President Barack Obama Wednesday in Denver:

You hear some of these quotes, “I need a gun to protect myself from the government.” “We can’t do background checks because the government is going to come take my guns away.” [Pause] The government is us. These officials are elected by you. I am elected by you … They are constrained … So surely we can have a debate that’s not based on the notion that somehow your elected representatives are trying to do something to you other than potentially prevent another group of families from grieving …

We’ve got to get past some of the rhetoric that gets perpetuated that breaks down trust and is so over the top that it just shuts down all of the discussion. It’s important for all of us, when hear that kind of talk, to say “hold on a second.” If there are any folks who are out there right now who are gun owners and you’ve been hearing that the government is taking away your guns. Get the facts. We’re not proposing a gun registration system. We’re proposing background checks for criminals.