The Brian Lehrer Show

Can you ask Biden on his stance on gun control? Specifically, the now-sunsetted 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. As the submitter of the gun control question during the YouTube debates mentioned, the Assault Weapons Ban did indeed allow for the sale of assault weapons.

It did not, in fact, ban any assault weapons whatsoever. Believe me, I am a total bleeding-heart liberal, but people should know how useless the legislation this man passes actually is.

What the ban did was create the category of "assault weapon," defined as a weapon with a detachable magazine, and in the case of a rifle, containing *two* of the following:

- Folding or telescopic stock

- Pistol grip protruding conspicuously beneath the stock

- Bayonet mount

- Flash suppressor or threaded barrel

- Grenade launcher

So if I bought a semi-automatic rifle with a grenade launcher, it would not fall under this ban. But if it has a folding stock so that I can hold it easier - it's an evil assault weapon!

After the ban, "assault weapons" stayed on the market, just at a higher price. A 1999 US Department of Justice study found that the ban’s "short-term impact on gun violence has been uncertain, due perhaps to the continuing availability of grandfathered assault weapons, close substitute guns and large capacity magazines, and the relative rarity with which the banned weapons were used in gun violence even before the ban." In 2004, an independent survey from Koper and Roth of the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology at UPenn found that "We found no evidence of reductions in multiple-victim gun homicides or multiple-gunshot wound victimizations," although real impacts were hard to measure short-term.

Basically, this is a useless, blatant violation of our rights, and he's waving it around on TV questioning some guy's mental stability because he likes his gun.

Can you ask Mr. Biden how he feels today, right now, about south asians working in 7'Eleven's? His comments, and his subsequent support of those comments, a few years ago were especially repugnant. It'll be interesting to see how/if he attempts to weasel out of this one. I think he's a prejudiced bigot.

Plz ask Sen. Biden to distinguish his position on Iraq from the neocon position. And how does he feel about bombing Iran and U.S. military incursions into Pakistan?

Another big bag of wind, which would be welcome on a day as hot as this but the wind is nothing but hot air. Please, Mr. Biden, go sit next to Hillary. It's time Kucinich got a decent time spot here, no?

When will Biden drop out of the prez race?

During the first intifada, Senator Biden was asked this question:

"Rather than succumb to the influence of various lobbying groups in Washington, such as AIPAC, and the untold amounts of money it uses to dictate policy, wouldn't it be more prudent to examine the real effects that collective punishment, daily humiliation, and countless civilian causalities inflicted by the Israelis have on an occupied population, and use that understanding to formulate a more rational approach toward the Palestinians?"

Senator Biden responded threatening to give the man asking it "a swift kick in the ass." He did not, however, actually answer the question.

Given the escalating violence in the conflict and Israel's increasingly draconian policies in the occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory (condemned nearly unanimously by the United Nations and human rights groups world wide), I believe he owes the American people a full and honest answer.

does biden know pakistan supported the taliban before 2001

I'm really happy to hear Biden say that pols should be open & honest, followed by saying that it is U.S. policy to do uninvited incursions into Pak., but pols (i.e., Obama) shouldn't talk about it. Nice demo of doubletalk.

BTW, the correct policy is to send in special forces in coordination with Pak ISI, which has apparently already scooped up 600 bad guys. Sending in troops is an act of war.

Pakistan cooperation is limited and in some respects can be regarded as an oxy-moron. The 9/11 Comission report clearly states how the Pakistani intelligency agency, ISS, is infiltrated by radical sympathizers. It's a shame Biden didn't mention this in his diatribe.

What a disappointment! Joe Biden seemed to be channeling Regis Philbin on one of his crankier days. He rambled and digressed, interrupted Brian and was generally came across as a grumpy old man.

The Dem candidates keep talking about Afghanistan being a good war--as if war is ever positive. I would like to hear Biden to comment on the silence of the media and politicians considering we are currently bombing the heck out of the country safely from the air and letting int'l national NATO troops on the ground deal with the repercussions and noncooperation that such an immoral strategy create.

Fine job of filibustering & avoiding answering the Q.

Joe Bidden for President...of the world!!

Biden has good points on the war, and he's one of the most intellectual candidates running for the Dems. But, he really does a bad job with his delivery: he gets defensive very quickly. Objectively, he's mostly right; rhetorically, his tone and demeanor ruin everything he has to say.

America doesn't elect angry presidents.

I wish you would accentuate the more experienced candidates like Joe Biden and Chris Dodd. The other candidates are lightweights and take away from the whole discussion. We can't have one dimentional candidates. Please zero in on the more serious candidates so electorate can make a more intelligent decision.

he was energetic, unrehearsed and well informed about global issues. i hadn't given this guy a thought until now, and actually had confused him with the guy who made the "macaca" comment. so, as of now i'd rank my candidates

1 obama

2 edwards

3 biden

i wouldn't say biden was defensive or angry. he's gruff, direct, masculine and i don't have a problem with any of that, especially after so many years of the quavering presence in the white house.

biden strikes me as an honest man. again, a relief from the lying bastards who plague us now.