Video: “Build the Fence” sign suppressed at Republican convention?
posted at 3:10 pm on September 8, 2008 by Allahpundit
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No proof that McCain’s people knew, but given his penchant for pretending his deflation in the polls last summer stemmed from his support for the surge and not from a certain other minor issue he was involved in at the time, it’s no big stretch to assume. I’ve been thinking about this story in The Hill for the past five days and wondering (a) how likely is it that Palin’s views on immigration will differ significantly from McCain’s after a few weeks of debriefing by Team Maverick, and (b) if she does toe the line on amnesty and sanctuary cities, what effect will that have on her standing with the base? In fact, if the Anchorage Daily News is right that her chief political talent isn’t crafting policy but rallying voters behind certain issues, it’s not hard to imagine McCain tapping her to lead the charge on the next comprehensive piece of shinola to come down the chute on the assumption that conservatives will be too deeply in love to say no this time. Exit question: Can this marriage be saved?
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Are we sure that only the Fence sign was suppressed? Or were contrary signs as a whole suppressed?
amerpundit on September 8, 2008 at 3:13 PM
It won’t come up until after the general election.
Personally I’d rather fight McCain and even Palin on this sisue than Barry and Biden.
bj1126 on September 8, 2008 at 3:13 PM
I remember seeing that sign basically being taken down (by the holders themselves) during McCain’s speech.
DethMetalCookieMonst on September 8, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Heeere’s your sign… build the fence.
Mcguyver on September 8, 2008 at 3:14 PM
I saw the sign during one of the nights of the campaign watching c-span. I remember thinking that these people want to make sure that that Mac gets the message.
JimK on September 8, 2008 at 3:15 PM
I actually thought it was tacky, so this doesn’t bother me at all.
nickj116 on September 8, 2008 at 3:15 PM
bj1126 on September 8, 2008 at 3:13 PM
One of the smartest things to appear on this site that I didn’t write! But too many don’t understand that. [Insert my usual spiel about insistence on ideological purity and cutting off the nose to spite the face.]
Tommygun on September 8, 2008 at 3:15 PM
We obvously going to have to fight him on this after the election. Did anyone think otherwise? I hope something stupid like that doesn’t turn people away from McCain, since Obama is even worse on immigration.
BadgerHawk on September 8, 2008 at 3:16 PM
All right! 1000 comments here we come! AP is a traffic-generating machine today.
fiatboomer on September 8, 2008 at 3:16 PM
WHERE’S THE FENCE???
steviedfromnc on September 8, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Control room?
Unglaublich!
Tzetzes on September 8, 2008 at 3:17 PM
We’re
BadgerHawk on September 8, 2008 at 3:17 PM
I would not be surprised. This in common practice on both sides.
Obama’s people, however, are particularly Nazi about it.
Beside, I am sure that the thousands of signs that were all perfectly uniform and customized for each speaker at the DNC were brought from home, right?
Damiano on September 8, 2008 at 3:18 PM
He already committed to building the fence. That’s not the problem. But, in any case, the illegal alien issue is just going to wait until the next administration and it’s going to be a huge fight, no matter who wins. So there’s no reason to bring it up, now. It would be pointless, at best.
progressoverpeace on September 8, 2008 at 3:18 PM
I can completely believe immigration reform to be suppressed at the Convention. I wasn’t there though, so I can’t say with certainty.
It is worth note, however, that at the Colorado Springs rally on that Saturday following, in his praise for Olympic athletes, the one he singled out is the son of illegal immigrants, and McCain made an emphasis of that, saying in fact, “son of illegal immigrants”. It’s clear that he is still pushing for that and is not hiding that.
As far as Palin, who knows. I don’t know, but most of the base still loved Tony Snow despite he going out and regurgitating the talking points from the administration on this issue. Hopefully he won’t put her in that position. We’ll see.
Spirit of 1776 on September 8, 2008 at 3:19 PM
I’d rather bargain with John than beg Barry.
sven10077 on September 8, 2008 at 3:20 PM
look at it this way, if Barry Hussein gets elected, it will be a FREE flow day and night….at least we might get part of a fence with M/P????
SDarchitect on September 8, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Just for kicks: Who can tell me where the exit question comes from?
BigD on September 8, 2008 at 3:22 PM
I thought it was odd that I didn’t see any signs like this or any mention of border security whatsoever.
CP on September 8, 2008 at 3:22 PM
…. so let’s try to get people to talk about it and hopefully drain some votes from Captain Amnesty!
NUANCE!!!
wise_man on September 8, 2008 at 3:24 PM
I don’t think anyone trusts McCain now that didn’t before Sarah. You can’t. Sarah only dilutes the smell long enough to pull the lever for him. McCain is certainly not everybody’s choice. When compared to Obama and Biden, he is the only choice. It is great to know that there is some integrity left in politics with Sarah running even if the other three care only for their own personal agendas.
volsense on September 8, 2008 at 3:25 PM
I have no anticipation whatsoever of a fence with McCain, law or no law. I think the best one can hope for is Rudy-like enforcement strategy.
Spirit of 1776 on September 8, 2008 at 3:25 PM
From McCain’s acceptance speech:
The fence is not compatible with the new GOP vision so the sign had to go.
Valiant on September 8, 2008 at 3:29 PM
You want to know why McCain’s not building a fence…
… Palin needs target practice while she’s away from Alaska for the next 4 years.
Damiano on September 8, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Yep. At least you get other positives on other issues from Mac. From Obama it’s all negatives.
amerpundit on September 8, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I *want* Ellis Island II
I’ll settle for a fence and control
I’ll rebel ay “welcome to the United States of American mexico”
they’re coming to take me away!
sven10077 on September 8, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Exit Answer: It depends. Did McCain and all the other politicians hear the outrage or are they going to dress up amnesty again with all the nice little words and concept like “undocumented workers” and “pathway to citizenship” and attempt to sell us another amnesty bill.
If McCain is smart, none of this is going to come up
before the election but he is mistaken if he thinks that putting somebody whose social conservative credentials are far more plausible than his would make the difference in public sentiment. Americans simply don’t want amnesty no matter who the messenger is and if Sarah Palin takes on the task of selling amnesty she isn’t the conservative she’s being billed as to rally the demoralized GOP base around a candidate that is utterly out of step with the vast majority of Republicans.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 3:33 PM
McCain is for continuing the construction of the fence.
Obama came out against the supreme court decision allowing the fence to be built in enviornmental areas
Obama in a Univision debate said he was now against the fence. Obama wants to tear down the fence built in any enviornmental areas.
McCain will allow the fence construction to continue. Obama will stop it and not allow any fence in any enviornmentally friendly areas.
Obama will stop all raids by ICE on illegals immediately
Obama said ICE agents were terrorizing illegals in these raids.
Think about that Obama saying patriotic public servents who would serve under him as president are terrorizing illegals by going after people who are breaking the law. The illegals are the victims according to Obama while the ICE agents are the bad guys.
Obama will stop all ICE raids on illegals immediately upon taking office.
McCain will allow the ICE raids to continue.
ryandan on September 8, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Ok, I could only get through about half of the video. Although I’m glad these young men are involved in politics, they were either being disingenuous or very naive to think that the convention organizers would want to highlight McCain’s weakness on illegal immigration at the convention. The convention floor (in front of a huge national audience) is not where these things get hammered out.
I think that the illegal immigration issue will come to a head via popular outrage much as has happened with drilling. Whatever Palin’s positions, and despite McCain’s flawed stance, I am confident we have a much better shot at developing a rational plan for dealing with illegal immigration under a McCain-Palin administration than under an Obama-Biden one.
Y-not on September 8, 2008 at 3:34 PM
That does it for me. There is no way I can vote for McCain, even with Palin on the ticket. It’s hopeless. The Republican Party is dead.
Nothing left to do but write post after post explaining that I cannot vote for McCain even with Palin on the ticket, that everything is hopeless, and that the Republican Party is dead.
Oh…and also that those who plan to vote for McCain are ignorant, pseudo-Republican sheeple.
/s
ManlyRash on September 8, 2008 at 3:34 PM
I can’t think he’d taint the best weapon he’s got, but who knows? If he does use her that way, it’ll hurt the overall reform image badly, and he needs to generate some politcal capital.
a capella on September 8, 2008 at 3:34 PM
I’m curious if Palin has an opinion on this already or if she’ll just “go along with” the current status quo.
Alternatively, I have a brother and some friends in a slowing construction industry….
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:34 PM
Richard Bey show..
DaveC on September 8, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Perfect use for GITMO since McCain is hell bent in getting suspected terrorists into the US court system (with all the rights US citizens have). Set the place up as the entry point for all immigration into the country. Anybody suspect, we just open the gate and let Cuba worry about.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 3:36 PM
At least with McCain, while we’re angrily pounding our phones and jamming the Senate lines over shamnesty, Big Oil will be drilling and Nuke Plants will be getting built.
fossten on September 8, 2008 at 3:36 PM
Nope. I’ll let Captain McShamnesty’s words speak for themselves.
Valiant on September 8, 2008 at 3:37 PM
McCain needs the Latino vote since they all with the exception of Cubans, are so open to voting republican.
Both parties are avoiding this issue.
I saw the Colorado rally live on TV and McCain had the audacity to talk about an Olympic wrestler or weightlifter and said he was the “son of illegal immigrants” and it “makes you proud to be an American.” No one applauded and you can see the look on McCain’s face of embarrassment. He was lucky the audience didn’t boo.
jencab on September 8, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Where will big oil be drilling?
Valiant on September 8, 2008 at 3:38 PM
McCain says he’s going to secure the border first, and I believe him. People like McCain don’t have hidden agendas.
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 3:39 PM
if the word ‘Virtual’ was there, would they have allowed the sign to stay up?
Will Palin’s position on the immigration be an October Surprise?
DaveC on September 8, 2008 at 3:39 PM
Immigration plicy is the reason I can’t vote for McCain. The damage that will be caused to the United States by granting amnesty and voting rights to 20 million cheaters will do irreperable damage to our country.
When you demonstrate to 20 million illegals that lying, cheating, and stealing is the best way to achieve your goals in the USA, these people will vote accordingly and their decisions will no doubt reflect those poisonous values.
Say all you want about McCains service record. Amnesty is a serious threat to the United States, and McCain knows it but his judgment is deeply flawed to the peril of the USA..
saiga on September 8, 2008 at 3:39 PM
McCain’s people know that, at this moment, this issue is a loser for our side (for now) because the backlash generated would be greater than any additional support he could get from the base. Politically speaking, he got a much greater return from the base by picking Palin, and he snagged off some Democrats as well.
Ladies and gentlemen, we need to pick our battles and its timing wisely. I think these kids got their message over and McCain’s folks got it too, but these kids have jumped the gun. What bump we got from Sarah would quickly evaporate. So I encourage them to keep growing their message and pushing it so it can no longer be ignored – by anyone.
pt on September 8, 2008 at 3:40 PM
ANWR, if Sarah’cuda has any say.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:41 PM
The fence really isn’t the solution to this problem- though America does need to protect its borders.
The real solution is to make it so painful when an employer is found to be hiring illegals that the market for this labor pool dries up and the illegals begin self-deporting themselves. The solution is to stop providing social services to illegals (other than emergency medical care that one would give any human being for humanitarian reasons). The solution is to do away with the anchor baby provisions in the law.
Personally, I think we should adopt Mexico’s illegal alien laws verbatim.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 3:42 PM
McCain sux.
jaime on September 8, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Care to elaborate for those of us unfamiliar? Thanks :)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Good points, but wouldn’t last summer have ben an optimal time to push for the fence when his popularity was in single digits becausr of Mccain-Kennedy? He has no desire to enforce the border.
He is out there now saying he was unpopular because of his support for the surge. This is either a bald-faced lie or delusion.
Valiant on September 8, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Thank you for that amazing and insightful quip of wisdom.
/iSarc
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Quod erat demonstrandum
ManlyRash on September 8, 2008 at 3:44 PM
McCain does suck.
Drill — and Build a GodDamned FENCE!!!
Wins the election AND agrees with 75% of voters.
marklmail on September 8, 2008 at 3:45 PM
I don’t know if you heard, but there are some people in this country who are against the war. Everything McCain says isn’t about you.
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 3:45 PM
I could put up with all of Obama’s flawed tax policy and all the rest if he was against amnesty. I see amnesty as the greatest long term threat to the United States there is.
If we grant amnesty, 20 million will turn into 100 million, and the United States will become a third world $hit hole just like the rest of latin America, and you can take that to the bank.
The truth is that the open borders crowd, like McCain, think it is inevitable anyway, and all of our competitors will have to drag the same anchor once the populations mix world wide. I think the secret to American success is the nature of our current citizenry, and it should be preserved at all costs.
saiga on September 8, 2008 at 3:46 PM
You, sir, are one of a very small few.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:47 PM
The RNC have every right to do this kind of thing. It’s their show, and they don’t want it dragged down into a protest-debacle.
Save that for outside.
LimeyGeek on September 8, 2008 at 3:48 PM
ROTFLMAO! You have got to be kidding. By “people like McCain” you mean career politicians who haven’t worked a real job in decades. These people always have hidden agendas. The most blatant example for McCain was the way he lied about his introduction of an amnesty bill last year- referring to it as immigration reform and hiding the amnesty behind meaningless penalties and requirements for the illegals to make things right with the law.
Then, to top it all off, he called anybody who didn’t agree with his amnesty plot racist and inhumane. I guess we just didn’t get his transparent agenda. Or perhaps maybe we did despite McCain’s lies about what the bill represented.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Very strict enforcement, very tough penalties.
amerpundit on September 8, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Hey, it’s like March 2008 all over again! AW, NOT MCCAIN! ANGST ANGST ANGST.
fiatboomer on September 8, 2008 at 3:48 PM
I am one of the few that truly understands the degree of danger for our country that amesty represents too.
saiga on September 8, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Bam! Everybody’s feeling toasty warm about McCain/Palin and then the McCain reality bitch slaps you in the face. And Sarah Palin, whatever her views on illegal immigration, will have to adopt the shamnesty view. Sigh.
thegreatbeast on September 8, 2008 at 3:49 PM
The problem would be solved in 15 days if we simply said we expect reciprocity of immigration laws.
Mexico would cave in about a week, if we said quite simply either relax your own laws or we enforce our southern borders and laws with the zeal you do yours.
Mexico would stop border crossings because they are terrified of us taking THEIR land.
sven10077 on September 8, 2008 at 3:49 PM
So you think he’s lying when he says he now wants to secure the border first?
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Google it.
“shudders*
BigD on September 8, 2008 at 3:52 PM
I guess Juan Hernandez is working in the Kontrol Room now with the Raza people. Juan McCain, may your tombstone be carved en Espanol while Madame Palin is drilling for oil beside it.
Western_Civ on September 8, 2008 at 3:52 PM
We’ll have to fight Mac Daddy and Daddy Yankee.
Mr_Magoo on September 8, 2008 at 3:53 PM
You are most welcome.
jaime on September 8, 2008 at 3:54 PM
More so than a man who launched his career from a terrorist’s house? Methinks your viewpoint might be just a little skewed.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 3:55 PM
There can be no bigger difference in this election than on illegal immigration.
McCain supreme court justices will stop affirmative action for illegals. Obama supreme court justices will continue affirmative action for illegals. 6 justices are over 70 years old.
McCain will allow the border fence construction to continue.
Obama will have no border fence construction and wants to tear down the fence in enviornmental areas.
McCain will allow ICE raids against illegals.
Obama will stop all ICE raids as he says the ICE agents are rterrorizing the illegals.
There is no bigger difference in this election than on illegal immigration.
ryandan on September 8, 2008 at 3:55 PM
No, I think he wants to, but he wants to grant amnesty whether the border is secured or not.
saiga on September 8, 2008 at 3:55 PM
word…
like I said I’d rather bargain with John than beg Barry….
our side has influence with MAVERICK!* Barry…not so much
sven10077 on September 8, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Cindy’s Beer empire is in Arizona. She wants every illegal possible to cross the border and buy her hooch.
marklmail on September 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM
That’s not what he said. He said “secure the border first.” You and I agree that he wasn’t lying. What’s left to discuss?
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Speaking as an Arizonan… the illegials here don’t buy the Lady McCain’s stuff. At least, not most of them.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on September 8, 2008 at 4:03 PM
Link?
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Add it to the list:
1) We should have been drilling for oil all along.
2) We should have been building the fence all along.
3)
Mr_Magoo on September 8, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Conundrum.
This is one item for the media to hammer hard for all 4 debates, and every appearance all 4 candidates make.
Entelechy on September 8, 2008 at 4:07 PM
What he wants to do “second” in order to give away unearned and undeserved citizenship to millions of illegal aliens. It’s been prettied up since 1986 with terms like “immigration reform” but make no mistake that McCain and the Democrats hatched a plot last year to give amnesty away without any sort of public referendum. That’s not the kind of legislative process that makes one trust McCain as president.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 4:07 PM
I recall he said after last summer that he “heard the voice of the people.” Hopefully he’s still listening on this issue.
Mr_Magoo on September 8, 2008 at 4:08 PM
That’s pretty much where I stand as well.
Connie on September 8, 2008 at 4:09 PM
It’s impossible to look at Sarah Palin and think otherwise.
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 4:09 PM
I don’t see what the problem is in adopting the Mexican standards. Heck, even adopt them into law in the original Spanish just to make it clear to those who would enter this country illegally what the law is!
Another option would be to put up more stringent barriers to wire transfers between the US and Mexico. Mexicans don’t want Gringos taking their land and establishing a toehold but their government and economy can’t exist without all those Gringo dollares that flow from the US to points south by money order from legals and illegals.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 4:14 PM
I hopefully take this to mean that he at least recognizes that he works for us. His selection of Palin reinforces my belief – she referred to the AK governor mansion as “the peoples’ house”.
LimeyGeek on September 8, 2008 at 4:14 PM
Sorry folks, but if McCain was for the fence, they never would have been told to take down the sign.
IMO this is the ONE issue that could derail McCain with the base, which is why he will not talk about it…
Want to cement the base? Promise NO Comprehensive immigration reform in the first term. Say it will take that long to ensure the border is secure, and THEN we can talk about it.
Otherwise, seeing as how Palin was the Govenor of a Sanctuary state, and we don’t know where she stands on this… there may be problems with voters like me who see this as a National Security as well as Economic issue.
Romeo13 on September 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
OMG.
I went with those kids to the RNC! We are part of the JSA. We were all 16-18 years old. I’m in the background in that picture watching the TV talking to the kid with the curly black hair.
gopftw on September 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Another think: Just what business is it of the Secret Service running errands for any campaign? Secret Service agents should not be asked to do such things and Secret Service agents should refuse to do such things.
thegreatbeast on September 8, 2008 at 4:16 PM
Romeo McCain is for the fence. He has said in many debates he is for the fence. McCain said in texas during the primaries how we need a fence with all the flux of illegals. McCain wants more vehicle barriers, more fence.
This is a complete contrast to Obama who came out against the supreme court decision which allowed the fence to be built in an enviornmentally protected area.
McCain justices on the supreme court will rule like roberts to allow the fence construction to continue.
Obama justices on the supreme court will not allow the fence construction to continue in enviornmentally protected areas.
Who cares what some tech stagecraft people wanted. They wanted simple signs like hockey moms.
ryandan on September 8, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Palin was put on the ticket because Joe Lieberman would fracture the GOP more. That isn’t listening to the people it is looking at the poll numbers. But in the end, it’s all meaningless political strategy. The true test if McCain hears what real people have to say (you know, those of us who haven’t been in Congress for decades) is going to be his legislative agenda after taking office. Once elected he can putter around with amnesty, cap&trade, and all the stuff a “Republican” candidate doesn’t dare mention when there is a chance for the base to vote with their feet and stay away come Nov. 4th.
highhopes on September 8, 2008 at 4:23 PM
The greenbeast McCain had nothing to do with this.
These are tech stagecraft people.
McCain has said many many times he is for the fence and for vehicle barriers.
Obama said in a univision debate he is against it.
This is a distraction. McCain can’t control RNC stagecraft people. They aren’t even part of his campaign.
ryandan on September 8, 2008 at 4:25 PM
I hate to spoil the party, but I don’t think this is about the message of the sign at all.
Having lived and worked in DC for nearly three decades, I’ve seen law enforcement agencies here, especially the Secret Service, turn into nervous little Nellies over all manner of things. The thing is, sometimes we find out that they have a right to be, and that’s probably what justifies decisions that are never explained publicly. Maybe the sign was too big. Maybe it blocked some guy’s line of fire. We’ll never know. The Secret Service doesn’t discuss the procedures it uses to protect the President, or anybody else for that matter. Some guy was doing what he was told, and they don’t have to explain to the press who gave the order, or why.
I’d love to hear from others who have worked in DC for a while, but I’m thinking I’m not too far off base here.
manwithblackhat on September 8, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Amnesty is what’s left to discuss. He wasn’t lying about the fence, and I’m afraid he wasn’t lying about granting amnesty.
The fence wont stop illegal immigration as good as turning off the magnet by prosecuting people that hire them and shutting down all the freebies. I would rather not have a fence and not have amnesty than having a fence and having amnesty.
Amnesty is the true threat to the futore of the United States.
saiga on September 8, 2008 at 4:33 PM
“Build the Fence” doesn’t make sense, because “the Fence”, the partial one authorized by congress, is being built, slowly. Hurricane Dolly slowed it down some.
So it seems like kind of a mindless slogan to me, and one that could unnecessarily alienate people whose votes we need.
There are better times and better ways to send the border security message, imho.
juliesa on September 8, 2008 at 4:33 PM
That sign would probably cost McCain more votes than it would get him.
With McCain, we get the fence built and the borders enforced. After that, we’re in for a big fight on amnesty.
With Obama, there is not going to be any enforcement. Just amnesty.
Vote McCain.
indythinker on September 8, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Well put, bj! I bet many of us feel that way on any number of issues.
NightmareOnKStreet on September 8, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Illegal immigration is an extremely important issue, no doubt about it. But I think it is also a very complicated one. The genie has been out of the bottle for a long time now with some serious implications for the our economy and national security that need to be taken into consideration when developing/implementing a solution.
It’s sort of like smoking – we know it’s bad and that it’s really not just a personal choice issue because it has negative impacts on others (drain on health care system, for example) – but banning smoking kills an industry on which many folks rely for their livelihoods. So we do nothing.
I am a firm believer in border control, but after listening to folks here in California who run agriculturally-based businesses, and from years of working in scientific fields that rely heavily on foreign-born workers, I know that it is going to take some thought to “fix” our current immigration system.
At the end of the day, we are a country of immigrants and are stronger for it, so the Republicans really need to avoid even an appearance that they are aligned with the wackos out there who are truly xenophobic, and they need to at least acknowledge the impact of the illegal immigrant workers on businesses like agriculture (for instance, by investing in R&D for technology that can replace unskilled workers such as robotic fruit pickers).
I am against illegal immigration because it runs contrary to my sense of fair play to those legally waiting in line to get in here and to those illegals here who are exploited by unscrupulous employers. Most of all, it is a national security risk to have little control over who is in our country and to build an economy that relies heavily on undocumented workers. I am not sure why McCain has formulated his positions, but given how great an importance he places on national security issues, I believe that he will come to realize that the risks to the country are too great to ignore or band-aid our border control problem.
There is nothing that Obama has shown me that suggests he will ever develop a sane immigration policy or put our country’s needs and security first.
Y-not on September 8, 2008 at 4:38 PM
The Republican party will never do anything to stop illegal immigration. For proof, I offer the last 50 years of inaction on the issue. Ok, that’s not fair, Reagan did something about illegal immigration. He passed an amnesty.
The only Republican candidate who could honestly claim to be anti-illegal immigration was Tancredo, and he ended up going home before the primary even got started. Romney, Huckabee, Fred:(, Giuliani. None of them managed to hurt McCain with the immigration issue in the Republican primary, or even particularly tried. And so here we are: The last umpteen congresses, Republican or Democrat, refuse to do anything to stop illegal immigration. McCain, sensibly, recognizes that if we’re going to keep inviting them over with a wink and a nod, we may as well make it official. Yet McCain remains the official whipping boy on the immigration issue, and the rest of the Republican party – who helped create the problem in the first place – get a pass.
RightOFLeft on September 8, 2008 at 4:40 PM
I think on this particular issue, McCain isn’t going to give in. He’s hung up on the “all God’s children” bit for some reason. At one time I thought he was pandering to the cheap labor employer’s needs, but it will be awfully hard for him to run the reform table if he is doing that. Sincere, but misguided, and stubborn as hell. Likewise, Palin is going to have to decide on the rule of law issue if she wants to maintain enthusiasm for a shot at the WH, with Jindal lurking. This isn’t a deal breaker now, but it could be in 2012. I’ll take what they give me this November.
a capella on September 8, 2008 at 4:42 PM
I wonder if McCain read his own Republican Party’s Platform:
John and Sarah, if you want a chance in hell of winning, you will forget amnesty and secure the borders………..
Seven Percent Solution on September 8, 2008 at 4:45 PM
McCain got burned once on this issue. While he can be hard headed, I think he was able to read the tea leaves on this one.
GarandFan on September 8, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Unless McCain can secure the border by the end of his first term (unlikely for any president), step two, which apparently comes from a bill he doesn’t even support any more and some questionable mind-reading skills, is not even going to be an issue.
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 4:49 PM
He already did. His opponents just don’t realize it yet.
Ronnie on September 8, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Good point – I think McCain’s current stance on immigration is somehow rooted in what he perceives as showing compassion to people who desperately want to come to a country that he loves so much. He may be projecting his own love of country onto people who don’t deserve it. I would never turn away someone who snuck in here for political freedom, but that’s not the majority of illegal immigrants, imho.
I’m more optimistic than you are about him changing his mind.
I think we can get McCain to rethink his opinion if (1) he understands that he needs to show compassion to the families of people slaughtered by illegal immigrants harbored by sanctuary cities like SF (I live in SoCal where some of these wonderful fellows have wound up) and (2) he appreciates that this is a national security issue, both militarily and economically.
I was not enthusiastic about John McCain until he picked Palin. Being reminded that McCain is weak on immigration doesn’t change the enthusiasm that his VP choice gave me. Nor does it (McCain’s position) improve in even the tiniest way my low opinion of Obama.
Y-not on September 8, 2008 at 4:55 PM
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