WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden addressed concerns among gun-owners that banning assault rifles will make it more difficult to defend themselves by mentioning his own arsenal.
"No one's taking my shotguns," Biden told Parents Magazine in a Facebook town hall, adding that no weapons would be taken off the streets under the Obama administration's gun control proposals.
Criticizing those who want to purchase AR-15 semi-automatic rifles for self-defense, Biden tried to sell them on the alternative. "You don't need an AR-15 — it's harder to aim, it's harder to use," he said. "Buy a shotgun, buy a shotgun!"
Biden added that if he and his wife wanted to deter intruders, they'd walk outside their home and blast their shotguns, and no one would give them trouble anymore.
Biden rejected the notion that banning any weapons infringes on second amendment rights. "How can I say this politely...," he said, before noting that the government already bans flamethrowers and machine guns
"If you want to protect yourself, get a double-barrel shotgun," he said.