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Obama takes gun control debate to Twitter: 'It's time we do something' Obama takes gun control debate to Twitter: 'It's time we do something'
(about 5 hours later)
Related: Charleston church remembers shooting victims with service of sadness and joy Related: Leader of group cited in 'Dylann Roof manifesto' donated to top Republicans
Barack Obama has used Twitter to further his argument that the time for federal gun legislation is nigh, saying “expressions of sympathy aren’t enough”.Barack Obama has used Twitter to further his argument that the time for federal gun legislation is nigh, saying “expressions of sympathy aren’t enough”.
The president has pursued the issue in public appearances since Wednesday, when a white gunman shot dead nine black members of a Bible study group in Charleston, South Carolina.The president has pursued the issue in public appearances since Wednesday, when a white gunman shot dead nine black members of a Bible study group in Charleston, South Carolina.
On Saturday, using his @POTUS account – tagline “Dad, husband, and 44th President of the United States” – rather than @BarackObama, the president tweeted: “Here are the stats: Per population, we kill each other with guns at a rate 297x more than Japan, 49x more than France, 33x more than Israel.”On Saturday, using his @POTUS account – tagline “Dad, husband, and 44th President of the United States” – rather than @BarackObama, the president tweeted: “Here are the stats: Per population, we kill each other with guns at a rate 297x more than Japan, 49x more than France, 33x more than Israel.”
He added: “Expressions of sympathy aren’t enough. It’s time we do something about this.”He added: “Expressions of sympathy aren’t enough. It’s time we do something about this.”
By Sunday afternoon, the president’s first tweet had been retweeted 35,000 times and favorited 31,000 times; the second had 21,000 retweets and 28,000 favorites.By Sunday afternoon, the president’s first tweet had been retweeted 35,000 times and favorited 31,000 times; the second had 21,000 retweets and 28,000 favorites.
In contrast, the most popular @BarackObama tweet about Saturday’s weekly address, which was entitled “Creating New Pathways of Opportunity for Americans Like You”, had attracted 545 retweets and 1,300 favorites.In contrast, the most popular @BarackObama tweet about Saturday’s weekly address, which was entitled “Creating New Pathways of Opportunity for Americans Like You”, had attracted 545 retweets and 1,300 favorites.
Expressions of sympathy aren’t enough. It’s time we do something about this.Expressions of sympathy aren’t enough. It’s time we do something about this.
Obama is reckoned to have made 14 statements after mass shootings during his presidency, including the Aurora movie theater shooting in July 2012, in which 12 people died and 56 were injured, and the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting of December the same year, in which 20 children and six adults were killed.Obama is reckoned to have made 14 statements after mass shootings during his presidency, including the Aurora movie theater shooting in July 2012, in which 12 people died and 56 were injured, and the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting of December the same year, in which 20 children and six adults were killed.
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, an effort to expand background checks for gun purchasers and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines failed in the Senate.In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, an effort to expand background checks for gun purchasers and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines failed in the Senate.
“This is a pretty shameful day for Washington,” Obama said then.“This is a pretty shameful day for Washington,” Obama said then.
On Friday, at a press conference in San Francisco, he said: “More than 11,000 Americans were killed by gun violence in 2013 alone. If Congress had passed some commonsense legislation after Newtown, after a group of children had been gunned down in their own classroom, reforms that 90% of the American people supported … we might still have more Americans with us.”On Friday, at a press conference in San Francisco, he said: “More than 11,000 Americans were killed by gun violence in 2013 alone. If Congress had passed some commonsense legislation after Newtown, after a group of children had been gunned down in their own classroom, reforms that 90% of the American people supported … we might still have more Americans with us.”
On Thursday, after the shooting in Charleston, he said: “Once again innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.”On Thursday, after the shooting in Charleston, he said: “Once again innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.”
Reports have conflicted over whether the suspect in the Charleston shooting, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, was given a handgun by his father or bought it legally at a gun shop.Reports have conflicted over whether the suspect in the Charleston shooting, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, was given a handgun by his father or bought it legally at a gun shop.
Obama added: “At some point we will have to deal with the fact that this kind of mass violence doesn’t happen in other countries and it is in our power to do something about it.”Obama added: “At some point we will have to deal with the fact that this kind of mass violence doesn’t happen in other countries and it is in our power to do something about it.”
Related: Republican candidates reaffirm gun rights support after Charleston shooting Related: Charleston church remembers shooting victims with service of sadness and joy
Among Republican candidates in the race to replace Obama in the White House, the president’s comments prompted criticism and affirmations of support for second amendment rights.Among Republican candidates in the race to replace Obama in the White House, the president’s comments prompted criticism and affirmations of support for second amendment rights.
On Sunday the former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum told ABC forgiveness and reconciliation, not gun control legislation, was the answer.On Sunday the former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum told ABC forgiveness and reconciliation, not gun control legislation, was the answer.
“What I saw here in Charleston over the last four days … has given me more hope than anything I’ve seen in a long time,” he said, adding: “In 24 hours we saw the worst of America and the best of America. We saw real sadness here but there were people who saw that the way to overcome all of this horrible violence is through reconciliation.”“What I saw here in Charleston over the last four days … has given me more hope than anything I’ve seen in a long time,” he said, adding: “In 24 hours we saw the worst of America and the best of America. We saw real sadness here but there were people who saw that the way to overcome all of this horrible violence is through reconciliation.”
On Saturday, former Texas governor Rick Perry – who caused anger on Friday when he referred to the Charleston shooting as an “accident” – said he had “an issue that the knee-jerk from the left is always ‘We’re going to take people’s guns away from them’, when in fact there may be a host of contributing factors” in such mass shootings.On Saturday, former Texas governor Rick Perry – who caused anger on Friday when he referred to the Charleston shooting as an “accident” – said he had “an issue that the knee-jerk from the left is always ‘We’re going to take people’s guns away from them’, when in fact there may be a host of contributing factors” in such mass shootings.
The same day, the leading Democratic candidate to succeed Obama, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, called for “commonsense” gun control legislation that would “respect responsible gun owners”.The same day, the leading Democratic candidate to succeed Obama, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, called for “commonsense” gun control legislation that would “respect responsible gun owners”.
Clinton also said: “The politics on this issue have been poisoned but we can’t give up.”Clinton also said: “The politics on this issue have been poisoned but we can’t give up.”
On another emotive issue arising from the Charleston shooting, Obama used Twitter to communicate his agreement with a Republican, in this case the two-time presidential hopeful he beat in the 2012 election.On another emotive issue arising from the Charleston shooting, Obama used Twitter to communicate his agreement with a Republican, in this case the two-time presidential hopeful he beat in the 2012 election.
After the former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said the Confederate flag was seen by man as “a symbol of racial hatred” and should be removed from the grounds of the South Carolina capitol in Columbia, Obama used the @POTUS account to tweet: “Good point, Mitt.”After the former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said the Confederate flag was seen by man as “a symbol of racial hatred” and should be removed from the grounds of the South Carolina capitol in Columbia, Obama used the @POTUS account to tweet: “Good point, Mitt.”