GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: The National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hundreds of people there marched this morning, a rally in support of Second Amendment rights. CNN's Brian Cabell is in Charlotte -- Brian.</s>BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Gene. We had some drama, perhaps melodrama, here just a little while ago from one of the great American actors of our time, Charlton Heston, who also happens to be the president of the NRA. He's running for an unprecedented third term as president. Just a little while ago on stage, he held a musket over his head and uttered five words he's uttered before. And he directed those words to gun control advocates, in particular to Vice President Al Gore.</s>CHARLTON HESTON, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: From my cold, dead hands.</s>CABELL: In other words, he was saying you will never take our guns away, at least not while we're alive. He also directed some words toward the Million Moms' March last weekend.</s>HESTON: Hey, did you see that Gore rally in D.C. last weekend? No, no kidding. One of the marchers said, the hands that rock the cradle rule this nation. And I thought, no, madam, the hands that rock the cradle rule our families and governments and corporation. The hands that wrote the Constitution rule this nation.</s>CABELL: NRA supporters did their own marching this morning and this afternoon. They crowded the sidewalks time and again with waves of marchers, 100, 200 strong, with placards, chants, songs, more or less a reaction, we suppose, to the Million Moms' March of last week. And again, these were Second Amendment supporters, NRA supporters. Now there is a candlelight vigil tonight for NRA opponents, but that is the only event we know of. For the most part, Charlotte is ruled by the NRA this week, and 40,000 strong record attendance at this convention. I'm Brian Cabell, CNN, live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlton Heston Addresses Audience at NRA Convention in Charlotte