Gun, but not forgotten: Ron Paul

by James Oliphant

ALBURTIS, Pa .--This small Pennsylvania town outside of Allentown plays host this weekend to regional gun show, which drew scores of enthusiasts to the cramped community center here Saturday.

It was a fine opportunity for presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, or at least their campaigns, to put in an appearance and talk about their stance on gun rights. Both candidates, in fact, have said they support some sort of individual right to own a gun--with limits, of course. (They haven't been all that clear on what those limits are.)

Maybe it's just as well they didn't come. No Obamania or Hill-raisers here. "They can say whatever they want," said local resident David Hinkle. "They're trying to appease people. We don't believe them."

Many in the crowd believed Clinton or Obama equally likely to try to work to regulate firearms. And honestly, there was true passion for only one presidential candidate here.

Yep. Ron Paul.

A supporter was passing out leaflets, which listed, in detail, Paul's support for gun rights. The libertarian is opposed to banning assault weapons, or mandating trigger locks, or anything that gets gun-rights activists up in, well, arms.

As for John McCain, the supposed Republican nominee? People here really aren't too fond of him either. One gun dealer said McCain has "spent too much time with Teddy Kennedy." There was near unanimous agreement that the Arizona senator hadn't yet proved his conservative bona fides.

"McCain's going to have to find a good running mate," Hinkle said. He suggested former candidate Mitt Romney (see below).

While gun rights haven't played a major role in the campaign, that may change when the Supreme Court issues its ruling in a case that challenges Washington, D.C.'s total ban on handguns. It will be the first time in modern legal jurisprudence the high court has addressed the scope of the Second Amendment.