NRA convention: presumably, a couple of the speakers have been consistent advocates for gun rights

At least I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, by making that assumption.

But let's look at a few of the speakers we know were there.

While many old-school beat reporters stayed in New York or Washington this weekend to write about conventional political and social events, the pseudonymous “Sebastian” live-blogged GOP head Michael Steele’s fiery speech from the press box at the National Rifle Association convention in Phoenix.

If Steele's speech about gun rights was "fiery," I can only assume it was because his pants were on fire.

Q: Should people have access to buy assault weapons?

A: Society should draw lines. What do you need an assault weapon for, if you're going hunting? That's overkill. But I don't think that means you go to a total ban for those who want to use gun for skeet shooting or hunting or things like that But what's the point of passing gun laws if we're not going to enforce them? If you want to talk about gun control, that's where you need to start. We've got 300 gun laws on the books right now. At the end of the day, it's about how we enforce the law.

Changed your mind, Michael? If so, have you owned up to your former (presumably) position? Have you explained what changed your mind, to help deflect the citizen disarmament advocates' inevitable (and rather justified) accusations that your new position is simply one of political expediency?

Also there was Senator John McCain, or as I like to call him, Senator John "I was so eager to pass a bill with my amendment to close the mythical 'gun show loophole,' that I voted for a bill that would extend the ban on so-called 'assault weapons' in an attempt to do so" McCain--it's not the catchiest name for him, but it's very accurate.

The apparent headliner, though, was none other than Mitt Romney (H/T War on Guns).:

Former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney was the final speaker and gave what may be a prelude to his stump speech for 2012. By appearing before the convention for a second straight year there is no doubt that he is currently the favorite son of the NRA going forward.

You know--this Mitt Romney:

Governor Mitt Romney has signed into law a permanent assault weapons ban that he says will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on these guns.

“Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts,” Romney said, at a bill signing ceremony on July 1 with legislators, sportsmen’s groups and gun safety advocates. “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.”

I can kinda understand the argument that "the perfect is the enemy of the good," but if that's true, can't we agree that "the mediocre is the enemy of the truly abysmal," as well?