SATIRICAL VIDEO segment of VP Joe Biden interview about shotgun vs. AR-15 use. Vice President Joe Biden interviewed by Michael Cress of Parents magazine and Parents.com in a video published by the White House on February 19, 2013 (as of March 1, 2013 the video has 87 Likes and 158 Dislikes).
In an interview published on YouTube by the White House on reducing gun violence, Vice President Joe Biden answers one of a series of questions that were asked on Parent Magazine’s Facebook page recently. In a question about the banning of extra capacity magazines, Biden advises question writer “Kate Earnest” that she should prefer a shotgun to an AR-15 because it is easier to use. He also gives ill advise to fire warning shots into the air to scare away a trespasser.
The interview provides a very good example of how a politician attempts to speak to the emotions of the audience. Those that have no capability of critical thinking are the persuaded. Vice President Joe Biden talks to that persuaded audience to impress the audience that he relates to them in a “down-to-earth” style — like he’s your best buddy. He talks directly to “Kate” (Kate Earnest) to answer a question about a ban on high capacity magazines.
Kate,
If you want to protect yourself, get a double barrel shotgun … have the shells of a 12 gauge shotgun, and I promise* you as I told my wife (we live in an area that is wooded and is somewhat secluded). I said, Jill, if there’s ever a problem, walk out on the balcony ** … walk out, put that double barrel shot gun and fire two blasts.***I promise, you … whoever’s coming in is not gonna … you don’t need an AR-15. It’s harder to aim. It’s harder to use. And, in fact, you don’t need 30 rounds to protect yourself.**** Buy a shotgun. Buy a shot gun.
— Vice President Joe Biden
Responses to statements marked by an asterisk.
* Promise? How can anyone promise the outcome of this scenario … number of offenders — hiding? Is the offender intoxicated or high on drugs, and in a psychological or physiological state that would not be frightened by warning shots? Is the “offender” an innocent neighbor?
** The idea that Jill Biden would be protecting herself with a shotgun is absurd. Former Vice Presidents and their families have United States Secret Service Protection. In general, United States Secret Service Protection, which entails ensuring the safety of current and former national leaders and their families, such as the President, past Presidents, Vice Presidents, presidential candidates, visiting heads of state, and foreign embassies (per an agreement with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) Office of Foreign Missions (OFM), etc, would be available to Jill Biden. The scenario would be almost certainly impossible.
*** Warning shots could also lead a citizen into serious trouble with law enforcement — even in the back woods of Delaware — at least for an ordinary citizen, anyway.
In Wilmington, Delaware you have to be in fear for your life to legally use deadly force. It’s not legal to fire warning shots at someone who is walking up your front yard or your back yard. In the scenario described in the video, and the solution described by Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden (or an average citizen, anyway) would be charged with felony aggravated menacing, and first degree reckless endangering. In Arlington Heights and other nearby communities, one would face similar charges related to Unlawful Use of a Weapon (UUW).
If the shots fired into the air accidentally struck and killed an innocent neighbor, the citizen firing the weapon would face negligent homicide or manslaughter charges.
Tactically, using the gun in such a way is also not recommended. If the approaching offender is a gun expert, he might know that your gun is empty after you fire your shots. He can now pinpoint the victim’s location and even technical ability in using the weapon, based on his observation of the victim. If there are multiple offenders, it might be easier to overtake Jill, the victim, since skill and position has been telegraphed to the offender(s). The warning shots could also jam the gun. If the offender(s) see the gun jammed, the victim would be in serious trouble. Many experts believe the element of surprise is much more valuable, if a victim is facing a truly dangerous threat.
**** Some offenders, especially high on drugs, might not be stopped by one or two shots. If a shot does not shut down the brain or the heart of some offenders, those robust offenders can continue to charge their victim and cause harm. The possibility of another offender hiding and waiting for opportunity is also a very real possibility.
The full video published on the official White House YouTube channel …
Open for Questions: Vice President Biden on Reducing Gun Violence.
The Vice President in the full video above (actual White House video at 4:40) also communicates a superfluous response to a question from Samantha Phillips that compares the failure of the ban on illegal drugs to the potential failure of a proposed ban on guns. The question seemes to get under Biden’s skin. After stating there would be no ban on guns, Biden turns the table on Samantha by assuming that she proposes a lift of the ban on illegal drugs. In a judgmental and accusatory style with squinting, steely eyes, he asks her, “Are you suggesting that we have no .. we just legalize all drugs? Is that what you’re suggesting? That would go real well in Parents Magazine. Let’s talk about everybody being able, no matter what your age, go out and be able to purchase cocaine. What do you think about that idea? From the content available in the video, Samantha never suggested the legalization of drugs. The assumption that she did, is quite a leap by the Vice President.
“What do you think about that idea?”
“You should have no law unless you have a law that prevents all violations of that law.”
— Vice President Joe Biden
What?
Notice that when the president uses the word “promise” while directing his answer to Kate Earnest, he never provides an actual complement to the word “promise” … he never details what he is promising. He never perfects his promise, because there is no actual promise.
Also, notice that Vice President Joe Biden barely uses any complete sentences when he speaks to Katie Earnest in that particular segment.
You might want to know that many so-called reputable media outlets on Internet published segments of the White House video with no reference to the source, the circumstances or the context of the video.