Biden: 'Rational' gun safety is a must

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PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, speaking in Philadelphia Monday, said "rational gun safety" must be applied in big cities and small towns across the country.

"If we can save the life of one single person, one child, without any impact on an individual's constitutional right, then why in God's name should we not do that?" Biden asked at a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials at Girard College. "We're going to be judged very harshly if we don't."

Biden is traveling the country in support of White House proposals that would mandate background checks for all gun sales, ban assault weapons and limit high-capacity magazines.

"It's not this notion that somehow we're going to end up taking away my two shotguns because of what we're doing here. That's bizarre," Biden said in remarks reported by the (Allentown) Morning Call.

"One thing I want to make clear, this message of rational gun safety is a message that will be embraced by the rural communities as well as urban simply because it makes sense," Biden said. "We cannot wait."