Pro-Gun Democrats Shift Stance After Sandy Hook Shooting

Are more open to regulations now

In light of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., Democratic gun-rights advocates are warming up to the idea of regulating, limiting, and possibly even banning, gun use. Both Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who are members of and have earned top marks from the National Rifle Association, said they would now be open to the regulation of military-style rifles, like the one used by Adam Lanza to kill 20 young children and six adults on Friday. Manchin said, "This awful massacre of our youngest children has changed us, and everything should be on the table." John Yarmuth, a Democratic U.S. representative from Kentucky, also shifted position. "I have been largely silent on the issue of gun violence over the past six years, and I am now as sorry for that as I am for what happened to the families who lost so much." U.S. lawmakers have not approved a major new federal gun law since 1994, and a ban on certain semi-automatic rifles known as assault weapons expired in 2004. President Obama has promised to initiate efforts to prevent more tragedies such as this from happening. Representatives for the NRA have kept silent since the massacre. (Reuters)

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