US gun supporters admitting need for discussion

Prominent gun rights advocates in the US government are now calling for a national discussion about curbing gun violence - signalling that the Connecticut primary school massacre could be a tipping point in a debate dormant for years.

White House officials said President Barack Obama would make preventing gun violence a second-term policy priority, but it was unclear what he would pursue or how and aides said stricter gun laws would be only part of any effort.