Before attacking Sanders on guns, Clinton waged a battle for Democratic nominee against another more progressive challenger. A New York Times headline from 2008 noted that "Clinton Portrays Herself as a Pro-Gun Churchgoer," specifically because of her fondness of faith and the Second Amendment when speaking to rural communities. Then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) represented a different challenge for the nomination back then, and Clinton tried to label the future president as one who was "elitist" and "out of touch" with rural America. In turn, as noted by the Associated Press, Obama found Clinton's pro-gun stance amusing, likening her to Annie Oakley:
"She is running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsman, how she values the [S]econd [A]mendment. She's talking like she's Annie Oakley," Obama said, invoking the famed female sharpshooter immortalized in the musical "[Annie] Get Your Gun."
Obama continued, saying "Hillary Clinton is out there like she's on the duck blind every Sunday. She's packing a six-shooter. Come on, she knows better. That's some politics being played by Hillary Clinton."
