On September 19, Jared Lee Loughner shot and killed thirty-seven people at a fundraiser for Senator Gabrielle Giffords in Douglas. The rampage was only stopped when Giffords grabbed the gun of a dead member of her security team and shot and killed Loughner, saving her own life and the lives of nineteen others. After a short time away from Washington to destress, Giffords returned to the Senate, and introduced a Constitutional Amendment that would repeal the Second Amendment in it's entirety, on October 9. The Amendment failed in the Senate, 21-77. Undaunted, Giffords stated that she would introduce it every year until it passed, stating in an interview with Wolf Blitzer that "my experience taught me that the Second Amendment must go."
PPP poll on Gun Rights (in the field from September 31-October 2)
Should the Second Amendment be repealed?
Yes 50%
No 44%
Opinion of the National Rifle Association
Approve 34%
Disapprove 49%
Opinion of Gabrielle Giffords
Approve 42%
Disapprove 44%
It sounds like Gifford could have been the most popular politician after the shooting, but then squandered it immediately afterwards
