GUNS/LEGISLATION/NRA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Friday [8-9-19] expressed optimism that he will secure bipartisan consensus on ‘meaningful background checks’ and other gun reform measures despite staunch opposition from the National Rifle Association and years of federal inaction on the deeply divisive issue. In early morning tweets, the president said he has spoken in recent days with NRA officials to ensure their interests are ‘fully represented and respected’ during negotiations on firearm legislation following two mass shootings over the weekend. But Trump also suggested resistance from the powerful lobby would not slow his push to ‘get something really good done’ to curb gun violence in America…The president Friday morning wrote online that ‘serious discussions are taking place between House and Senate leadership on meaningful Background Checks,’ and confirmed he has ‘also been speaking to the NRA, and others, so that their very strong views can be fully represented and respected.’”
–Quint Forgey, “Trump is high on gun reform chances despite NRA resistance,” Politico, August 9, 2019 12:52 pm