Obama the sore loser; McCain the traitor

President Barack Obama says ‘‘the gun lobby and its allies’’ used lies and distortion to thwart legislation in the US Senate that would have expanded background checks for firearms purchases.

Senators voted 54-46, with 60 needed to adopt the measure, as a handful of Democrats joined most Republicans in opposition. The vote was the most significant on gun control in 20 years

Mr Obama placed the blame on Republicans and lobbyists for gun manufacturers for rejecting the measure in defiance of the will of a majority of the public. He vowed to press on to get gun legislation passed.

‘‘I see this as just Round 1,’’ Obama said in remarks from the White House Rose Garden. He told voters to ‘‘sustain some passion about this.’’

Obama spoke about 90 minutes after backers fell short of 60 votes needed to adopt the measure, an amendment crafted by Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, and Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican.

The proposal was intended to be a bipartisan compromise and its failure marks a defeat for the president, who made heightened restrictions on guns and ammunition a priority following the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting last December.

‘‘The gun lobby and its allies wilfully lied about the bill,’’ Obama said. Today ‘‘was a pretty shameful day for Washington.’’

Mr Obama’s push to expand background checks, renew a federal assault weapons ban and limit ammunition magazines faced opposition from the National Rifle Association, the nation’s biggest lobby for gun owners and manufacturers.

Five Democrats voted against the background-check measure: Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mark Begich of Alaska and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. Baucus, Pryor and Begich face re-election in 2014 in states carried last year by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Majority Leader Harry Reid also voted no, allowing himself under Senate rules to seek reconsideration of the vote.

Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois, John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Toomey voted for the amendment.

SOURCE