad Hasty Show” in April 2018, the host asked: “I own an AR-15. A lot of our listeners out there own AR-15s. Why should they not have one?”
“To be clear, they should have them,” O’Rourke responded. “If you purchased that AR-15, if you own it, keep it. Continue to use it responsibly.”
He added later in the same interview: “If you own a gun, keep that gun. Nobody wants to take it away from you — at least I don’t want to do that.”
Since O’Rourke’s run for Senate, there have been several mass shootings in the U.S., including in El Paso, which he has said has changed his view on gun control.
Source: Fox News
