Reid is correct that there is no point voting on it unless the votes are there to pass it. It makes members take an unpopular vote that might cost them support. In this case, there are more Democrats running in pro-gun States next go round than there are Republicans running in anti-gun States. Like it or not, that's the reality of why it's not going to get a vote. If the Republicans were in charge and the facts were reversed, McConnell wouldn't bring it up for a vote, either.
Originally Posted by TexTushHog
That's exactly right.
And it's easy to see why Obama might want to publicly call for a vote. Presidents always seek to create the appearance that they're actively engaged in attempts to advance the legislative process, even if their preferred solutions don't have even a sliver of a chance of seeing the light of day.