Robin Kelly (left), Anthony Beale (center), and Debbie Halvorson (right) on WTTW's Chicago Tonight show recently.
Debbie Halvorson is the pro-gun candidate in the race for 2nd Illinois Congressional district and has been endorsed for Congress by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA). That is because she has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and also has an "A" rating from the afore-mentioned ISRA.
Robin Kelly, the "F" rated NRA candidate, would never accept an endorsement from the NRA (or the ISRA). Nor would they even dream of endorsing a candidate like Robin Kelly. After all, Robin Kelly opposes everything that the NRA (and the ISRA) stand for.
During a wide-ranging press conference on Monday evening after the debate on WTTW's Chicago Tonight show, Debbie Halvorson said she would "not" accept the endorsement of any gun group.
"I can't imagine they would," she told the assembled room of reporters.
Imagination or not, the ISRA has indeed endorsed the "A" rated, NRA-backed candidate for Congress, Debbie Halvorson.
How can she now be believed?
About anything.
In 2010, Debbie Halvorson actively sought the endorsement of the National Rifle Association during her campaign for Congress, according to a reliable source.
Who is that reliable source?
The source, of course, is Debbie Halvorson herself. In a press conference held this past Monday evening after her appearance with Robin Kelly and Anthony Beale on the Chicago Tonight show on WTTW, Debbie Halvorson said "The only way to get an endorsement is given is by filling out a questionnaire. That is how it works."
All along, Debbie Halvosron has said that she has not sought an endorsement from the NRA.
But she said herself that the NRA, or any group for that matter, does not endorse without being asked and without filling out a questionnaire. Here is what she said about that. "The way any endorsements work in the entire political process is that you, if you want to seek an endorsement, is that they give you a questionnaire to fill out, they submit it to their group and then they decide if they endorse you."
See, very simple. Right?
Then she told the untruth. "I have purposely not filled out questionnaires for groups that I don't seek an endorsement from."
Even the conservative Illinois Review knew that Debbie Halvorson filled out a questionnaire, saying that as "an incumbent congresswoman and that she fills out her questionnaires the way the NRA wants them filled out."
Begs the question, how did Debbie Halvorson receive the endorsement in 2010 from the NRA?
Well, she said herself, "The only way to get an endorsement is given is by filling out a questionnaire. That is how it works."
Debbie Halvorson at the post-WTTW/Chicago Tonight press conference she was asked about the endorsement process. She was asked would she seek the endorsement of the NRA or a related group and see the interesting answer she gave.
In this tape, Debbie Halvorson made clear she would not take the endorsement from any gun organization.
Debbie Halvorson was asked during the same press conference her position on gun control. She said "Ok, I believe that we need background checks. We need stiffer penalties on straw buyers and traffickers. We need to close the gun show loopholes."
Pretty reasonable? Right? She went on "We need to make sure that if a person gets a gun they need to register it If it is stolen you need to report it."
"I do not believe we need to ban any guns right now that are going to harm the law-abiding citizen. We need to first do whatever we can to get guns out of the hands of criminals."
However, if Debbie Halvorson truly believes all this, why on earth would the National Rifle Association have endorsed her in the first.
Like she she, they don't endorse you unless you fill out a questionnaire and they submit it to their group for approval.
The question becomes, how did Debbie Halvorson answer the questions on her questionnaire for the endorsement she sought?
She said she believes in "universal background checks."
She said she believes in eliminating "straw purchases" of guns.
She said she wants to close the "gun show loophole."
She said she believes all guns should be "registered."
She said she believes that if a gun is "stolen," it must be reported.
She did say she does not want to ban assault weapons. Ok, we will give her that.
But geez, we would like to take peek at that NRA questionnaire.
For obvious reasons, Debbie Halvorson doesn't want to show it to you.
A note from Markos:
You want real gun reform? Make the NRA radioactive. Get engaged in this battle with a $3 contribution to Robin Kelly. Heck, give more if you can. The primary is Feb. 26, so we don't have much time.
And if you're in Chicago (and I know tens of thousands of you are), become a volunteer.
This is a critical moment in the history of our movement: the first time we stop playing defense against the NRA, and the first time we start going on the offensive. Don't sit this one out. Markos himself started things off with a $100 contribution.
Send John Presta an email and your story ideas or suggestions, johnpresta@att.net.
John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon. John is also a member of the Society of Midland Authors and is a book reviewer of political books for the New York Journal of Books. John has volunteered for many political campaigns and is currently an unpaid volunteer for the Robin Kelly for Congress campaign. Robin Kelly also has a facebook fan page.