Obama said Romney had switched his position on guns. As governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed a 2004 extension of a ban on assault weapons, at the time saying "These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people." Also as governor, however, Romney enacted a statewide "Right to Bear Arms Day," which is held on May 7 to "honor law-abiding citizens and their right to 'use firearms in defense of their families, persons, and property for all lawful purposes, including common defense'," according to his campaign website. In 2006, ahead of his bid for the 2008 Republican nomination, he became a lifelong member of the NRA. politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com