Vice President Joe Biden, trying to keep up pressure as a Senate vote on guns approaches, accused gun-control opponents on Tuesday of being trapped in "a time warp" and "embarrassing" the United States in the eyes of the rest of the world. Biden's remarks came in a White House appearance with Attorney General Eric Holder before an audience of law-enforcement officers.
He also mocked the National Rifle Association for waging what he called "a campaign of disinformation to try to scare people." He quoted an NRA official's warning that the federal government wants to keep the names of all gun owners in "a massive federal registry." To laughter, Biden added, "Kind of scary, man. The black-helicopter crowd really is upset."
He read more NRA quotes saying that "law-abiding citizens" don't want background checks for gun purchases and that such checks would never deter criminals from buying guns. "None of this is true," Biden said. And the notion that special forces will sweep in and gather guns from citizens, he said, "is bizarre."
Noting that 13 Republican senators have threatened to filibuster the gun package, he said, "What an embarrassing thing to say." Arguing that this would embarrass the country, he added, "Imagine what they're saying, gentlemen and ladies, in other capitals around the world today." Senators who fail to "stand up and be counted" on this legislation will be judged, he said.
