TEMPE, Arizona, Oct 13 (AFP) - President George W. Bush on Wednesday defended his decision not to press Congress to renew an assault weapons ban, hours after the powerful US gun lobby threw its weight behind his re-election campaign.
The National Rifle Association, which has an estimated four million members, said it was endorsing Bush and immediately started airing adverts attacking Bush's rival, John Kerry, who spoke for a ban on the sale and manufacture of military-style weapons.
Bush said he believed the 10-year-old ban, that ended last month, should have been renewed. But he insisted the necessary legislation would not have passed through Congress because of opposition from Republicans and Democrats.
The ban was allowed to drop even though it was supported by many police chiefs and opinion polls indicated a majority of Americans wanted a ban on military assault-type weapons.
Guns are a sensitive topic in the United States where the right to carry weapons is enshrined in the second amendment to the Constitution.
Bush told a presidential debate with Democratic rival Kerry: "I believe law-abiding citizens ought to be able to own a gun" but he also supported checks on buyers.
The president said prosecuting gun crimes was the best way to protect the public and highlighted a significant increase in prosecutions.
"Neighbourhoods are safer when we crack down on people who commit crimes with guns. To me, that's the best way to secure America."
Kerry, a former prosecutor who emphasised that he had been a hunter since childhood, said "I believe America is less safe" without the ban.
"Most of the law enforcement agencies in America wanted that assault weapons ban. They don't want to go into a drug bust and be facing an AK-47."
He said that because of Bush's decision, "law enforcement officers will walk into a place that will be more dangerous. Terrorists can now come into America and go to a gun show and, without even a background check, buy an assault weapon today."
The support of the main gun owners organisation is a major though expected boost for Bush.
"NRA stands with President George W. Bush on November 2," said Wayne LaPierre, the NRA executive vice president.
The association has a huge political fund ready to be put toward campaigning for its favoured candidate in the election.
And while LaPierre praised Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as lovers of hunting and fishing, the association has made its hostility to Kerry clear.
NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said: "Four years ago, NRA members went to the polls and stopped Al Gore's plans to continue the war on America's gun owners.
"But now, we face a greater threat than even the Clinton/Gore Administration posed. John Kerry and John Edwards are the most anti-gun presidential team in our country's history."
Cox said: "America has a clear choice; to side with a candidate who has a long record of protecting our gun rights, or with a candidate who has cast more than 50 votes against gun owners and sportsmen.
"The future of our freedom is at stake on November 2."
The NRA has started running television spots in favour of Bush. In one, an NRA spokesman says that Kerry is "not a hunter, he just plays one on TV."