Heston's NRA presidency ends at convention

ORLANDO - Charlton Heston is making his last appearance as president of the National Rifle Association this weekend, after using his movie-star prominence to amplify the gun rights group's message and help put supporters in the White House and Congress.

As the NRA's public face for five years, Heston helped steer the organization out of several public relations disasters - including fallout from the Columbine massacre in 1999 - and even won opponents' respect.

"It helped the NRA immeasurably to have Charlton Heston president of the NRA," said Wayne LaPierre, the group's executive vice president. "Here's a figure the public really does love. . . . It brought a built-in microphone."

Heston's most famous sound bite as NRA president - when he raised a rifle above his head and said, "From my cold, dead hands" - still burns in the memories of many gun control advocates.

"I would have to say to Mr. Heston, "Just ask any mother to hold her son's cold, dead body in a farewell,' " said Mary Leigh Blek, director of the Million Mom March and mother of a 21-year-old son who was fatally shot.

Heston, 78, who announced last year that he has symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, will be succeeded by Kayne Robinson, former chairman of Iowa's Republican Party.

The NRA's annual convention in Orlando this weekend will include a tribute to Heston on Friday.

Heston, who starred in Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments and Planet of the Apes during a 50-year film career, wasn't available for comment Thursday, an NRA spokesman said.

He became president of the NRA in 1998, at a time when the 4-million-member group was at odds with the White House. Heston campaigned vigorously for George W. Bush in 2000 and for Republican candidates in 22 states last year.

During Heston's tenure, the NRA experienced a seesaw of legislative successes and public relations disasters.

After the worst school shooting in U.S. history - the Columbine massacre in the Denver suburb of Littleton - the NRA was criticized for sticking to earlier plans to hold its annual convention in Denver less than two weeks later, although it shortened the event from three days to one.

The NRA got more bad publicity last year in Michael Moore's Oscar-winning documentary Bowling for Columbine. The NRA is championing an effort to revoke the Oscar for Moore, who interviewed a strident but feeble-looking Heston after using a star map to get to his house.

In recent years the NRA has seen several states and cities sue the gun industry to recover costs related to gun injuries, but also has scored legislative victories.

This month the Republican-controlled House approved legislation prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers and distributors for damages resulting from the misuse of their products. Also, Congress recently approved letting pilots carry firearms in planes.

The NRA is continuing its fight against the federal ban on assault weapons, which will lapse next year without congressional action.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright