Mr. Rove is dead wrong about one thing. A large number of progressives and liberals are gunowners, and while they agree with Mr. Obama on many other policies, his views on gun control are a thorn in their side. Most think his gun-ban policies would only hurt law-abiding citizens and do nothing to criminals (other than open a lucrative black market to them).

Mr. Rove lists guns along with several religious right issues, and they are simply not related. Contrary to both Rove's and Obama's expressed opinions, guns for self-protection, which is the right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, have nothing to do with social conservatism or rural America.

In fact, for those of us who think a firearm is the only way to level the playing field against criminals and lunatics, both McCain and Obama have troublesome pasts.