Senator McCain Addresses Ohio Sportsmen (Full Transcript)

By Larry S. Moore

A record crowd of 1300 sportsmen converged on Columbus, Ohio for the annual U.S. Sportsmen Alliance's 12th Annual "Save Our Heritage Rally" on September 27. In addition to the opportunity to win new firearms or perhaps that dream hunting or fishing trip (or 20 acres of hunting ground!), many also came to hear Senator John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate. The Senator was scheduled to deliver the keynote address, however the Wall Street financial crisis caused the Senator to suspend his campaign to return to Washington D.C.

At the request of Mike Budzik, who is heading the Ohio Sportsmen for McCain effort, I traveled to Columbus early to meet with him; former Senator Mike DeWine who is heading the Ohio campaign for McCain; Aaron Hobbs, the McCain Campaign national sportsman coalition leader, along with other leading sportsmen. A number of various conservation, sportsmen and gun groups provided input to the campaign leadership, including Buckeye Firearms Association and the leadership of the Ohio Gun Collectors Association. Later in the evening, Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chair Chad Baus spoke extensively with Hobbs and Andy Swanson, Director of Coalitions for McCain Campaign in Ohio and PA.

Aaron Hobbs, who enjoys both hunting and fishing, reported, “Even before Senator McCain made the outstanding choice of Gov. Palin as a running mate, I knew he was the right person for the job. He has a great record on conservation. As most know, he is not a hunter but does enjoy fishing. Senator McCain understands the real challenges to balance conservation and energy. We know that, as gun owners, we have not always totally agreed with the Senator on every issue, but he will take a back seat to no one on protecting the Second Amendment. We had an excellent decision in the Heller case which Senator McCain joined to support. The judges the next President picks are those who may rule on the Second Amendment well into the future. I am confident that, as President, Senator McCain will make the right choices. Our opponent has a vastly different record on the issues.”

Mike Budzik shared some insight on key issues, “Senator McCain believes it is very important that heads of the cabinet department have relevant experience in the area they will lead. As such he has pledged that a pro-hunter sportsman will be the choice to as Secretary of the Interior. He also agrees that the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service needs to be a sportsman. Access to federal land for hunting and fishing needs to be improved and Senator McCain has pledged his support for continued access improvement and no net loss of hunting access. He has been a champion of the land and water conservation fund and healthy forests initiatives in the Senate. Senator McCain also supports concealed carry. I believe that with the McCain/Palin ticket sportsmen will not only have friends in the White House, we will have advocates in the White House.”

Budzik drew contrasts between the McCain/Palin ticket and the Democratic ticket by noting, “Deer hunters know how to look for signs and tracks to determine the area of a big buck. We can look at the signs and the tracks the candidates have. When examining the record it is abundantly clear who is a friend to gun owners and sportsmen and who is a clear threat to the activities we enjoy.

Senator McCain presented the keynote address via a live satellite link. He apologized, saying he would prefer to be in Ohio to deliver the address in person. McCain received a very warm welcome from the sportsmen. Senator McCain, fresh off the previous night debate, drew the normal contrasts between the McCain/Palin ticket and that of the Democrats. Some of the greatest contrasts are in the areas of sportsmen issues and especially our Second Amendment Rights.

Senator McCain quickly addressed key points of interest to the assembled sportsmen, “I know that many of you are not only sportsmen, but also veterans, and so I'm all the more honored by your invitation. And on this National Fishing and Hunting Day, I'm especially proud to enjoy the support and friendship of so many sportsmen in Ohio and beyond. As you may know, the only guns I've used were government-issued. I'm a fisherman, whenever time permits. But while I do not use firearms for recreation, I give ground to no one in my defense of the Second Amendment. When I first ran for Congress, I was proud to have the support of gun owners. For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, and ban magazines -- and you can be certain that I will do the same as president.”

He continued, “Like all who appreciate the outdoors and enjoy spending time there, I am a committed conservationist. I have long supported multiple uses for public lands that ensure they are available for future generations to hunt fish and explore. In Ohio alone, over 1.5 million hunters contribute $1.9 billion to the state's economy, much of it in rural areas. I am proud to be speaking to you on the opening day of archery deer season in Ohio. My opponent, Senator Obama, claims he supports our hunting heritage, but he voted to allow lawsuits that would force American gun makers out of business and to ban ammunition commonly used for hunting. A senator's votes -- if he is not offered the option of "present" -- reveal his real views. They are a far better yardstick than occasional statements of theoretical support for the Second Amendment heard on the campaign trail.”

Senator McCain concluded, “Let there be no misunderstanding. If Senator Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk. He has voted as a senator to ban guns, to ban ammunition, and to allow gun makers to be sued out of existence. Senator Obama hopes he can get away with having it both ways. He says he believes that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to bear arms. But when he was running for the State Senate in Illinois, his campaign filled out a questionnaire asking whether he supported legislation to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns with one word: 'Yes.'”

The Senator’s address was interrupted at several points by resounding applause. While it was disappointing that Senator McCain could not be there, no one left disappointed in the McCain pledge for sportsmen issues and protection of the Second Amendment.

Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a long-time volunteer leader for Buckeye Firearms Association and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award and 2007 League of Ohio Sportsmen/Ohio Wildlife Federation Hunter Educator of the Year.

Following is the full text of Senator McCain's remarks at USSA's 12th Annual Save Our Heritage Rally:

Thank you Bud for that warm introduction Mike Budzik of Ohio Sportsmen for McCain and all the men and women of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. And I bring greetings from the governor of the great State of Alaska, Sarah Palin. I am proud to have Alaska's Governor Palin as my running mate. As you may have noticed, she is no stranger to the outdoors and to the rights of the Second Amendment.

We've just come off the first presidential debate, with another two to go. I thought it went quite well, and I wasn't at all rattled beforehand when I heard Joe Biden repeatedly predicting that Senator Obama would win. As you might recall, Senator Biden also predicts that next time they meet, the University of Delaware is going to trounce the Ohio State Buckeyes.

I noticed a few things in my debate with Senator Obama, and maybe you did too:

First of all, he still has no explanation for his vote in favor of higher taxes on families making just $42,000 a year. And even though he still talks a lot about cutting taxes, Senator Obama's actual plan would impose massive new taxes on our economy, while also adding $860 billion in new government spending. Taken together, these plans to raise taxes and spending aren't going to help "95 percent" of Americans, as he assures us: They are going to hurt 100 percent of us by growing government, slowing growth, and destroying jobs.

Second, it was clear that Senator Obama still sees the financial crisis in America as a national problem to be exploited first and solved later. What he doesn't seem to get is that if we don't deal with it right now, by working together for the common good, then this crisis could turn into a far-reaching disaster for workers, businesses, retirees, and the American middle class. This is a moment of great testing, when the future of our economy is on the line. And I am determined to help achieve a legislative package to help avoid the worst, and to set our economy back on the path of stability, confidence, and growth.

Finally, I noticed during our debate that even as American troops are fighting on two fronts, Barack Obama couldn't bring himself to use the word "victory" even once. The Obama campaign saved that word for the spin room, where they tried to convince themselves and others that their man had left the stage victorious. Well, maybe this attitude helps explain why it wasn't such a good night for my opponent. When Americans look at a candidate, they can tell the difference between mere self-confidence and an abiding confidence in our country. They know that the troops who are bravely fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan want to come home in victory and in honor. And we need a president who shares their confidence -- a commander in chief who believes that victory for America will be achieved.

I know that many of you are not only sportsmen, but also veterans, and so I'm all the more honored by your invitation. And on this National Fishing and Hunting Day, I'm especially proud to enjoy the support and friendship of so many sportsmen in Ohio and beyond.

As you may know, the only guns I've used were government-issued. I'm a fisherman, whenever time permits. But while I do not use firearms for recreation, I give ground to no one in my defense of the Second Amendment.

When I first ran for Congress, I was proud to have the support of gun owners. For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, and ban magazines -- and you can be certain that I will do the same as president.

Like all who appreciate the outdoors and enjoy spending time there, I am a committed conservationist. I have long supported multiple uses for public lands that ensure they are available for future generations to hunt, fish and explore. In Ohio alone, over 1.5 million hunters contribute $1.9 billion to the state's economy, much of it in rural areas. I am proud to be speaking to you on the opening day of archery deer season in Ohio.

My opponent, Senator Obama, claims he supports our hunting heritage, but he voted to allow lawsuits that would force American gunmakers out of business and to ban ammunition commonly used for hunting. A senator's votes -- if he is not offered the option of "present" -- reveal his real views. They are a far better yardstick than occasional statements of theoretical support for the Second Amendment heard on the campaign trail.

You can also tell a lot about a man by how he speaks when you're not around. And earlier this year, Senator Obama gave us all a little insight into his opinions of gun owners when he was among friends in San Francisco. He was in a room full of rich liberals, right at home. And he reported on some of his findings from his encounters with ordinary Americans. He said that in places like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere, people are "bitter." And that is why, in his clinical opinion, you folks "cling" to your guns and religion.

My opponent's unguarded comments reflect the common Washington view that the Second Amendment is a quaint custom that must now yield to the judgment of modern enlightened opinion. And here Governor Palin and I have real differences with our Democratic opponents. They have learned something since 2000. They don't talk about their plans for gun control. They claim to support hunters and gun owners. But just because they don't talk about gun control doesn't mean they won't support gun control.

Let there be no misunderstanding. If Senator Obama is elected president, the rights of law-abiding gun owners will be at risk. He has voted as a senator to ban guns, to ban ammunition, and to allow gun makers to be sued out of existence. Senator Obama hopes he can get away with having it both ways. He says he believes that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to bear arms. But when he was running for the State Senate in Illinois, his campaign filled out a questionnaire asking whether he supported legislation to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns with one word: "Yes."

Over a century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt first established America's commitment to the conservation of natural and cultural resources, and awakened the American people to the need for responsible environmental stewardship. Teddy Roosevelt put into motion a new way of looking at our nation, not only as a place of boundless resources, but as a finite and beautiful place that we must respect and share with others. Today, we are the beneficiaries of his vision and it is our duty to preserve this vision.

One of my favorite pastimes is to visit and experience the Grand Canyon. It is a special, sacred place whose timeless beauty moves me. Not only is it a place from which I draw personal renewal, it is a monumental inspiration regarding our obligation to be faithful stewards of all the natural blessings that God has so richly bestowed.

The Grand Canyon is only one of the natural treasures the state of Arizona has to offer. However, my home state is also experiencing explosive growth, as I'm sure many of you have seen growth in and around your traditional hunting and fishing spots as well. Public lands should be managed and sustained for multiple use purposes, including resource development, logging, hunting, recreation, and conservation of wildlife habitat.

We must keep areas available for hunting and fishing and the kind of recreation that made my state and yours the treasure that it is. Public lands can be developed and used in environmentally sensitive manner that allows for enjoyment and use of the land's natural resources, including energy development that protects sensitive ecosystems and promotes environmental stewardship. I will continue to support such policies that allow both this and future generations to enjoy our national treasures and open spaces.

The future of hunting, like the future of our entire nation, lies with our youth. It is vital that we introduce the next generation to the great outdoors and traditions of hunting and fishing.

I thank you for your efforts through Families Afield to work with states to encourage more youth to take up hunting in a safe and responsible manner, and to keep our outdoors heritage vibrant. I thank you for having me here today, and I look forward to continuing to work with sportsmen to protect and promote our outdoor heritage.