On The Campaign Trail: Casey knocks on doors, talks to hunters
2006-09-18
Source: Times Leader
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rss feedStanding before a roomful of hunters Saturday, U.S. Senate candidate Bob Casey Jr. touted his pro-gun credentials, pledged to fight for clean air and water, and declared that he would be an independent voice in Washington.
It was a difficult sell for the Democrat, judging from the tough questioning he faced on issues as varied as the state legislative pay raise and the U.S. role in the United Nations.
Casey, appearing at a convention of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, took the questions in stride, growing animated as he defended his record as state treasurer and attacked his opponent, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.
At 1 million strong, Pennsylvania's hunters are a politically important constituency, and Casey wasted no time in pledging his fealty to the Second Amendment. Asked whether he'd support a ban on assault weapons, Casey said: "I don't think the solution is to try to limit the right to bear arms."
When one conventioneer suggested to Casey that as a rookie senator he would be under the sway of such prominent Democratic senators as Edward Kennedy, Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, Casey replied: "I think anyone who makes that claim doesn't really know me. ... I'm going to be very independent."
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