On the Today show this morning, NRA President David Keene predicted to show host Matt Lauer that Congress would not successfully pass an assault weapons ban in 2013.

“I do not think that there is going to be a ban on so-called assault weapons passed by the Congress,” Keene declared, after Lauer asked him if the NRA was powerful enough to block the legislation.

Lauer questioned Keene about whether the power of the NRA was “eroded” after the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

I don’t know that the NRA is that powerful,” Keene replied. “I do think that those Americans who believe strongly in the Second Amendment and their right to own privately and use firearms for legitimate purposes is a huge number of people who really care about these issues.”