2A/GUNS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A day after President Donald Trump called for a sweeping overhaul of U.S. gun policy, lawmakers from both parties appeared divided on what they would support, with some pitching their own plans and others calling for Mr. Trump to keep up the public pressure.
Mr. Trump made waves in the gun debate Wednesday by backing some approaches backed by Democrats and others embraced by Republicans in a White House meeting with lawmakers. On Thursday, GOP senators said they were waiting to hear more from the White House, including clarity on which among the many ideas batted around by Mr. Trump were his top priorities…
Potentially complicating matters, the timeline on any firearm-related legislation in response to the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla., remained unclear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said Thursday the Senate would focus on a banking bill next week, not on guns.
Lawmakers stressed the importance of Mr. Trump’s involvement in getting anything done in Congress on gun policy. ‘This is about the president. He’s the only person that can make this happen,’ said Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.).”
-Natalie Andrews and Kristina Peterson, “President Sends Mixed Signals on Gun Legislation,” The Wall Street Journal online, Mar. 2, 2018 12:38am