On Tuesday night the National Rifle Association released a video blasting President Obama for his apprehension in placing armed guards in schools, describing him as an "elitist hypocrite." In the 35-second ad, the NRA pointed out that the president uses Secret Service to protect his children, but doesn't want to extend the same security measure for children around the country.
"Are the president's kids more important than yours?" asks a narrator in the provocative video. "Then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school? Mr. Obama demands the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes, but he's just another elitist hypocrite when it comes to a fair share of security."
The White House fired back at the NRA in a statement released today calling the ad "repugnant and cowardly." According to White House spokesman Jay Carney, "Most Americans agree that a president's children should not be used as pawns in a political fight. But to go so far as to make the safety of the President's children the subject of an attack ad is repugnant and cowardly."
However, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam denies claims that the ad is directed against the First daughters, Sasha and Malia Obama.
"The main aim of the ad is to make sure that we all act to keep our children safe. It's not aimed at anyone's child in particular," said Arulanandam. He also noted that, "The president and his family enjoy 24-hour-security from law enforcement at taxpayer expense, and this ad asks very real questions: If it's good enough for the president, why shouldn't it be good enough for the rest for us?"
In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," the president declared that arming schools with guard isn't the only solution to curbing gun violence like the recent massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. "I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools. And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem," he said.
The NRA's criticism of Obama came just a day before he released 23 executive actions to curb gun violence. One of those actions is the nomination of B. Todd Jones to be a permanent director of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF has not had a permanent director since 2006.
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