Every president-elect vets his incoming staff and usually that vetting begins with a lengthy questionnaire. But one question asked on Barack Obama's questionnaire is raising hackles among gun owners and fans of the Second Amendment. Question No. 59 begins: "Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun?"

The questionnaire goes on to insist that a gun-owning jobseeker "provide complete ownership and registration information," and asks: "Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is...