NRA's Wayne LaPierre as Macbeth -- All sound and fury, signifying. . . what, exactly?

"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing." -- William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, Macbeth's soliloquy

The NRA emitted much sound and fury about the Gunwalker scandal this weekend, signifying . . . what, exactly? That remains to be seen.

CBS: "NRA highlights ATF's "gunwalker" scandal."

The National Rifle Association (NRA) today used its annual conventionin Pittsburgh to highlight ATF's "gunwalker" scandal and call for the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder. NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre told members today: "When ATF authorizes and watches thousands of guns walk across the border and fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, that's not just bizarre law enforcement; it's government-sanctioned gunrunning."

Dave Workman writes: LaPierre demands Holder’s ouster over ‘Gunrunner’

NewsMax reports: NRA Lobbyist: Probe Gun Program Fiasco

From the official NRA transcript of LaPierre's speech:

We meet today amid swirling reports of a growing government scandal. Most of the major media have ignored news that our federal government sanctioned the running of illegal guns into Mexico. Leaks from within ATF and congressional committees are building, and should be investigated by every news organization in America. We deserve to know the truth about this scandal. Please watch:

[roll ATF video]

We love this country. We respect its leaders. Respect requires truth, and the straightforward, simple truth is this:

When it comes to the Obama administration … We … HAVE … HAD IT!

[wait for applause to completely end]

We’ve had it with Eric Holder and Hillary Clinton and the rest of the administration … and, Lord knows, Americans have sure had it with the arrogant, sanctimonious, gun-hating liars who call themselves the national news media!

[applause]

We respect and admire our law enforcement officers, and that includes dedicated field officers who work under difficult conditions.

But there’s a big difference between good field agents and their bureaucratic, politicking bosses at ATF headquarters in Washington.

And when it comes to those scheming bureaucrats in Washington … gun owners have about had it up to here!

[applause]

Our rights have been attacked before. The political elites and the media have often conspired to shame and blame American gun owners for violent crime. Together, we have fought with pride and defeated those threats.

But we’ve never witnessed anything like the rotten level of corruption, conspiracy and cover-up confronting us today. All because they hate Americans and our rights more than they care about the lives of innocent people.

I’ll say that again. Our government has been willing to let people die … just to advance their assault on the Second Amendment.

Our southern border proves it.

When ATF officials ORDER lawful gun dealers to make illegal sales … that’s corrupt.

When ATF authorizes and watches thousands of guns walk across the border to fall into the hands of Mexico’s drug cartels … that’s not just bizarre law enforcement. That’s government-sanctioned gunrunning!

When the administration stonewalls congressional investigations … that’s a conspiracy to cover up the truth.

When almost every reporter in America ignores the story, it doesn’t just prove the media is biased. It proves they’re cowards.

When Janet Napolitano declares that the Mexican border is safe … that’s dishonest.

When Obama and Holder and Clinton blame American gun owners for Mexican drug crime – even as our own government is running guns south – that is politics at its most cynical and despicable.

Operation Fast and Furious may have gotten one, and perhaps two, federal agents killed … and who knows how many other innocent victims have been murdered with the illegal guns our own government allowed into Mexico … all to advance a political agenda.

Over and over again, Americans heard the president, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and members of Congress … claim that Mexico’s violent crime was the result of American firearms flowing south of the border.

They blamed our rights, even as they allowed illegal straw purchasers to walk free … right across the border.

They engaged in a massive gunrunning operation – sponsored by our own American tax dollars.

And these schemers have the gall to say it’s our fault? That the Second Amendment is to blame? Give me a break!

[applause]

Eric Holder said he didn’t know about the operation. He’s the U.S. attorney general. He’s supposed to be in charge, and he didn’t know?

Who’s minding the store over at the Justice Department? Because if Holder didn’t know … Holder’s got to go!

[applause]

I call on President Obama to order ATF and Justice Department officials to testify before Congress and fully disclose every detail of their insidious operation.

Mr. President, it’s time to come clean. Stop the stonewalling and stop the lying!

[applause]

Because the lying is getting people killed … every single day.

The Justice Department called Mexico’s drug cartels the “biggest organized crime threat to the United States.” Over a million gang members are now active in every state in the U.S. and cartels are bringing drugs, murder, torture and mayhem to our neighborhoods.

The administration doesn’t care. While calling for more gun laws, they’ve done nothing to crack down on the border … and everything to make it worse.

Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security, recently told Americans that the border was safe.

Well, Janet … you must have been thinking about our friends in Canada … because if you were talking about the Mexican border … you’re either clueless or dishonest.

Some speech, applause prompts and all.

There was an NRA resolution on the Gunwalker scandal adopted yesterday, didn't catch the whole thing on the monitor in the NRA press room. Right afterward, I asked for a transcript of the resolution, which was adopted with unanimous consent. I'm still waiting. Not the fault of the young ladies who were working the press table, they begged for a written copy over a period of hours and never got it. I arrived home after being off the grid for more than 24 hours expecting it in my inbox. Not.

There is an NRA board meeting tonight. Gunwalker is going to be a topic of discussion. When I know how that went, I will let you know.

The issue continues to be a simple one. If the NRA truly is serious about Gunwalker, they will insist that immediate hearings be scheduled, that anyone who wants an NRA grade at election time will be rated on whether or not he or she signed onto a statement calling for them -- regardless of party affiliation. We keep hearing about "pro-gun Democrats." It is past time put them, and its own reputation, on the line in the Gunwalker scandal.

Until it does, LaPierre is just another cut-rate MacBeth, all sound and fury signifying nothing.