Q: Have you ever owned a gun and if so, have you ever clung to it in a bitter fashion?......
President-elect Barack Obama's transition team is asking potential appointees detailed questions about gun ownership, and firearms advocates aren't happy about it.
The National Rifle Association has denounced the move, which has already led one Republican senator to consider legislation aimed at ensuring a president can't use an applicant's gun ownership status to deny employment.
It's just one question on a lengthy personnel form — No. 59 on a 63-question list — but the furor over the query is a vivid reminder of the intensity of support for Second Amendment rights and signals the scrutiny Obama is likely to receive from the ever-vigilant gun lobby.
Obama's transition team declined to go into detail on why they included the question, suggesting only that it was done to ensure potential appointees were in line with gun laws.
But even some Democrats and transition experts are baffled by the inclusion of the question.
Tucked in at the end of the questionnaire and listed under "Miscellaneous," it reads: "Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage."Paul Light, professor of public service at New York University, said there was no such question for potential appointees when President George W. Bush took office in 2000.
"It kind of sticks out there like a sore thumb," Light said.
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