NRA: Obama 'elitist hypocrite' on guns

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The National Rifle Association posted a video online calling U.S. President Barack Obama an "elitist hypocrite" on gun control.

The 35-second video -- posted Tuesday night before the president unveiled his sweeping legislative package aimed at reducing gun violence in America -- criticizes Obama for accepting armed Secret Service protection for his two daughters in their school, while he opposes more armed guards in all schools.

"Are the president's kids more important than yours?" an announcer asks. "Then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school?

"Mr. Obama demands the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes, but he's just another elitist hypocrite when it comes to a fair share of security. Protection for their kids and gun-free zones for ours."

White House press secretary Jay Carney issued a statement criticizing the NRA for bringing Obama's children, Sasha and Malia, into the argument.

"Most Americans agree that a president's children should not be used as pawns in a political fight," Carney said. "But to go so far as to make the safety of the President's children the subject of an attack ad is repugnant and cowardly."

The NRA said in a statement anyone who "thinks the ad is about President Obama's daughters" is missing the point or "trying to change the subject," the liberal Talking Points Memo website reported.

"This ad is about keeping our children safe," the NRA statement said. "And the President said he was skeptical about the NRA proposal to put policemen in all schools in this country. Yet he and his family are beneficiaries of multiple law enforcement officers surrounding them 24 hours a day."

The NRA -- following the Dec. 14 massacre of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. -- proposed placing armed guards in all U.S. schools.

The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll indicated 55 percent of respondents nationwide said they support armed guards in schools.

Obama announced proposals at the White House Wednesday intended to reduce gun violence, including a call for Congress to enact laws requiring universal background checks for gun buyers, a renewed ban on military-style assault weapons and limiting to 10 bullets the number of rounds of ammunition a magazine may hold.

He called for putting "more cops back on the job, and on our streets" and said he would take steps to help schools hire "resource officers" -- but did not specifically say whether that meant police officers or armed guards.