I don’t think we need a nameless political hack to tell us this:

“I don’t want that to happen with Obama — to be defeated on an issue that is not important to us and is not a political winner for us.” He would not be quoted by name because he did not want abuse heaped on him by gun control activists.

It is abundantly clear that Obama is courting white male gun owners in states like PA and the south so his principles will have to be…shall we say…flexible?
But isn’t it interesting that a “prominent Democrat” would admit that it’s not an issue that’s important to them? I think it’s clear that the NRA has won this issue.