Pence booed at NRA gathering even as he seeks to move right of Trump on guns
Former US President Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, US, April 14.
Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, US April 14.
Former Vice President Mike Pence was booed at a gathering of the country's largest gun rights lobby on Friday even as he sought to present himself as a more ardent defender of gun rights than his former boss Donald Trump.
Trump, meanwhile, used the same forum on Friday to declare he would be a "fearless champion" of Americans' right to bear arms. Trump is considered a leading contender for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination while Pence has said he is nearing a decision on a possible run.
Boos rang out in the vast Indianapolis conference room of the National Rifle Association's convention as Pence took the stage to deliver his speech, underscoring the tough battle he faces to win over Trump fans if he decides to run.
Many Trump supporters soured on Pence after he refused to back Trump's false claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election and overturn Trump's election loss in his former capacity as president of the U.S. Senate.
"I love you too," Pence joked to the crowd of hundreds, many of whom were wearing Trump-themed T-shirts and red baseball hats.
Pence, who has a gold-plated rating from the NRA for his stance on gun rights, called for armed officers at all schools and speedier executions of shooters, hoping to draw a contrast with Trump, who angered some activists in 2018 by banning the high-power gun attachments used in a 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting.
"I believe the time has come to institute a federal death penalty statute, with an accelerated appeal, to ensure that those who engage in mass shootings face execution in months, not years," Pence said.
Pence, Indiana's former governor, received scattered applause during his speech and then more boos as he concluded.
Trump, whom the NRA enthusiastically backed in 2016 before he was even officially declared the Republican presidential candidate, later addressed the same crowd, saying, "With me at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, no one will lay a finger on your firearms."
He said he would push for a new tax credit to reimburse teachers who obtain a concealed-carry firearm and receive training.
