Returning to his hometown of Chicago, President Obama touched on issues he address during his State of the Union: Increasing gun violence, Strengthening gun laws, and improving the economy. Watch the entire speech.
President Barack Obama took his push for stricter gun laws to his adoptive hometown of Chicago, as that city endures an epidemic of high-profile shooting deaths.
Speaking near his family home on the south side of Chicago, the president renewed his call for Congress to allow for a vote on his various gun measures. And Obama pointed to recent incidences of violence, including the murder of Hadiya Pendleton, the Chicago teenager who was gunned down shortly after performing with classmates in Obama’s second inaugural parade.
“This week, in my State of the Union, I talked about Hadiya and the fact that, unfortunately, what happened to Hadiya is not unique,” Obama said, noting that Pendelton’s parents were in attendance at his speech. “It's not unique to Chicago."
The president’s adoptive hometown, though, has suffered from an epidemic of gun violence. The city suffered over 500 homicides in 2012, including a record number of gun deaths for victims under the age of 18.
“That's the equivalent of a Newtown every four months,” Obama said, referencing the deadly shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut in December, which left 26 students and teachers dead, and provided the impetus for the administration’s new push for comprehensive legislation to curb gun violence.
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Conservatives, though, have also helped popularize Chicago as a prime example as to why the president’s gun proposals are ineffective.
"When President Obama visits Friday, let’s hope we hear something more thoughtful than the usual rhetoric about expanding background checks, to which gangs never submit, and banning some weapons which they rarely use," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., wrote Thursday in the Chicago Tribune.
“Honesty about what it will really take to face gang violence is the best tribute he can offer to Hadiya Pendleton and the dozens of other children killed in Chicago each year,” Gingrich added in his op-ed, referring to the Pendleton’s parents attended Friday’s speech at Hyde Park Academy.
Obama used his speech at the academy to also talk up elements of his education reforms proposed in the State of the Union address earlier this week, including expanded access to Pre-K education and better federal support for schools and standards. The president also talked up his proposal to raise the minimum wage to $9.00/hour, though such a proposal has already encountered resistance from Republicans on Capitol Hill.
This story was originally published on Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:51 PM EST


Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago?
Chicago has one of the strictest gun laws in the entire US! Body count: In the last six months 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago, while 221 soldiers were killed in Iraq.
Chicago is a community organized gangland combat zone.
President: Barack Hussein Obama (Democrat)
Senator: Dick Durbin (Democrat)
House Representative: Jesse Jackson Jr. (Democrat)
Governor: Pat Quinn (Democrat)
House leader: Mike Madigan (Democrat)
Atty. Gen: Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike) (Democrat)
Mayor: Rahm Emanuel (Democrat)
The leadership in Illinois are All Democrats. Chicago school system - rated one of the worst in the country. Can't blame Republicans, there aren't any!
State pension fund $78 Billion in debt, worst in country. Can't blame Republicans. there aren't any!
Cook County (Chicago ) sales tax 10.25% highest in country. Can't blame Republicans, there aren't any!
Of course, they're all blaming each other. Can't blame Republicans there aren't any!
(D) George Ryan is no longer Governor, he is in prison.
Of course he was replaced by (D) Rob Blajegovitch who is...that's right, also in prison.
Representative (D) Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned a couple of weeks ago. That is because he is fighting being sent to...that's right, prison.
The Land of Lincoln, where their Governors make their license plates. This is the Illinois political culture that Obama comes from and he is going to 'fix' Washington politics for us???
Maybe Obama can go back and do some more community organizing. It really worked out well for Chicago the last time!
It's stunning how brief nbcnews.com had the story of Jesse Jackson Jr stealing $750,000.
Don't forget Jessie Jr.'s wife....I think she is going to prison too....Chicago has a gang problem...why don't they do something about them....Obama makes a speech in Gangland "Chicago" and then goes to Florida to golf...he's hired a pro to give him golf lessons at $1000.00 hr....wonder if the taxpayers are going to foot the bill....he is a loser....period..
I thought that this post is about gun control. Oh well. Guess we need more GOOD leaders like Nixon, Thurmond.......on and on.
MAN,,,,, I hope many more companies do the same thing. Choke NY off. I did talk to someone that lives in upstate NY. He told me that NY city is the reason for the new laws. He said that out state is mad as hell but cannot do anything because of the population of NY city. He blamed Bloomberg and the "not very smart" people that follow him.
What are the numbers of gun related deaths if Black on Black crime were removed from the equation? How much revenue could be reallocated if Black on Black crime didn't result in incarceration? This is not meant to be racist, but a legitimate question. Are the guns really the problem or is it maybe a lack of morality that permeates a given culture?
So the Jackass who put Fast and Furious into play is now lecturing legal gun owners about Chicago thugs killing one another with illegally acquired guns.
Hard to believe this moron got another 4 years of vacations and golf on our dime.
Fast and furious began in 2006 ....... Bush was your jackass.
@don
Bush ran Operation Wide Receiver, not F&F. Do your homework.
Bush was a disaster. Obama is worse.
In America where all men are created equal, our president surrounds himself with men carrying assault rifles while he tells the citizens that we cannot have semi-automatic rifles.
Our president clearly holds himself to be more equal than the citizens.
At one time leaders led by example, not anymore. There was also a time when leaders that started wars were leading the charge, not anymore. They are mostly a bunch of chicken S that have little in common with those that do their beckon for them. I for life of me can't understand why anyone would ever go fight a war for these little men that sit behind desks and make life and death decisions for them.
All we have now are hypocrites.
Now they lead from behind.
Obama can't do anything because he is the POTUS....he's not a Emperor... his words..not mine...he said his job is to execute the laws...so why is he not doing his damn job...
because he is an ass...
dixie girl/mcpaddy
Both of you should have paid attention several weeks ago when President Obama announced his list of Executive Orders ...... you know the ones that the NRA morons like LaPierre wrongly claimed were "Unconstitutional". Most of those executive orders involved clearing the impediments to enforcing existing gun laws ..... the impediments that have been pushed by the NRA like the blocked confirmation of the head of the ATF.
Assault weapons were regulated in 1934 and were banned in 1986.
We're happy to have the gun control debate. But, it's impossible to have an honest debate with a gun grabber liar.
So Rahm's not doing so well, eh?
The gang bangers are laughing their butts off! Like they will EVER be without the very weapons that Obama is trying to snowball the country about.
Ya, they are all going to run down to the local gun control office and register their assault weapons because Obama asked them to.
Obama has a lot of more important issues to deal with, like our national debt, instead of grand standing and pushing his socialist police state agenda.
Steven, right. Obama just doesn't get it.
Sad.
Seeking - WOW.
Honest to goodness question for you. Honest...
Do you ever get tired of being on here hour in hour out, day in day out, calling people names? Be honest. Is it a personal quest for you or something? Trying to figure out the necessity to be like that in a fantasy world that is this board.
Every time you call someone (you don't even know) an idiot, stupid, classless, clueless, ignorant, etc. I'd really take a step back and look in the mirror and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish here.
Wow...who'd a thunk it was that easy to solve the murder problem in Chicago...Obama speechifies and no more murders...Obama should have made that speech years ago...he could have save maybe 2,500 to 3,000 lives...but I guess Obama was busy solving the global warming problem flying around in space rearranging the planets and moons to balance the universe...
100% of all murders committed in Chicago were in areas controlled by Democrats. The people of Chicago have voted for violence and murder for 75 years. Why is Obama trying to stop it. The people have said we want our gangs to kill. We will not elect a law and order Republican. We accept the corruption of the Democrats, like the Jacksons, and the murders of our children. We love the violence, the hate, the corruption, the incompetence, the ignorance that the Democrat Party has fostered for 75 years. Long live Obama and the Chicago Way! Forget the kids.
"We love our free sh!t"
Seems more fruitful to go after the causes of the violence rather than the tools.
I think the family of Oscar Pistorius's girlfriend would have simply preferred that Oscar did not have such easy access to guns instead of figuring out what was going on inside his head. Comprendez?
Better take away his kitchen knives as well, salsa.
Didn't realize a kitchen knife could penetrate a bathroom door like a bullet?
Obama returns to the scene of the crime. This is how the great 'community organizer' succeeded in his most celebrated accomplishment? He obviously organized nothing in Chicago. He is on the road to doing to America what he did in Chicago-nothing positive. When he couldn't improve the plight of his people in the windy city, he packed his bags, moved out, and decided to try it again on all of us. How much bull-s**t can the American people swallow before it dawns on them that Barack Obama is a loudmouthed fraud-or worse.
You have to admire his chutzpa, speechifying and pontificating in the very place where he failed miserably.
Still shouting at empty chairs? LMFAO!!!!!!
I own assault weapons!! Why you ask?
1. It is my 2nd amendment right!!
2. the bad guys have them.
3. to protect myself from the bad guys and all the libby gun haters!
4. libs hate them.
5. libs hate them.
To all the gun haters who think the 2nd amendment is for hunters!! Bunch of fricking idiots!!
To all the gun nuts who think they need the 2nd Amendment to protect themselves from their government, you're as dumb as a bag of rocks.
Actually, to protect myself from people like you also!,
But since you're unarmed! it shouldn't be to hard, LOL!!
Yes. Dumb as a bag of rocks.
Salsa you will also be the first to experience the execution. When you have such blind belief in government.
Paranoid AND dumb as a bag of rocks. Just an observation.
@salsaforever. You just keep eating that salsa, because it just shows how whacked your brain has become. You can't even get your saying correct. It is "Dumb as a Box of Rocks" you idiot. Not a bag of rocks.
Michele Obama's other half-
Half black
Half witted
Half assed
Half-way to destroying America.
Anne Romney's other half...............Obama kicked his ass. True story.
Not exactly salsa. And unfortunately, this ain't a basketball game we're talking about. Waaaaay too many Obama supporters seem to think it is.
Salsa:
Idiots like you kicked Romney's ass. You are the one who bought into Obama's dirty politics of personal destruction. You are the true enemy of America. Now go cash your government check or call your dealer on your Obamaphone.
Obama's strategy....divide and conquer.....True Story.
The fact that we haven't heard a PEEP out of Romney supports the conclusion that Obama KICKED HIS ASS. True story.
What's that got to do with guns?
No, it supports the conclusion that he's an adult and has a life. Again, this is not a basketball game.
LOL
obama is an ass and a traitor.....
Only a bonehead who fails to understand the definition of "traitor" would believe that.
Who in Chicago is committing the murders? Arrest them, or, arrest everybody that had nothing to do with murdering people, take the would be victims off the street. Pass laws that will make anybody that owns a gun a criminal, then arrest the ones that don't shoot at you. (Two kinds of people you should never argue with, those that are right, and those that are wrong).
Obama's nothing but a traitor!
1. ignore the economy
2. open up the borders and give free ride to "ILLEGALS"
3. take away the right to defend yourself.
If you can't see what the future may hold, you get what you deserve.
The libby lefts are just to lazy to stand up and fight for themselves. They can't be bothered to lift their heads out of their utopian worlds. Turning this country into a bunch of pussies!! Please pull your heads out of Obama's ass!
If Obama is such a traitor, why aren't republicans making the case for that argument? Perhaps you are simply blowing smoke out your ass?
mark, you've got that right.
Salsa:
Your posts betray your obvious lack of education, logic, reason and your pathetic dependency on others for your basic needs. If you watched Fox News instead of MSDEMBC, you might learn something. Republicans make that argument all the time. It's just that the Liberal media won't cover them. You are being brainwashed by leftist morons. Wait a minute-that would require a brain.
NEVER MIND.
logico,
I'm not much concerned about the conservative ass clown pundits calling Obama a traitor. If conservatives had any balls then the ELECTED representatives need to make the case. Comprendez?
impeach the ass obama......many grounds to choose from...
What a boneheaded statement, mcpatty
The 'gun nuts', as you call them, are the criminals who get their guns illegally and use them to commit crimes.
And then there are the lunatics who use guns to commit heinous acts. Political correctness prevents authorities from placing them in institutions before they commit crimes. Law enforcement is far to reactive, and not preventive enough in these situations. Timothy McVey didn't need a gun do blow up a building. Lunatics have multiple means to commit atrocities. What do you do about that?
You limit their options with universal background checks and caps on magazine capacity. Next stupid question?
Salsa whats the dif between a 30 round mag for an Ar-15 and three10 round mags taped together? Maybe 2 seconds to flip the stack over and shove it back in the receiver?
2 Fewer lives taken. Next stupid question?
salsa..
think you better get back on the porch..now you are getting your a$$ kicked. Next stupid statement?
Nope, having too much fun shooting ignorant fish in a barrel.
If you hear gun shots your first reaction is going to be counting the number of shots fired?
Then your going to assume he only he has ten round magazines and when the tenth shot is fired your going to be ready to react in the two seconds it would take the shooter to change out a mag?
salsa
Shooting would require a gun....I'm confused.
David, I have noticed steady deterioration in your posts. Have there been some adverse life events you have been dealing with? Perhaps we should take some time to get a better understanding of your mental health. After all, conservatives have become so "touchy feel" about mental health when faced with meaningful gun control measures.
The Ghetto Goons in Chicago rarely use assault rifles and never buy guns legally so Obama is going in the wrong direction. I guess when Obama was a community organizer there he didn't do a very good job.
92% of Americans are behind Obama on universal background checks. You weren't very good at REMEDIAL math were you?
The guys doing most of the killings do not buy guns legally. Is that so hard to understand?
They already do background checks when you purchase a firearm...legally that is. Not very good at FACTS are you?
Salsa-You obviously meant '92% of American idiots', are behind Obama. That would be a true statement.
No background checks at private gun shows hence the "gunshow loophole." Yes they are dumb as a bag of rocks.
Logico has upped the number of idiots from 47% to 92%? You can't make this stuff up. Yes dumb as a bag of rocks.
We can argue the points until the cows come home but the fact is you're not getting my guns.
Have a nice day.
So the other 8% emptied the gun stores in the entire United States of weapons and ammunition?
greatminds
Your mind is not so great. No one is trying to take your guns.
Can you pass a background check? Why would you want people who can't pass the background check to own guns?
Those who oppose background checks make it easier for the wrong people to have guns.
All of you saying we need more gun controls laws, how exactly will they work when it’s the system itself that doesn’t work because the current gun laws we have aren't being enforced?
Maybe you should be focused on fixing the system, and not trying to add more laws to a system that already isn’t working or you can expect the same result from that system, failure.
"Insanity; doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
The Government Accountability Office attributes the failures of the NICS system to the States not reporting people deemed mentally unstable, convicted Felons, Domestic abuse, drug convictions etc so its going to work so much better how?
Jerry Lee Loughner (Gabby Giffords shooting), Seung-Hui Cho (Virgina Tech Massacre), James Holmes (Colorado), were all a danger to others but were never reported to the NICS system by the States.
If your looking to place blame, then maybe you should be blaming the States and Institutions, that failed to report the Murderers listed above to the NICS system.
Seung-Hui Cho
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/us/gaps-in-fbi-data-undercut-background-checks-for-guns.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Jerry Lee Laughner
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41131860/ns/politics-more_politics/
James Holmes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014183224
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/2013/01/27/massachusetts-among-worst-sharing-mental-health-data-for-gun-background-checks/COmpdk3YbrLmj0i9vkTnIJ/story.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/29/gun-debate-lawmakers-eye-troubled-background-check-system/
Definition of insanity - conservatives are doing the same things that kicked their ass in the last election.
When Obama shows up in Chicago, Seeking, The feisty skank and Sista Beverly will all be on their knees facing him. Sluuuurp. I would love to see the pussy whipped piss ant that would marry Seeking.
Van down by the river?
Whats the government program to recover the 2,000 lost assault weapons lost to the cartels,before they show up here....if they already haven't?
That's a lot of guns for the criminals to get their hands on,shouldn't that be addressed before they worry about Uncle Fred buying a shotgun?The government is asking for background checks because a firearm MIGHT end up in criminal hands,the 2,000 they lost absolutely ended up in criminal hands....all 2,000.
Whats the plan for recovering them,that should be done before they worry about me.
Let me guess? The last time you tried to walk and chew gum at the same time, you ended up with a nasty knot on your head from walking into your refrigerator?
Ridicule is the first and last argument of a fool.
Thats all you got?
At the end of the day nothing about gun ownership is going to change. We all know that. This may burn some of the progressive communists' butts but it is fact.
Know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah, I know and you also were positive Romney was going to win the election right? LMFAO!!!!!!
We are not here today fighting to protect the Second Amendment.
We are not here today fighting to protect the right to own certain kinds of Weapons or Magazines.
We are here today Fighting for our Lives!
If the Rights of law abiding citizens to own firearms is lost the only ones that will have Firearms will be criminals because they will not obey the laws and they will not give up their illegal firearms.
Criminals would love to know that law abiding citizens are limited to .22’s with 7 rounds of ammo while their carrying 9mm’s with 20 round magazines.
How can we defend ourselves and our families against criminals when they will have high powered weapons, whatever magazine capacities they desire, etc., while we are reduced to knives and baseball bats and other things the government hasn’t gotten around to banning yet, and calling 911?
The left would have you believe that taking guns away from Law abiding citizens and dictating what kinds of weapons they have would reduce crime and gun Violence. If that is true then why does the U.S.A. still have an enormous stockpile of Nuclear weapons?
Wouldn’t the U.S.A giving up its nuclear weapons mean the rest of the world would give up there Nuclear weapons and the Proliferation of Nuclear weapons would stop? Wouldn’t North Korea, China, Russia, Pakistan, etc. gladly give up its Nuclear Weapons if we gave up ours?
The reason we keep our Nuclear weapons is because it is a deterrent preventing other countries from attacking us with nuclear weapons. The premise is known as “Mutually Assured Destruction”. If you attack us we will attack you and you will be destroyed.
Legal Gun ownership is the only deterrent law abiding citizens have against criminals. It is the only thing that makes them think twice, “Will I get shot if I break into that house?”, “Is that woman I’m thinking about raping carrying a gun and I will get my head blown off?”.
The Left would love to remove the only deterrent law abiding citizens have against criminals.
The left would have you believe that law abiding citizens don’t need guns because we have laws and law enforcement agencies to protect you and enforce our laws.
We are supposed to depend on the Same Law enforcement agencies that allowed 2,000 guns to walk into Mexico, into the hands of Drug Cartels?
We are supposed to believe that the law enforcement agencies that have not been able to enforce our immigration law, which is the reason we have 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., can protect us?
We are supposed to believe that the same law Enforcement Agencies that are suing the U.S. government because they have been ordered not to enforce our laws are going to enforce our laws?
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/01/29/judge-immigration-agents-suing-obama-can-move-forward/
We are supposed to believe that law enforcement agencies that are supposed to enforce the laws, and yet turn around and break the laws themselves committing Felonies, can be trusted to protect us?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-34222_162-57560107-10391739/pistol-purchased-by-atf-agent-found-at-alleged-cartel-crime-scene-in-mexico/
Make no Mistake; If Dianne Feinstein and the rest of her Like Minded Comrades could get their way they would take away every gun and leave us defenseless and at the mercy of criminals and the Government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Dianne_Feinstein
Let me be Clear; don’t make the Mistake of believing “No one is trying to take away your guns”. Remember what happened with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?
“We have to pass it to find out what’s in it”. Nancy Pelosi
They did there back room deals and subterfuge and passed it in the dead of the night without anyone having time to read it and analyze it to really understanding its impact and how it would affect law abiding citizens.
This is not a fight about the Second Amendment. It is not a Fight about what kind of guns and Magazines we can have; it is a fight for our Lives against those that would like us to be defenseless and at the Mercy of Criminals and at the Mercy of a Corrupt and Incompetent Government for protection against those criminals.
If your life means nothing to you then by all means support Feinstein and Her Far left Gun Confiscation Agenda.
If you care about your life, your family’s life, and the life of others then stop them before they are able to take away our best means of self defense and the only deterrent to criminals Law Abiding Citizens have.
The mass murder of those kids has made your slippery slope argument much more untenable to Americans with functioning brain stems. True story.
You mean the mass murder of 55 million unborn children in the last 40 years, 3800 a day, 114,000 a month, 1.37 million a year that are aborted in the U.S.
Look how righteous we are because we are using the death of 20 children in a mass shooting in the last 13 years to push our gun control agenda even though in that same 13 year period 17.8 million unborn children were never given a choice.