Team McCain: Immigration statement poorly worded
posted at 12:45 pm on May 23, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Jim Geraghty reached out to the John McCain campaign to ask them …. well, to ask them what the hell John McCain was thinking yesterday. Instead of dancing around it, Geraghty’s source acknowledged the damage done by the statement, but insisted it was just an example of poor wording. Their commitment to border security first has not changed, they said:
I doubt this will mitigate the anger of bloggers like John Hawkins much, but Team McCain tells me there’s been no change in his stance on immigration — secure the border first, deal with other aspects of illegal immigration once the border is secure. Recently, McCain made comments that seemed to suggest he was eager to get to the second part, which conservatives and border security types are understandably wary about. ….
Team McCain tells me the senator’s comments were poorly worded. There’s been no discussion within the campaign of altering their stance on illegal immigration, and as far as everyone on the campaign is concerned, the policy is still, ’secure the border first.’
If so, then Senator McCain needs to make a rather high-profile attempt to clear up the confusion. I didn’t think he had departed from his previous positions, but clearly that was the impression that was left with people, and not necessarily unreasonably so.
It’s admirable that they acknowledged the mistake, but McCain needs to perform better now that he’s won the nomination, especially on this hot-button issue. He has to know that a large number of conservatives mistrust him on this specific issue, and that anything said on the trail about immigration will get very close scrutiny. He can’t afford missteps like this.
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Where is Miz Amusement? And why do you need her to speak for you?
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Juan is Juan….anybody who thought he changed his views on amnesty in the course of the presidential campaign is one dumb mafa.
As the clear runner up in the Republican nomination process, Romney should just keep hanging around and campaigning just in case McCain gets shot in June.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!
Hillary’s comment yesterday was such a window to a dark soul…
Hillary and Huckster…two demons from the deepest pits of hell.
Roger Waters on May 24, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Since you stated that the majority of the world population prefers Communism, I assume you have a study with valid sampling of that population as proof. Perhaps not. So, I thought it might be nice to have someone who has lived under both systems offer her opinion as to the accuracy of your statement regarding population preferences of economic systems and the vitality of capitalism without border restrictions.
a capella on May 24, 2008 at 5:49 PM
McCain has already told us that he is not going to secure the borders. Check the debate vids and his answers on the Sunday talk programs. He repeatedly has stated that he is going to have the GOVERNORS OF BORDER STATES CERTIFY THAT THE BORDERS ARE SECURE. He thus will abdicate his federal responsibility to protect the borders and will have a fall-guy in the persons of those governors when it is pointed out that the borders are not secure. Then, he’ll be off to Part 2 of the plan to let all stay who are here now and all who break into the country in the future. Watch it happen unless we don’t allow it. And don’t let him get away with this nonsense of a “path to citizenship.” I deal with illegals and their cases 40 hours a week. They don’t want citizenship. They want money and anonymity. They’re getting both and laughing at us.
AmericanDad on May 24, 2008 at 6:43 PM
McCain will do everything needed to keep his bosses knee deep in cheap illegal labor as will Hillary and Obama except sometimes I think that the Democrats are more interested in keeping the border open so the supply of cheap illegal drugs can flow freely.
Buzzy on May 24, 2008 at 7:03 PM
This from the guy who’s original campaign slogan for McCain remains etched in my memory: ‘McCain’s the nominee so shut the f**k up.’ Hey Patrick, that one is getting kind of old. I have a new one for you that reflects your dispostion even better: ‘Behead those who won’t support McCain.’ Paint that on a sign, and plant yourself outside the polling place..and people will vote for your cr*p candidate in droves. No need to thank me. You need all the help you can get.
Now, as my case against voting for McCain has been eloquently stated already by others, I will now do something that only I can do. I will link a McCain campaign position to the movie Stroker Ace.
A slogan…John McCain: The only thing I like more than pandering to The Race, is stuffing Torkle Chicken in my face.
Bad movie trivia..how I love thee.
austinnelly on May 24, 2008 at 7:36 PM
A full 80% of the illegal drugs that come into the United States come across the Mexican border. Yes, really.
AmericanDad on May 24, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Hopscotch is one of Walter’s best ever!
Walter was in another of those bank robber fly away stories with a younger partner; that one’s really good, too.
We just tried watching his movie with Jack Lemmon set around 1930’s newspaper men. Couldn’t get into liking the story that seemed a winner, FRONT PAGE.
We just finished watching Gregory Peck’s BIG COUNTRY with Chuck Conners, Burl Ives, and Charlton Heston (who did not overplay his supporting role and gave a really great performance).
maverick muse on May 24, 2008 at 8:49 PM
Speaking of bad impersonations, Richard Dreyfuss CAN NOT convince me he’s Cheney! Dreyfuss does comedy so well, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, “DIAL 911, DIAL 911, DIAL 911!” It’s a pity when SNL type personalities try in vain to be so serioso with such AFFEKT. “Get it?!”
maverick muse on May 24, 2008 at 8:56 PM
For years I’ve been hoping they’d release Buddy Buddy on DVD but so far no luck. I haven’t seen it since I was a kid but remember it being downright hilarious. Jack Lemmon plays a character trying to commit suicide but gets mixed up with Malter Matthau, who plays an assassin.
FloatingRock on May 24, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Pardon me, but has anybody thought through this strategy?
Fred Thompson points out that when you start enforcing work restrictions against illegals, they leave on their own accord. That’s fine… but, what if the fence has already been built? How will they leave then?
They can’t go back to Mexico through the border checkpoints, because Mexico will turn them away.
We have to start enforcement against employers who hire illegals BEFORE we finish the fence, otherwise they won’t be able to get home.
If we build the fence first, we really do have to deport 12 million people.
(Unrelated to this topic, please visit my political blog, “Plumb Bob Blog: Squaring the Culture,” at http://www.plumbbobblog.com. Thanks.)
philwynk on May 24, 2008 at 9:31 PM
You can’t be serious.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 9:38 PM
a capella
Oh, so that’s what I need.
I take that she does not need a “study with valid sampling of that population as proof”. Her opinion is good enough for you.
I suppose she’s from Eastern Europe. How’s capitalism doing in the former Soviet bloc these days? Apart from the Czech Republic, not so good.
South America and Central America have democracy for the most part, and they are not big on American style capitalism. In fact Hugo Chavez was voted into power. The sort of people who vote for him, or for Obama, are far more numerous in the world than are the people who vote for the Reagans and Thatchers.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 9:47 PM
People are not stopped going into Mexico.
Johan Klaus on May 24, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Freedom is what makes it work.
Johan Klaus on May 24, 2008 at 11:50 PM
How are you tonight? You have also lived under communism, I perceive.
Holmes on May 25, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Fixed.
ColtsFan on May 25, 2008 at 3:00 AM
Shay on May 25, 2008 at 7:57 AM
No, it’s not. It’s what people do with their freedom that makes it work or not work. The people in Russia and Venezuela freely chose to elect their type of government. If Obama is elected, Americans will have freely elected him. Freedom is not some miracle drug that automatically makes everything work out right. It includes the freedom to do stupid and self-destructive things.
flenser on May 25, 2008 at 11:03 AM
It is freedom plus our Constitution. People in Russia and Veneuela never really never had freedom.
Johan Klaus on May 25, 2008 at 11:15 AM
No, it is not. The Soviet Constitution “guaranteed” a great deal of freedom. The constitutions of most of the South American countries were modeled on our own. It did not help them.
A constitution is merely a piece of paper, unless the ideas in it also live in the hearts and minds of the countries people. Which is why what is in peoples hearts and minds is so critical, and why immigration is so dangerous. The people who voted for ALMO in Mexico won’t become followers of the Chicago school of economics simply by walking across the border.
The same is true for all the other people in the world. I know people who came here from behind the Iron Curtain. With one exception, they are all liberal Democrats.
flenser on May 25, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Neither did the Hispanic “immigrants” flooding into America, but a lot of people are assuming that they already have freedom hard-wired into their brains.
flenser on May 25, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Regarding freedom:
I said this on page 4 of this thread two days ago. It was an add on to something FloatingRock said on May 23, 2008 at 4:11 PM:
This republic we have in these United States of America providentially came into being through the efforts of Englishmen living in the New World. Without the unique British heritage of hundreds of years of hammering out the curtailment of the power of kings, the rights of men, and the rule of law through words and revolutions (the Charter of Liberties, the Magna Carta, Oliver Cromwell, Lex Rex, John Locke, the Glorious Revolution, William Blackstone, etc.) we would have had no free Englishmen ready for the American Revolution. Our republic came from the hearts and minds of men who had thought long and debated hard about law, liberty and government.
Thomas Paine said:
It’s not enough just to like the idea of freedom or to want to be “free”. You have to inculcate the principle of liberty for freedom to truly exist and to continue in a society.
INC on May 25, 2008 at 5:03 PM
I wonder what McCain thinks of the US DOJ enforcing “protections” for someone who refuses to speak English.
Civil Rights or Reverse Assimilation?
PattyJ on May 25, 2008 at 5:23 PM
PattyJ on May 25, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Good article PattyJ. I wonder how many of the 3200 people in the town are illegal? Also the wife beater jerk? They probably didn’t ask about his legal status. If there are 2000 hispanics that can’t speak English then how about they each pay $4 a month to a fund to provide four translators that get paid $2000 per month each to provide round the clock translation services. All they would have to do is forgo one pack of cigs or a six pack per month. I feel bad for people who can’t speak the language but it is their problem and should be solved with their resources not tax paying English speaking American’s hard earned money.
mrsmwp on May 25, 2008 at 7:59 PM
I wonder if he gets campaign contributions from their employers? The ones who apparently ‘can’t afford’ to pay citizens a living wage.
Shay on May 25, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Taxpayer subsidized, low cost labor.
Johan Klaus on May 25, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Illegal Immigration is a Crime
Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, “Improper Entry by Alien,” any citizen of any country other than the United States who:
• Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
• Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
• Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;
has committed a federal crime.
Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.
DfDeportation on May 26, 2008 at 12:34 PM
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