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Knight-Ridder thinks it's a surprise move that Bush is backing an extension of the Assult Weapons/High Capacity Magazine ban.

"The president supports the current law, and he supports reauthorization of the current law,' White House spokesman Scott McClellan told Knight Ridder."

To clarify, this ban affects weapons that are semi-automatic & possess certain cosmetic features. An assault weapon is a carbine or short rifle capable of fully automatic fire chambered in a medium powered cartridge.
Further it restricts the manufacture of new magazines to ten rounds or less. Considering many firearms' magazines that are affected by this prohibition were originally designed to hold in excess of ten cartridges, it would more properly be called a normal capacity magazine ban.

Finally, Bush only surprised those who think the NRA is fighting for our Rights. His father enacted an executive order prohibiting the import of 'assault weapons' which set the precedent for Congress to ban their manufacture domestically. It is no surprise that he would support such a measure. In fact he said he would during his campaign. The NRA didn't mention that did they?

The bill sunsets in 2004, but some senators will soon propose legislation to make the assault weapons ban permanent. If you listen to the NRA they'll tell you there are enough votes to prevent extending the assault weapons ban, but in reality there are very few truly pro-gun/pro-Rights legislators in either house.
So write your representatives & Senators & demand they not let this unconstitutional law be continued. Write Bush & tell him that unless he changes his mind about a few things, then you'll vote Libertarian in '04. In fact, tell him you'll vote Libertarian in '04 anyway, unless the Republicans decide to nominate Ron Paul as their candidate.
No matter what, don't be surprised by Bush perjuring himself. He did take an oath to uphold & defend the Constitution form all enemies, even domestic ones. & I don't think the Second Amendment excluded 'assault weapons'. In fact, they were its very purpose.


Update: KeepandBearArms.com has a poll up that's worth looking into. It asks, "If Congress votes to re-authorize the 1994 Clinton/Feinstein federal so-called "Assault Weapons" ban, gives the bill to President Bush and he signs it into law, would you still vote for him in his bid for re-election to the Presidency in 2004?"

The results as of 4:45 a.m. MDT are:

"Hell No, & I'll tell all my friends to abandon him too" 862 votes 80.9%
"No" 139 votes 13.1%
"Yes" 39 votes 3.7%
"Yes, I would still vote for him, even after he proves that he's a traitor" 25 votes 2.3%

Total 1065 votes