A lesson in life: If people think you don’t like them, nothing else matters. They won’t vote for you — even if that means going against their own self interest. (That is why the rural guy in Mississippi who loves social security and Medicare can’t stand limousine liberals — and it is probably why the Hispanic mom who never misses Mass pulls the lever for Democrats.)

All politics is personal. And while tone might be the most important first step, Bush is also right to advocate for broader policy approaches. There are many worthy ideas that don’t constitute amnesty or abandoning core principles, or ignoring the rule of law. For starters, conservatives should seriously consider backing common sense solutions such as Marco Rubio’s DREAM Act.