NRA's LaPierre: wonk with million-dollar megaphone

Saturday February 9, 2013 8:15 AM

By NANCY BENAC

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wayne LaPierre would just as soon read a book as fire a gun.

That's right, the National Rifle Association's fire-breathing defender of gun rights is more academic than marksman.

Joseph Tartaro of the pro-gun Second Amendment Foundation calls LaPierre a "police wonk" who's "more professorial than you would think."

Former NRA spokesman John Aquilino says LaPierre is best described as "an absent-minded professor."

A professor, that is, with a million-dollar megaphone and a well-honed ability to dish apocalyptic warnings about a tyrannical government angling to grab people's firearms.

For decades, LaPierre has been serving up heated us-vs.-them rhetoric to rally the NRA faithful. Usually it works. Sometimes it backfires

©2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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