Bloomberg Group Uses Reagan Shooting To Hit NRA’s ‘Good Guy With A Gun’ Mantra

Records released under 30-year rule. File photo dated 9/6/1982 of US President Ronald Reagan. Ireland agreed to ban Soviet airlines from the tarmac at Shannon just 10 days before the Cold War narrowly avoided nuclear... Records released under 30-year rule. File photo dated 9/6/1982 of US President Ronald Reagan. Ireland agreed to ban Soviet airlines from the tarmac at Shannon just 10 days before the Cold War narrowly avoided nuclear catastrophe. Issue date: Friday December 27, 2013. State papers released under the 30-year rule show Reagan sent a direct request for taoiseach Garret FitzGerald to stop Aeroflot stopovers after a civilian airliner was blown out of the sky. The blanket ban was ordered after the Soviets shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 on September 1, 1983 near Sakhalin island in the Sea of Japan after it strayed into Russian air space. See PA story RECORDS KoreanAirlines Ireland. Photo credit should read: PA Wire URN:18553657 MORE LESS

By Catherine Thompson

March 30, 2015 4:16 p.m.

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Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s gun control advocacy group on Monday planned to seize on the anniversary of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan as an opportunity to criticize a popular gun-rights slogan.

Everytown for Gun Safety gave TPM an early look at the image they planned to host on social media:

The group focused on one of National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre’s favorite talking points by determining just how many people in the vicinity were armed when the former President was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. in 1981.

LaPierre has responded to high-profile shootings, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, with some variation of “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

As Everytown determined with help from the Reagan Library, five of the people surrounding Reagan when he was shot were carrying guns when the assassination attempt occurred.

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Catherine Thompson (@kt_thomps) Catherine Thompson is a senior editor for Talking Points Memo in New York City. She came to the site in 2013 and reported on national affairs. Previously, she worked as a research assistant to investigative reporter Wayne Barrett. She can be reached at catherine@talkingpointsmemo.com.

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suicide_arsonist says:

March 30, 2015

Well they did stop him…from reloading. And of course, not with guns, but by dogpiling him.
blue_grit says:

March 30, 2015

'merica
theghostofeustacetilley says:

March 30, 2015

NOT nearLY ENOUGH GOOd gUys wITH gunS!1!!1!!one!1!!1!
beattycat says:

March 30, 2015

I have nothing really nice to say here, so … I will keep relative thoughts to myself.
gledholtuk says:

March 30, 2015

Sentiment good. Typo ridiculous.

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