? McCain praised the June 2008 Supreme Court decision striking
down the District of Columbia's gun ban. ?Obviously I am very
pleased about that decision,? he said. ?We had filed an amicus
brief with 54 other senators. So I am pleased with that
ruling." 

? He opposes holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes using
a firearm and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such
liability. He has however supported legislation requiring gun
manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger
locks in product packaging.

? McCain supports assault weapons and concealed weapons and
has voted consistently against such bans or restrictions. 
Most recently he opposed an amendment to extend a ban on 19
specific firearms, and others with similar characteristics.

? He believes that banning ammunition is just another way to
undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an
amendment that would have banned ammunition marketed or
labeled as ?armor-piercing.?

? McCain introduced legislation that would require an instant
criminal background check for all sales at gun shows. He
supports instant criminal background checks for gun buyers and
wants them to be conducted thoroughly, efficiently, and
without infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens or
effectively blocking transactions.

? McCain supports the importation of certain types of high
capacity ammunition magazines and has voted against any
limitations. 

? McCain believes in strict, mandatory penalties for criminals
who use a firearm in the commission of a crime or illegally
possess a firearm. Enforcing the current laws on the books is
the best way to deter crime.
		

• Obama addressed the June 2008 Supreme Court decision
striking down the District of Columbia's gun ban by saying, ?I
have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the
right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with
the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children
from the violence that plagues our streets through
common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has
now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun
ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that
this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable
regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets
safe.?

?• Obama's gun control policy was widely expected to be
in the direction of putting a curb on the use of gun.

• Once he took charge as President, Obama declared his
firearm policy by listing out certain priorities.  Thus gun
policy would be administered in two areas - 'ending the
dangerous cycle of youth violence' and 'addressing gun
violence in cities'. 

• Obama has rather a long history of record of
supporting the anti-gun policy in his public career. Obama
used to support radical anti-gun foundations such as the Joyce
Foundation as early as the 1994. Obama was also seen
supporting the ban of weapons, imposition of taxes on arms and
ammunition and legislations intended to put a check on the use
of guns throughout his career.

• However, Obama respects the gun owners' rights as had
been mentioned in the Constitution. "I have no intention of
taking away folks' guns. It's important for us to recognize
that we?ve got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun
ownership generally." 

• Obama also added that, "I have never favored an
all-out ban on handguns. What I think we can provide is
common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are
ending up on the streets."

• Pertaining to the Second Amendment and individual gun
owners' rights, "As a general principle, I believe that the
Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But
just because you have an individual right does not mean that
the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of
that right."