Obama shooting gun photo released to quell critics
President Barack Obama fires a gun during target practice at Camp David on Aug. 4, 2012 in this White House photo. The administration released the photo on Feb. 2, 2012 in response to critics who doubted if POTUS had ever held a weapon.
In an effort to dissuade fears that President Obama intends to take all guns away from Americans, the White House today released a photo of POTUS shooting clay pigeons at Camp David.
It was in response to criticism that Obama had little experience with weapons, and therefor shouldn’t declare war on gun owners, especially in rural America.
The White House introduced measures that would ban assault rifles and high-capacity magazines after the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Conn.
The photo was dated Aug. 4, 2012, and came from the Twitter account of White House staffer Dan Pfeiffer.
As a caption, Pfeiffer wrote, “For all the ‘skeeters’: POTUS shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David.”
Obama’s administration released the photo after the president said he shoots skeet “all the time” during an interview with the New Republic.
“Oftentimes guests of mine go up there,” Obama said. “And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations. And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake.”
After the interview appeared, critics asked out loud why they’d never heard of Obama holding a gun.
Republican congresswoman Marsha Blackburn said on CNN: “If he’s a skeet shooter, why have we not heard of this? Why have we not seen the photos? Why hasn't he referenced this at any point in time?”
She later asked for an invitation to Camp David, predicting she’d beat Obama at target shooting.
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