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Vanderbilt Television News Archive - Guns in America: 1980s

A selection of news reports, interviews, and investigations on the topic of gun control or gun violence in relation to US Presidential elections.

Guns and political campaigns: Reports from the 1980s

  Record Number Title Network Date Runtime Summary
  266821 Campaign '80 / Kennedy Interview CBS 1/17/1980 5 min 20 sec A report mentioning that both Senator Kennedy and President Carter are for gun control.
266954 Campaign '80 / Reagan Interview CBS 1/24/1980 7 min 40 sec Report on Ronald Reagan's stance on military power and defense programs, which are often intertwined with discussions on gun control and Second Amendment rights.
  268930 Campaign '80 / Anderson CBS 2/19/1980 3 min 30 sec candidate forum in New Hampshire where the presidential aspirants' stance on gun control, specifically the Kennedy gun control bill, was a key issue for the New Hampshire gun owners association.
  508912 Campaign '80 / New Hampshire Poll / Connally / Carter / Anderson NBC 2/19/1980 2 min 20 sec the candidates' positions on gun control, with most candidates opposing limitations on handguns except for Republican congressman John Anderson who supports licensing gun owners.
508936 Campaign '80 / New Hampshire Debate / McGovern NBC 2/20/1980 5 min 30 sec Report mentions both Ronald Reagan and George Bush being against gun control and members of the NRA.
  508977 Campaign '80 / New Hampshire / Kennedy NBC 2/22/1980 4 min 10 sec Report on Senator Kennedy's support for gun control and his criticism of pro-gun groups during his presidential campaign in New Hampshire.
  64214 Campaign '80 / The Issues: Domestic Issues ABC 2/22/1980 5 min 0 sec the differing views of presidential candidates on domestic issues, including the role of women in draft registration and the controversy surrounding nuclear power.
269056 Campaign '80 / New Hampshire Primary CBS 2/25/1980 6 min 40 sec Report on the political activism of students in New Hampshire, highlighting their efforts to campaign against the draft and nuclear power.
  64280 Campaign '80 / New Hampshire Primary ABC 2/27/1980 6 min 50 sec Report on the political landscape and strategies of presidential candidates, including Ronald Reagan and George Bush, in the context of the New Hampshire primary.
  509082 Campaign '80 / Kennedy / Anderson / Bush / Dole NBC 2/29/1980 6 min 30 sec Report mentions John Anderson's support for gun control, which is not a popular position among most Republicans.
64775 Campaign '80 / Massachusetts and Vermont Primaries ABC 3/3/1980 7 min 50 sec the political landscape in Massachusetts and how the influx of conservative voters, including Catholics and Jews, is changing the Republican Party in the state, potentially leading to a victory for Ronald Reagan in the presidential primary elections.
  269293 Campaign '80 / South Primaries CBS 3/11/1980 3 min 50 sec A report mentioning that Florida is more conservative and against handgun control, indicating a potential stance on gun rights in the state.
509362 Campaign '80 / Illinois Primary NBC 3/18/1980 9 min 0 sec This transcript does not relate to the subject of guns in America as it primarily discusses the Illinois presidential primaries and the candidates involved.
  269427 Campaign '80 / Illinois Primary CBS 3/19/1980 11 min 50 sec the political race between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, who had different stances on gun control policies.
  509439 Campaign '80 / Bush / New York Primary / Reagan NBC 3/21/1980 4 min 10 sec the issue of gun control in New York City, including the prevalence of illegal handguns and the impact of gun violence on the community.
66393 Campaign '80 / Anderson, Carter, Kennedy ABC 6/9/1980 5 min 10 sec Report on the economic policies and urban issues that are impacting communities, including those in major cities where gun violence is often prevalent.
  66435 Campaign '80 / Republican Convention ABC 7/10/1980 4 min 20 sec the Republican Party's platform committee approving planks calling for the weakening of federal gun control laws.
  511394 Campaign '80 / Republican Platform NBC 7/10/1980 3 min 20 sec A report mentioning the Republican Party's platform including stronger anti-gun control language and support for capital punishment.
  271621 Campaign '80 / Republican Platform CBS 7/11/1980 6 min 40 sec Report mentions that the Republican party platform opposes gun control.
  67704 Campaign '80 / Debates / Religion and Politics ABC 9/26/1980 4 min 20 sec A report mentioning the involvement of right-wing organizations in a political campaign, some of which used ads featuring a bullseye target and anti-abortion messaging against a candidate.
  267223 Campaign '80 / Idaho Senate Race CBS 10/11/1980 4 min 30 sec A report mentioning the issue of federal gun controls and the importance of protecting against them.
  516403 Kennedy / Reelection Campaign NBC 4/23/1981 2 min 50 sec A report mentioning anti-gun control efforts in Massachusetts as part of Ted Kennedy's re-election campaign.
79192 Status Report / Gun Control ABC 7/2/1982 5 min 40 sec the ongoing debate and efforts for gun control, including recent actions taken by cities like San Francisco to ban handguns and the push for stricter regulations at the state level.
  281179 1982 Campaign / Stars CBS 11/2/1982 2 min 40 sec A report mentioning Roy Rogers' stance against gun control and Charlton Heston leading the Battle of the Stars against the nuclear freeze initiative.
  296289 Campaign 1984 / New York Primary CBS 4/1/1984 6 min 10 sec Report on the Democratic presidential candidates' positions on various issues, including the transfer of the embassy and the importance of defeating President Reagan, which are relevant to the political debate surrounding gun control and Second Amendment rights in the country.
  296955 Campaign 1984 / Primaries CBS 5/15/1984 3 min 0 sec A report mentioning Eugene McCarthy painting Robert Kennedy as the candidate of gun control in the 1968 Oregon Democratic primary.
  307279 Campaign '86 / Louisiana House Race CBS 11/1/1986 3 min 40 sec A report mentioning that one of the candidates, Republican Clyde Holloway, is against gun control.
114168 Campaign '88 / Gun Control ABC 2/3/1988 2 min 40 sec the strong opposition to gun control among Republican candidates and the complexity of the issue in today's society.
  322219 Campaign '88 / Democrats / Vice President Bentsen CBS 7/13/1988 6 min 40 sec Report on the political dynamics and alliances within the Democratic Party during the 1988 election, which could potentially impact gun policy decisions.
  323068 Campaign '88 / Dukakis / Bentsen / Texas CBS 8/6/1988 4 min 10 sec Report mentions gun control as an issue that gets Easterners in trouble and highlights the differences in opinion on George Bush in the West.
323052 Campaign '88 / Dukakis / West ABC 8/6/1988 2 min 0 sec A report mentioning that Michael Dukakis favors gun control as part of his campaign platform.
  322896 Campaign '88 / Bush-Dukakis / Quayle Controversy CBS 8/26/1988 4 min 50 sec Report mentions Vice President Bush's stance against gun control measures and his surprise at President Reagan's support for a waiting period on the sale of handguns.
  563986 Campaign '88 / Bush / Quayle NBC 8/27/1988 3 min 20 sec A report mentioning George Bush's stance on gun control, where he expressed a "no to gun control" position while campaigning in Texas.
564068 Commentary (Campaign '88 / Undecided Voters) NBC 8/30/1988 2 min 50 sec A report mentioning that Reagan Democrats, who care about social issues such as gun control, are a key voting block in the presidential campaign.
  564298 Gun Control NBC 9/15/1988 2 min 0 sec proposed seven-day waiting period for background checks on handgun purchases, with arguments from both supporters and opponents of the measure.
  323320 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / Debates / Media Manipulation CBS 9/21/1988 6 min 10 sec the strategies used by political candidates to control media coverage and messaging, highlighting the importance of staying on message and avoiding distractions.
  118089 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / Police Endorsement / Crime Issue ABC 9/22/1988 5 min 20 sec the endorsement of George Bush by a police union, highlighting the importance of law enforcement and contrasting Governor Dukakis' stance on capital punishment.
559484 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / Debate / Polls NBC 10/3/1988 4 min 30 sec A report mentioning gun control as one of the issues used by Republicans to make Michael Dukakis appear too liberal for voters in the South.
  318475 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis CBS 10/15/1988 4 min 10 sec Report mentions George Bush campaigning against gun control and promising no more federal gun control.
  112390 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / California and Texas ABC 10/16/1988 5 min 0 sec Report on the presidential campaign strategies in key states such as Texas, where Governor Dukakis is trying to court voters despite facing challenges.
318531 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis CBS 10/19/1988 2 min 20 sec A report mentioning the importance of issues like crime and gun control in the presidential campaign.
  559369 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / Bentsen and Texas / Quayle NBC 10/22/1988 7 min 10 sec Report mentions Dukakis' response to hot button issues like gun control and his defense against the Bush Quayle campaign's lies and distortions.
  318593 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis CBS 10/22/1988 4 min 20 sec A report mentioning Republican charges on gun control and George Bush disavowing leaflets linking Michael Dukakis to rapists and murderers.
  112574 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis ABC 10/26/1988 4 min 20 sec Michael Dukakis' stance on gun control and his response to NRA ads during his presidential campaign.
318654 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis CBS 10/26/1988 2 min 30 sec A report mentioning accusations of distortions on the caucuses position about gun control made by Mike Dukakis towards George Bush during a campaign event in Colorado.
  559440 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis NBC 10/27/1988 2 min 50 sec A report mentioning the Bush campaign's defense against accusations of misrepresenting his position on gun control, specifically regarding the right to own weapons for hunting and self-defense.
  112624 Campaign '88 / Bush vs. Dukakis / Texas ABC 10/28/1988 7 min 0 sec A report mentioning that Texas has more registered guns than any other state and that Michael Dukakis supports gun ownership by sportsmen and hunters.
112667 Campaign '88 / Vice Presidential Candidates ABC 10/30/1988 2 min 10 sec A report mentioning the issue of gun control and how it has not helped Michael Dukakis in rural or southern states, as well as highlighting the importance of the vice presidential candidates' stance on guns to voters.
  318742 Campaign '88 / Dukakis vs. Bush / Arkansas CBS 10/31/1988 3 min 20 sec Report mentions the issue of gun control being a key issue in Arkansas, where the hunting season is about to begin and many residents are preparing for deer season.
  112687 Campaign ' 88 / Crime and Drugs / California ABC 10/31/1988 5 min 30 sec the issue of crime and drugs, which are closely linked to gun violence and the debate over gun control policies.
319180 Campaign '88 / Bentsen and Quayle CBS 11/4/1988 4 min 20 sec Senator Lloyd Bentsen mentions his belief that the campaign goofed by waiting too long to respond to Republican attacks on gun control.
  560076 Campaign '88 / Quayle and Bentsen NBC 11/7/1988 4 min 30 sec Report mentions Lloyd Benson's stance on gun control and his statement about not wanting anyone to take his shotgun away.
  560093 Campaign '88 / Issues NBC 11/8/1988 3 min 50 sec ballot measure in Maryland to repeal a handgun law, with the National Rifle Association donating $5 million to support the repeal.
121847 Gun Control / NRA ABC 4/30/1989 2 min 50 sec the National Rifle Association's struggles with gun control groups and their stance on assault weapons and gun control policies.