Wary Iowans force St. John to tack right on immigration; Update: Tear down this wall, says Richardson
posted at 12:57 pm on March 20, 2007 by Allahpundit
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“Immigration is probably a more powerful issue here than almost anyplace that I’ve been,” Mr. McCain said after a stop in Cedar Falls.
As he left Iowa, Mr. McCain said he was reconsidering his views on how the immigration law might be changed. He said he was open to legislation that would require people who came to the United States illegally to return home before applying for citizenship, a measure proposed by Representative Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana. Mr. McCain has previously favored legislation that would allow most illegal immigrants to become citizens without leaving the country…
“Pence has this touchback proposal,” Mr. McCain said at a news conference. “I said hey, let’s consider that if that’s a way we can get some stuff.”
Nine months after Pence proposed the touchback plan, I still don’t see the point. If it’s a rubber stamp where illegals cross back into Mexico, queue up, and then get their work visa in short order, then there’s no point to it. Just give them the visas here. If it’s not a rubber stamp, if they’re expected to go home, wait for months, and then be readmitted only if they meet certain qualifications, then they’re obviously not going to go home. It sounds “reasonable” and “middle ground,” though, which is why McCain’s warming to it.
This is fun, too:
Mr. McCain’s aides said his identification with Mr. Kennedy accounted for much of his political problem on the issue with conservatives. One of his rivals for the nomination, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, has taken to attacking what he calls the McCain-Kennedy bill…
In a speech to conservatives in Washington two weeks ago, Mr. Romney said: “The current system is a virtual concrete wall against those who have skill and education, but it’s a wide open walk across the border for those that have neither. And McCain-Kennedy isn’t the answer.”
Mr. Romney did not always take that position. He was quoted in The Boston Globe in November 2005 describing Mr. McCain’s immigration initiatives as “reasonable proposals,” though he stopped short of endorsing them, the newspaper said.
To sum up, then: the frontrunner is unapologetically soft on immigration, the guy in second is apologetically soft, and the guy in third (or fourth or fifth) claims not to be soft but might actually be. No wonder, no wonder. And yet, in spite of it all, everybody still loves Rudy, including the social cons. For the time being.
Like I said yesterday, a key part of his appeal is his stubbornness. I think he’s gambling that he can leverage that image and win the nomination as an uncompromising centrist, which would leave him ideally positioned for the general as someone who stared down those spooky wingnuts who frighten the children so. Hence our exit question: Is Rudy going to end up kneeling before Zod, too?
Update: No one in the race on either side is as bad on immigration as Busy Hands.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democratic aspirant for president in 2008, said Monday that the wall being erected on the U.S.-Mexico border needs to go.
“The wall should be torn down,” Richardson told reporters after the Texas House and Senate approved resolutions in his honor.
“It’s bad policy. It was done to get election votes,” Richardson said, referring to congressional action last year authorizing construction of a wall along parts of the border. “And the next president should not build it. I wouldn’t build it.”
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Too funny.
James on March 20, 2007 at 1:02 PM
Hell, yes. Exit follow-up question: Will it be enough to stop Fredmania on immigration?
Kid from Brooklyn on March 20, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Best Superman Movie ever.
Hmmm now did you also post this to point out that we are looking for the one that we can not find that will not kneel?
- The Cat
MirCat on March 20, 2007 at 1:13 PM
I am so totally confused on why this is happening. Why did our president grovel at the knee of the Pres. of Mexico? Why are we now calling illegal immigrants migrants? Why aren’t our political representatives representing the American citizen instead of illegals and other nation’s interests?
I am a thriller junkie. This would make a great story line. Too bad it isn’t so serious.
Is ANYONE in D.C. in touch with the damage this is doing to our communities and our working poor? Why don’t they care?
Babs on March 20, 2007 at 1:19 PM
McCain will get my vote when hell freezes over.
PRCalDude on March 20, 2007 at 1:23 PM
Where is Fred Thompson?
Cedar Falls? CEDAR FRICKIN FALLS?!?!?!
We have been SCREAMING
PinkyBigglesworth on March 20, 2007 at 1:26 PM
Where is Fred Thompson?
“Immigration is probably a more powerful issue here than almost anyplace that I’ve been,” Mr. McCain said after a stop in Cedar Falls.
Cedar Falls? CEDAR FRICKIN FALLS?!?!?!
We have been SCREAMING about illegal immigration in Southern California for TWENTY YEARS!!!!!
NO, this issue is NOT going away, Mr. “Don’t Fence Me In” McCain!
PinkyBigglesworth on March 20, 2007 at 1:27 PM
I do not trust McCain on this issue. I will not ever vote for him because I do not trust him on this issue. Never ever ever ever ever EVER. There is nothing he could ever say that would earn my vote. I refuse to vote for anybody aligned with Ted Kennedy on anything not to mention the single number one most important issue of our time. The two only important illegal immigration questions have already been asked and answered by McCain: 1). Do we have immigration laws on the books now? Answer - Yes 2). Do you think they should be enforced? Answer - No
As I once heard a wise man state very frankly, “There is nothing more I need to know about this person.”
Zetterson on March 20, 2007 at 1:35 PM
roninacreage on March 20, 2007 at 1:36 PM
yep.
PRCalDude on March 20, 2007 at 1:51 PM
When McCain and Obama lose their respective primaries, watch for them to team up and run as an independent ticket.
roninacreage on March 20, 2007 at 1:54 PM
He had no choice but to go right–he couldn’t go any farther left without erasing the borders. But his tacking on this subject is about as convincing as Shrillary’s tacking on the war in Iraq. You just can’t trust the man.
ReubenJCogburn on March 20, 2007 at 1:56 PM
I’d vote for General Zod if he would do something about illegal immigration.
Just a thought.
jaleach on March 20, 2007 at 2:00 PM
The wonderful thing about this is that it probably means no immigration bill until at least after the first round of primaries. By then, 2008 will be close and hopefully enough Republican senators will be too worried about reelection to support an unpopular plan.
Clark1 on March 20, 2007 at 2:05 PM
Roninacreage-
That would be delicious! A McCain/Obama ticket is too much to even dream of I think. Obama’s voting record and Black Factor soaks up the arch-liberals, and as an independent McCain loses both the “GOP Frontrunner” label and the Tribal Republican vote… and we all know how people familiar with McCain’s record would vote in this scenario.
Such a ticket would split the Left and unify the Right… Only in our dreams.
Lehosh on March 20, 2007 at 2:06 PM
“I’d rather loose an election than the war”… John McCain..
There were two Senators who did not vote on the recent antiwar bill…
One is recovering from a stroke…
One was Campaigning…
HYPOCRITE!
Romeo13 on March 20, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Just think of all the commercials that would be run about the “planet Houston” gaffe….
rw on March 20, 2007 at 2:15 PM
For twice that many years. After Eisenhower, Camelot was the beginning of the end.
Speakup on March 20, 2007 at 2:24 PM
Why John McCain has had a revelation!!!??
Yeah right…he knows better than anyone what the American people want…only difference is now he realizes his own treason has cost him any chance to win the election.
Any one who thinks that we need to win in Iraq while throwing our own country over needs to have their head examined. I just wish those people told him what they really think of him and his betrayal…But that would have gotten them thrown out of the event.
Mellen on March 20, 2007 at 2:40 PM
Americanization Theodore Roosevelt
The foreign-born population of this country must be an Americanized population - no other kind can fight the battles of America either in war or peace. It must talk the language of its native-born fellow-citizens, it must possess American citizenship and American ideals. It must stand firm by its oath of allegiance in word and deed and must show that in very fact it has renounced allegiance to every prince, potentate, or foreign government. It must be maintained on an American standard of living so as to prevent labor disturbances in important plants and at critical times. None of these objects can be secured as long as we have immigrant colonies, ghettos, and immigrant sections, and above all they cannot be assured so long as we consider the immigrant only as an industrial asset. The immigrant must not be allowed to drift or to be put at the mercy of the exploiter. Our object is to not to imitate one of the older racial types, but to maintain a new American type and then to secure loyalty to this type. We cannot secure such loyalty unless we make this a country where men shall feel that they have justice and also where they shall feel that they are required to perform the duties imposed upon them. The policy of “Let alone” which we have hitherto pursued is thoroughly vicious from two stand-points. By this policy we have permitted the immigrants, and too often the native-born laborers as well, to suffer injustice. Moreover, by this policy we have failed to impress upon the immigrant and upon the native-born as well that they are expected to do justice as well as to receive justice, that they are expected to be heartily and actively and single-mindedly loyal to the flag no less than to benefit by living under it.
http://www.rpatrick.com/USA/americanism
I’m so sick and tired of liberals running for office under the disguise of the Republican party.
Out of three hundred million legal residents of America you can’t tell me that a Theodore Roosevelt doesn’t yet still live amongst us.
Speakup on March 20, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Ummm.. to Bill Richardson…
Would that be the wall that is NOT being built because Congress never funded it???
or is there some wall out there I don’t know about/?
Romeo13 on March 20, 2007 at 2:49 PM
I’d love it if instead of just “catch & release” we’d send the illegals over to Iraq and Afghanistan to rebuild those countries. Talk about jobs “Don’t-question-their-patriotism Americans” won’t do.
We may as well get something out of illegal immigration.
Iblis on March 20, 2007 at 2:52 PM
NOBODY is paying attention but us political junkies. What until about a month before the election and Rudy is toast.
Also, he can’t be hurt by the fact that the liberal Republicans have flocked to the only liberal Republican on the ticket. Conservatives are divided, many still waiting for Newt and blinded by the tough on terrorist narrative that has been written for Rudy.
Bill C on March 20, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Right now I’d vote Rudy… He’s the only one I can look at and really imagine stabbing a terrorist with his own two hands.
Lehosh on March 20, 2007 at 3:51 PM
Woops…Capt. McQueeg is going to start to loose his marbles!!
gmaninatl on March 20, 2007 at 3:54 PM
“Immigration is probably a more powerful issue here than almost anyplace that I’ve been,” Mr. McCain said after a stop in Cedar Falls.
What a complete Ass Clown! He needs to retire and just quit messing up his State and his Country.
America1st on March 20, 2007 at 5:09 PM
Tell that to Mexico, on their Southern Border, you don’t like it here, go tell them there…
Me thinks this just might come back and bite him in the arse…
PinkyBigglesworth on March 21, 2007 at 12:04 AM
Chances are, you would vote for Zod but you would end up with Chancellor Vallorum. It’s what political scientists call the Terence Stamp Paradox.
Coyote D. on March 21, 2007 at 12:08 AM