We heard this last week over the holiday and we’re glad that someone in the White House press corps was paying attention. On Thanksgiving, President Joe Biden said it was “sick” that we still “allow” semi-automatic weapons to be purchased.
Biden in Nantucket:
"The idea we still allow semiautomatic weapons to be purchased is sick. It has no social redeeming value. Zero. None…I'm going to try to get rid of assault weapons"
– and –
"No time to walk away from Ukraine…I still believe there's enough support there" pic.twitter.com/3ZIvR0KzIs
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) November 24, 2022
Was Biden calling for a ban on all 'semiautomatics' or just assault rifles? @PressSec clears this up, telling me "No, he was talking about assault weapons." https://t.co/QCY3WfPdYo
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) November 28, 2022
"He was talking about assault weapons" says Karine Jean-Pierre when asked about Biden's comment about banning all sales of semi-automatic weapons
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 28, 2022
KJP to @PhilipWegmann on whether Biden wants to ban all semi-automatic guns: "No, he was–he was talking about assault weapons. That's what he was talking on that–on that morning or that afternoon when he was asked that question." pic.twitter.com/IiUgrmcRB7
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 28, 2022
We wouldn’t doubt it if Biden had no idea that just about every gun sold in America is semi-automatic — one trigger pull, one bullet. We know that Biden’s a big fan of shotguns and owns quite a few (but he’s not sure how many. But if Biden is thinking of banning semi-automatics, well … that’s even less likely to happen than his “assault weapons” ban.
So, when Biden said sales of semi-automatics were “sick,” did he misspeak?
Karine Jean-Pierre thinks the president was perfectly clear. He was talking about assault weapons, which we assume still include the AR-15.
Can @PressSec define assault weapons
— Mémé Is Back 😘🇺🇸 (@menina_anjo74) November 28, 2022
What is an assault weapon? Do we just know it when we see it?
— InkosiSeb (@InkosiSeb) November 28, 2022
It depends on different things, like how many rounds fit in a magazine and if it accepts attachments like chainsaw bayonets.
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Related:
NBC News’ Ken Dilanian confirms he called the Secret Service over ‘F**k Joe Biden’ ’emblazoned on an assault rifle’ https://t.co/SV3uYFHTjG
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 2, 2021