Sanders follows lead of O'Malley, Clinton, calling for wider gun safety reforms on eve of debate

[Armstead]

12. I appreiate your thoughtful and conscientious responses

Seriously. It's a welcome difference from the hit and run snark that often characterizes DU (and I plead guilty of indulging in it myself too often.)

Anyway, your points are valid that O'Malley seems to have a much deeper connectionand stronger commitment. to the issue.

I think Sanders is committed to it too, but he is somewhat more ambivalent, both because of his political position and I think because he has other priorities. Apart from the rural culture he represents, I think he really is trying to be pragmatic about trying to reach solutions that can achieve broader consensus, and have a chance of getting done. In a way, for him, it's a bit of a role reversal, because he is often seen as rigid and inflexible on his positions.

Personally, my own feelings are fairly close to Sanders on that. I support gun control, but I think he's okay on it, and it's not a make or break issue for me personally. Coming from an area similar to, and near Vermont, I understand the "cranky Yankee" culture. It's not gun nuts like some regions -- not a lot of hardcore NRA stronghold. But many people do want their guns for hunting and target practice, including people who are otherwise moderate or kind of liberal in their sensibilities.

So for people for whom gun control is a major issue, Sanders has an uphill struggle. I just hope enough people are either moderate on it, or, like me, are more concerned with other issues.