Back in 1938, a Texas hunter decided to get ready for his hunting trip by posing for cameras in DC. That Texas hunter was Senator Tom Connally.
The caption from the Library of Congress: Looking forward to a hunting trip in his native state as soon as Congress adjourns this week, Senator Tom Connally, Democrat of Texas, checked his guns and did a little fancy shooting for the benefit of the cameramen at the Capitol today, 6/14/38.
I can’t even fathom how that would go over today.
Great photo :) Wish all politicians were like this!
I don’t know. Did he vote for or against the NFA?
I actually think the same picture could be taken again today provided the following were true:
1. The individual with the gun was a thoroughly established anti-gun elitist Dem or Rep working in collusion with DC’s finest (a la Dianne Feinstein)
2. An important vote on a gun control bill that “doesn’t take away anyone’s guns… Matter of public safety… For the children…” Is coming up and he needed to establish him some huntin’ cred among the FUDDS.
Well… Gun control is one reason Texas stopped electing Democrats – they aren’t like this guy any more. A majority of Texans also figured out that the New Deal stupidity Senator Connally supported does not work either.
A Texas Senator or Rep. could probably do that today and gain popularity as long as s/he looks like a real hunter and not a poser.
I remember the week Mike Castle lost the US Senate primary to Christine “I’m not a witch” O’Donnell. The News Journal ran a front-page picture of him wearing eye and ear protection and sighting down the barrel of a pistol. If Mike Castle’s NRA rating ever rose above F, I don’t remember when that was, but even he, even in 2010, felt the need to pretend for benefit of the low-information voters.
That looks like a Remington M141 to me – any other opinions?