Seven expert guests are available for radio and TV via phone and/or Zoom/Skype
Intro: Democrat Joe Biden has not been sworn into office, but just the prospect of his presidency is already fueling vigorous gun sales, as confirmed by a recent Forbes article discussing the “uptick” in sales at Smith & Wesson. Here to talk about the soaring gun sales is (choose a guest).
Q&A
- Tell us about these record numbers we are seeing for gun purchases.
Forbes reported that sales at Smith and Wesson more than doubled in the last quarter to $248.7 million, compared to $113.7 million in the year-ago quarter. The company also reported net income of $52.2 million for the quarter, compared to $1.3 million in the year-ago quarter, and said it has zero net debt.
FBI’s National Instant Check System posted another record for background checks during the month of November, with raw data putting the figure at 3,626,335.
- How many of these gun owners have had purchased guns before?
Out of the year-to-date total of 19.1 million background checks (which is a record), NSSF retailer surveys estimate that nearly 7.7 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020.
The previous complete annual record of 15.7 million background checks was set in 2016.
- What do you think has sparked this surge in gun sales?
The gun sales surge actually began in March, apparently sparked by the coronavirus pandemic outbreak as concerns about social breakdown and the potential for police officers being infected and unable to respond to calls for help.
The sales pattern continued and even gained more traction over the summer months as many cities erupted with violent protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody.
- Where can we get more information about the Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms?
SAF.org and ccrkba.org.
SEVEN EXPERT GUESTS AVAILABLE TO INTERVIEW ON THIS TOPIC:
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he worked in morning drive-time radio. He grew up in a gun-free household (Edward’s mother was a Kennedy Democrat). Becoming a husband and a father in his mid-20s persuaded him to buy his first firearm for protection. When asked how many guns he owns, Edwards has joked, “Less than 42.”
For years he hosted the “Cam & Company” radio show at NRA News. He lives on a 40-acre farm with his family in Farmville, Virginia and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a national board member of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and a broadcast media spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation.
Recipient of the 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award, Walters is a national columnist for Ammoland, and author of three books, Lessons from Armed America with Kathy Jackson: foreword by Massad Ayoob, Lessons from Unarmed America with Rob Pincus: foreword by Ted Nugent, and Grilling While Armed.
Mark is the host of two nationally syndicated talk radio programs, Armed American Radio, and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense heard on hundreds of radio stations across the country, six days per week. In addition,
Mark has appeared on national and international radio and television on gun-related stories and is a popular podium speaker on firearms topics. Mark is a husband and father of two children and resides in Georgia with his family.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He also writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and several firearms periodicals. He is also the communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has also co-authored seven books with Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
ABOUT STEPHEN WILLEFORD (In Central Time):
A native of Sutherland Springs, Texas, Stephen Willeford was raised in a family of five on a dairy farm near the First Baptist Church. He is the fourth generation to live on a few hundred acres of land in Wilson County.
Stephen has always relied on his faith to guide his life, and his deep roots in Sutherland Springs are a product of his family’s commitment to their community. An avid sportsman, Stephen began shooting at a young age and honed his shooting skills by participating in shooting competitions as he grew older. He made sure his three children were trained in gun safety, passing along his expertise.
After helping stop the deadliest mass shooting in the history of Texas in November 2017, Stephen has become known across the country as the “good guy with a gun.” Stephen credits his unwavering faith and penchant for preparedness as to why he was able to step in during this critical incident, believing that each day of his life prepared him for what happened on that Sunday morning.
Stephen has begun speaking publicly about his life and experiences, even delivering a lauded speech at the National Rifle Association Convention in May 2018. Because of his selfless service to his community, Stephen was also an honored guest of members of the Texas delegation at the 2018 State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
An experienced professional plumber, Stephen earned his license from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprenticeship School in San Antonio and has nearly 35 years of experience in his field. In 2018, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Stephen to serve on the Texas Private Security Board. He is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), was an NRA-certified instructor and a former assistant scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America. Stephen has been married to Pam Farmer Willeford for 30 years and has three children and three grandchildren.
ABOUT TOM GRESHAM (In Central Time):
Tom Gresham is a spokesman for the 2nd Amendment Foundation. He hosts the nationally syndicated weekend radio talk show ‘Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk,’ carried on 266 stations. He also has created, hosted, and directed several television series about guns including Shooting Sports America on ESPN, and Guns and Gear on NBC Sports. An author of several books, Tom has also written thousands of magazine articles about firearms.
ABOUT GLEN CAROLINE (In Eastern Time)
Veteran grassroots gun rights organizer Glen Caroline is the Director of External Affairs for the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. With 29 years of frontline experience in the Second Amendment movement, Caroline spearheads grassroots and training programs for both organizations. Glen comes to the SAF/CCRKBA after serving for years as managing director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action Grassroots Programs and Campaign Field Operations division. Glen’s entire professional life has been dedicated to the cause of the Second Amendment and the preservation of Americans’ liberties.
ABOUT ALAN GOTTLIEB (In Pacific Time/ TV only):
Alan is a strong advocate of defense. He’s a nuclear engineering graduate of the University of Tennessee, publisher of Gun Week, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and Founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Conservative Union.
CONTACT: Jerry McGlothlin: 919-437-0001 jerry.specialguests@gmail.com
