NRA Insiders on the Politics of Guns
Whether you’re an NRA supporter or are fundamentally opposed to the group, it’s hard to deny its role in reshaping the national debate around guns.
Consider that as recently as 2008, fewer than 4 in 10 Americans prioritized gun rights over gun control in polling by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Today, Pew data shows that a majority of Americans now favor gun rights, the first time that’s happened in more than 20 years.
Driving that shift has been a wildly effective NRA political operation in both Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the nation, backed by a passionate member base that numbers into the millions. Yet to many, the inner workings of the group are largely a puzzle.
For a better understanding of who the NRA is and how it’s grown so successful, FRONTLINE spoke to three former insiders: John Aquilino, a onetime spokesman for the group; Warren Cassidy, a former executive vice president of the NRA; and Richard Feldman, a former NRA lobbyist. Here are excerpts from those conversations.
READ MORE: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/go...
Consider that as recently as 2008, fewer than 4 in 10 Americans prioritized gun rights over gun control in polling by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Today, Pew data shows that a majority of Americans now favor gun rights, the first time that’s happened in more than 20 years.
Driving that shift has been a wildly effective NRA political operation in both Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the nation, backed by a passionate member base that numbers into the millions. Yet to many, the inner workings of the group are largely a puzzle.
For a better understanding of who the NRA is and how it’s grown so successful, FRONTLINE spoke to three former insiders: John Aquilino, a onetime spokesman for the group; Warren Cassidy, a former executive vice president of the NRA; and Richard Feldman, a former NRA lobbyist. Here are excerpts from those conversations.
READ MORE: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/go...
