Cam Edwards Talks Celebrities, Gun Rights and Government Gaffes

These days, it seems like every media outlet has something to say about guns in America — and more often than not, it's not good. Talking heads across the airwaves seem to be on a gun control blitzkrieg, alleging if only Americans disarmed, tragedy would take a permanent leave. Those of us who think logically know this isn't true, but there aren't many big names standing up for what we believe.

That's where Cam Edwards comes in. As host of NRA News Cam & Co. on The Sportsman Channel, Edwards covers all the issues facing outdoorsmen today and provides a voice of reason amid turbulence. The Sportsman Channel's first daily, live talk show, NRA News Cam & Co. will welcome a host of celebrities for Straight Shooters Week to honestly and bluntly go over today's hot topics as they pertain to shooters and hunters. Luckily for us, Cam was able to take time out of his busy schedule to go over his television success and political faux pas.

Guns & Ammo: How does it feel to host The Sportsman Channel's first daily talk show?

Cam Edwards: It's an incredible honor and privilege to host The Sportsman Channel's first daily talk show. In a very short time, we've been able to bring the audience into the "gunversation," and they are very much a part of the "Company" in the show's title. In fact, I think that bond and connection with the audience is one of the key things that sets us apart from a lot of other talk shows.

G&A: Who has been your most interesting guest so far?

CE: If I play favorites like that I'll never get anybody to come on the show! Plus, one of the really great things about my job is that every day is different. I'm a naturally curious guy, and every guest on the show has a compelling story to tell or information to share.

G&A: How has the response from your show changed since you went from radio to television?

CE: So far the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, except for one lovely woman who told me I need to take my caps off, and some guy who called me an ******* for not supporting a moratorium on wolf hunting in Minnesota. I've actually had a lot of folks say they wish the show was longer, which I really appreciate, but since I'm already doing four hours of broadcasting a day, I don't see that happening any time soon.

G&A: Tell us a little bit about Straight Shooters Week.

CE: We've got a stellar line up of guests, from Ted Nugent and Aaron Lewis of Staind, to Kim Rhode and Wayne LaPierre, all of them coming on to talk about their support for and their defense of the Second Amendment. I'm looking forward to asking Kim Rhode about Joe Biden's love of shotguns, and I've been wanting to talk to Aaron Lewis for a while now, so I'm very excited about that. And of course, Ted was at the State of the Union, so we have to get his thoughts on that media circus. Wayne LaPierre and David Keene are going to be giving viewers a real and blunt assessment of where things stand, and we'll still be giving the audience things like the Armed Citizen File every night.

G&A: Speaking of Biden's love of shotguns, what does his "double-barreled shotgun" gaffe say about the anti-gun movement?

CE: Apparently Joe Biden's advice could get his wife, Jill, thrown in jail if she were to follow it. The fact that the president's point man on "gun safety" is recommending women discharge — and empty — their shotguns into the air while an intruder is trying to get in is mind boggling to me. This guy shouldn't be let near a copy machine, much less the Constitution. But the fact is that most news outlets didn't report on the vice president's absurd suggestion — and that's another reason why I think it's a great time to be on The Sportsman Channel.

G&A: The concealed carry ban in Illinois was recently deemed unconstitutional by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. How close do you think Illinois is to passing concealed carry? What should gun owners in more anti-gun states — like Illinois and California — do to stand up for their rights?

CE: I think the state will pass something, though Chicago has asked the court to delay the 180-day time limit it imposed. As for what people in states like Illinois should do, the most important thing is to get involved. Join the NRA and the state association, and make sure you're engaging other gun owners to help get them politically involved as well. The days when we could let others shoulder our load are behind us.

G&A: Fellow talk show host Piers Morgan has been on an anti-semi auto crusade lately. What are your thoughts on this?

CE: I think Piers is the perfect embodiment of the authoritarian mindset that we're seeing more of lately. It's not that Piers thinks banning these guns will actually accomplish anything, from what I understand. He seems to be stuck on the question of, "Why would anyone own one of these things?" Since he can't justify it, it's therefore fine to get rid of on principle, even if we're not actually safer. Why his opinion matters more than, say mine, for instance, is something I have yet to hear him explain. It's an incredibly elitist attitude. We're the bumpkins, so of course we need our betters to tell us what we can and cannot do.

G&A: What's the last gun you bought? What's next?

CE: The last gun I bought was actually a Daisy BB gun. Several, as a matter of fact. Ammo is expensive and hard to find these days — if any manufacturer would like to help alleviate that, please let me know — and since my kids love to shoot, I figured we could put away the .22s for awhile and plink at cans. To compensate, my next gun will be a Smith & Wesson Model 500. Actually, I've been hoping SIG Sauer will produce their 300 Edition of the Spartan. I'm a history geek and I've always loved ancient history, including the story of Thermopolyae. Of course, given the pace of sales right now, I could be waiting for a while. I'll be heading to the local gun show here in the next couple of weeks to see what's out there. I might even take the vice president's advice to "buy a shotgun€¦ buy a shotgun," though I think I'll stick with a semi-automatic instead of the double-barrel that he recommended.

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