So...here's an interesting issue. We've had a few gun-rights people coming in for endorsement interviews. This morning, we had Marcus Tempey, who's running in the Republican primary for Chip Shields' seat. He's a gun-rights dude who favors a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver. But when I asked if he was packing during the interview, he said no. "In deference to the prevailing conditions at most newspapers," he said, "I prefer not to."

It was John Sweeney, the Democratic challenger for Earl Blumenauer's congressional district, who actually pulled his gun out after I asked if he was packing. He's running on a gun rights platform because Blumenauer has talked about having "reasonable controls" for firearms over the last few years. Sweeney, a former city parks employee who spent 28 years in the Army Guard, came in with a list of nine reasons for private ownership of firearms—including, and I quote, "because many criminals are infected with HIV/AIDS, it is best to defeat them at a distance. That means firearms!"

He pulled out his loaded Beretta 21, unloaded it, and showed me.

HOLY SHIT THATS A GUN
  • HOLY SHIT THAT'S A GUN

Mummy!