Obama didn't address gun control in Tuesday's State of the Union, but many sources have said that key White House aids indicated he will unveil a campaign in the coming weeks to tighten existing gun laws.
Obama received a fair amount of criticism by choosing not to address the issue following the recent mass shooting in Tucson, AZ, but many pundits say he intentionally strayed away from the subject in order to focus his talking points on the economy and avoid a highly-controversial subject like gun control. According to various sources, including Newsweek, Obama will introduce a proposal for new gun regulations that will influence a few key current laws, including the ability of mentally unstable people to purchase assault weapons. The White House reportedly said Obama purposely avoided the subject altogether to avoid the perception that he was capitalizing on the recent Tucson shootings to push an agenda.
Leading up to the State of the Union, gun control advocates, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, called for the president to address gun control laws following the Arizona shootings.
In interview with ABC News, Brady Campaign president Paul Helmke expressed frustration that the president didn't speak on gun control, adding that “something could have been done there.”
