Tancredo: President Launching Active Campaign Against House GOP

tancredo.house.gov ^ | 07/28/2006 | Will Adams

[NapkinUser]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the 104-Member House Immigration Reform Caucus, condemned the White House’s plan to actively campaign against the House’s strong stand on border security leading up to the midterm elections.

National Journal’s Congress Daily reported this morning, “President Bush and top deputies will wage an aggressive campaign in coming weeks to sell their comprehensive approach to immigration, trying to overcome the stubborn resistance of House Republicans who want to address only border security.” Administration officials said that they are trying to get invitations to the House’s summer field hearings on immigration to “rebut[] arguments against Bush-backed policies.”

“House leadership has announced nearly two dozen field hearings across the country to push our tough stance on illegal immigration. If President Bush still identifies himself with conservative Republicans, his shadow campaign for amnesty is political suicide,” said Tancredo. “President Bush was our political General during the 2002 and 2004 elections, helping Republicans win historic majorities in Congress. But this year, the General is declaring open war on his own troops.”

“It’s no secret that Republicans are betting the House on border security. How then does the head of our party think that going across the country advocating the Democrats’ position two months before the election will help us?” Tancredo continued, “We’re trying to brand this as a fight between the Reid-Kennedy bill and the Republican bill. Nothing will do more to destroy our progress with voters than to have the Republican President follow us hearing-to-hearing arguing for the Reid-Kennedy approach.”

[aynrandfreak]

Good for Tancredo! The last thing we need is more WH arm-twisting like on the Medicare Drug Plan.

[Tzimisce]

Is the neocon empire cracking?

[cripplecreek]

I'm voting pro border control here tomorrow.

[kesg]

The headline is extremely misleading.

[Shermy]

""We’re trying to brand this as a fight between the Reid-Kennedy bill and the Republican bill. Nothing will do more to destroy our progress with voters than to have the Republican President follow us hearing-to-hearing arguing for the Reid-Kennedy approach.”""

Whoever gave you these House people the "branding" idea is tone-deaf. You have to run against the President and explain your positions, he is running against you. The National branding strategy is stupid and candidates should run on their own opinions on this issue.

Imagine, instead of putting asking the House to put this off until after the election, the President is pushing it now in hopes of getting his bill for his buddies he'll be chumming around with after 2008. That's his loyalties.

The Media has taken the Bush memes HL&S, the narratives show no Democrat dissent. Time to link these House meetings with a straight up plan, and firm and regular statements to Bush to stop it and support our border.

I also suspect Bush staff who expects lobby payoffs after they leave fear a new congress will be less amenable to their awful plans.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

What is with the GOP ? Is the leadership tonedeaf.

[Canard]

"The headline is extremely misleading."

Misleading about what? It's a press release! Are you claiming Tancredo is misquoting himself?

[Shermy]

"Is the neocon empire cracking?"

shouldn't you be posting on an Iraq thread?

[dangus]

Not really. During campaign season, the last thing you need is the president coming into your district and personally insisting that your positions are too extremist for the American public. President Bush is making war against the Right.

[AbeKrieger]

I am behind Tancredo on this one. Give us solid border security and then other issues can come to the table.

It's good politics too, Mr. President.

[AppleButter]

What is with the GOP ? Is the leadership tonedeaf.

More like suicidal.

Clearly, the "Masters of the Universe" in both parties have finally given up even pretending to listen to the American people. They know best, and we ignorant sheep need to get over our antiquated notions of patriotism and national sovereignty.

[Shermy]

"What is with the GOP ? Is the leadership tonedeaf."

I think the party leadership is ducking their heads in the war between Bush's radical policy and the public.

Bush wants this wage depression/sovreignty bill like nothing else I've seen. The ooze of lobbyists like Norquist ganged up with Bolten and Rove to push this - is Bush being duped? No, IMO. When he uses code words like "growth" for wage depression and impoverishment of middle and lower classes, he knows what he's doing. The ethnic attachment to Mexicans is just a cover to keep guilty liberals from asking questions.

[sinkspur]

Misleading about what? It's a press release! Are you claiming Tancredo is misquoting himself?

He's making stuff up, like he always does.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The president should consider what the Donk-dominated House will consider its first issue of business.

[Rapscallion]

President Bush is making war against the Right.

And I will stay home election / primary day. Let that be a warning.

[upchuck]

Next Monday (Aug 14) my Rep Joe Wilson is having a Town Hall meeting on illegal immigration down the road Barnwell, SC.

I plan to attend and hope "administration officials" show up. I have some VERY pointed questions for them.

[DoughtyOne]

If there is any truth in this, then the President is playing a very foolish game here. He could actually cost the House the majority. Now that would certainly accomplish a lot for Conservatism.

[TexasCajun]

What is with the GOP ? Is the leadership tonedeaf.

SECURE OUR BORDERS FIRST!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

It might mean we soak up the last two years of W's administration with a political show trial. Its like he's playing right to them...

[sheana]

Not to worry, they will have their "talking points" ready.

1. We can't deport them
2. They are doing jobs Americans won't do
3. They are good people just looking for a better life
4. The economy would suffer without them
5. To have an effective, fair policy we must "regularize" the ones that have been here and made lives for themselves

6. Oppose any of this and you are a racist.

There.....how's that?

[Dane]

If there is any truth in this,

Well you amswered your own question, since it is a propaganda piece from tancredo's office the answer would be, there is no truth to this, but Napkinuser sees that the immigration issue has been dying off on FR and brings up a tired week old press release to act as cheerleader for his backbench hero.

[DoughtyOne]

It's phenomenally amazing, but I think you're right. Wouldn't that be a mess.

[investigateworld]

Spork Weasel?

[DoughtyOne]

Dane, your posts are their own best rebuttal.

[MEGoody]

President Bush is making war against the Right.

So 'the right,' in your view, agree on every issue? Or is there room 'on the right' to have disagreements?

[kesg]

Misleading about what? It's a press release! Are you claiming Tancredo is misquoting himself?

It implies that President Bush is campaigning against GOP candidates in the House. Instead, it is yet more rantings from Tancredo. Had I know that from the beginning, I would not have wasted my time.

[Cyber Liberty]

Pardon me, but will this guy ever stop bitching?

[NapkinUser]

"....to act as cheerleader for his backbench hero."

This is cheerleading? Is it the same thing when you do/did it for Chris Cannon or president Bush's democrat-like immigration plan?

[DoughtyOne]

We are just months away from an important election and the President still wants to play hardball on this issue. If he does push the idea that the Republicans are out of touch, what's your prognosis for what the outcome will be?

Mine is that it couldn't help but be a negative towards their chances of re-election. 'Course with the public's views on this being so opposed to the President, it could actually bolster their campaigns.

As a team player, you don't push issues like this right before an election, when you're trying to remain positive across the board.

[wolfcreek]

Thanks for the heads up, Tom but, We already figured this one out.

[dangus]

>> So 'the right,' in your view, agree on every issue? Or is there room 'on the right' to have disagreements? <<

Hey, it's the PRESIDENT who is making war against the right for not being lockstep with HIS viewpoints! YOu got this backwards! If the President can't say nice things about his own party candidates, he should shut the hell up, not do the Democrats' dirty work for them!

[scratcher]

So 'the right,' in your view, agree on every issue? Or is there room 'on the right' to have disagreements?

Not according to the borderbots.  If you disagree  that makes you OBL or Bushbot.   If you disagree with them you are not a true conservative, you are a RINO,  and no better than the liberals.

[wolfcreek]

Good one, Sheana! The people who don't know this already, haven't been keeping up or don't want to. God forbid our President might be wrong about something.

[MEGoody]

You didn't answer my question.

[kesg]

Mine is that it couldn't help but be a negative towards their chances of re-election. 'Course with the public's views on this being so opposed to the President, it could actually bolster their campaigns.

What is the evidence that the public is opposed to the President's views? Every poll I've seen suggests that exact opposite.

I am convinced that Tom Tancredo is a top-secret mole for the DNC. If not, he might as well be.

[upchuck]

Are you sure you don't work for the Senate Republicans?

J

[DoughtyOne]

Then you haven't read very many polls.

People want the border sealed. They do not want the illegals to remain in their area. Let me know when you need more help with this.

Local schools across the nation are being ravaged. Local services are being stretched to the max to cover the costs of illegals. What part of this have you missed?

[kesg]

Not according to the borderbots. If you disagree that makes you OBL or Bushbot. If you disagree with them you are not a true conservative, you are a RINO, and no better than the liberals.

I couldn't agree more. I wonder how many of these people are the FR equivalent of seminar callers. You know, the ones who call CSPAN or talk shows, begin with "I have been a Republican since [insert year here], but I now disagree with them on [insert various left wing agenda items here.]." Their act wore thin on me a very long time ago.

Do you ever notice that these people rarely acknowledge that if we do what they say, this peoplw will end up running the House and controlling the national agenda:

[kesg]

"Misleading about what? It's a press release! Are you claiming Tancredo is misquoting himself?"

He's making stuff up, like he always does.

Exactly. Tancredo is the DNC's secret weapon, its counterpart to Cindy Sheehan and John Murtha.

[steve8714]

Roper poll says 64% of Americans say we should have penalties so harsh that illegals will leave. The President wants a "pathway to citizenship". How do you reconcile that with your statement?

[dangus]

Stunned as I am that you can't infer my answer, I will explicitly state it:

No, of course the President and a given GOP candidate in Congress don't have to agree on every issue, but it is REPREHENSIBLE for a sitting GOP President to attack GOP congressional candidates for siding with the opinions of the vast majority of not only the GOP base, but swing voters as well.

There is room to have disagreements; there is not room for fratricide.

[kesg]

People want the border sealed. They do not want the illegals to remain in their area. Let me know when you need more help with this.

People want the border secured. That's very different. And they further want other elements of the President's plan. They are not anti-immigrant, unlike Tom Tancredo. In any event, every time you guys start whining about how you won't vote unless you get 100% of your way on immigration, stop and think. Will the Democrats really be better on this issue? or much worse? Do you really want these people running the House?

[PRND21]

Grifter Alert

[dangus]

>> Every poll I've seen suggests that exact opposite. <<

Are you frickin' insane? The President's poll numbers on immigration are in the toilet, and the precious few people who agree with him are largely die-hard Democrats who would never vote Republican! Literally, every time he opens his mouth on immigration, his approval ratings plunge another 5 points. He has brought anti-illegal immigration as an issue from a complete silence, into being the number one issue in America, with the vast majority screaming at him!

Here we are, with a booming economy, and the President's approval ratings are in the thirties! That is absolutely unheard of! At this point in the Clinton administration, with the right at least as angry with the President as the left is now, Clinton's approval ratings were pushing seventy percent.

[dangus]

Care to back up your assertion, or you just in the mood for libel?

[Plutarch]

Not according to the borderbots. If you disagree that makes you OBL or Bushbot.

Fine, I am a Borderbot, and proud of it.

Well, if you are not a Borderbot, OBL, or Bushbot, then what are you?

[PRND21]

Sue me.

As for your #45, phhfffttt. Dumb rhetoric is just dumb.

[kesg]

Roper poll says 64% of Americans say we should have penalties so harsh that illegals will leave. The President wants a "pathway to citizenship". How do you reconcile that with your statement?

Who the heck is Roper? I have never heard of them. Every reputable poll I've seen shows around 60-65 national support for the Senate version of the bill, which is much closer to the president's position.

Besides, this is terrible politics for the GOP. The winning issues for the GOP are taxes, national security, and counterterrorism, not immigration. Every poll shows this.

[kesg]

Roper poll says 64% of Americans say we should have penalties so harsh that illegals will leave. The President wants a "pathway to citizenship". How do you reconcile that with your statement?

Who the heck is Roper? I have never heard of them. Every reputable poll I've seen shows around 60-65 national support for the Senate version of the bill, which is much closer to the president's position.

Besides, this is terrible politics for the GOP. The winning issues for the GOP are taxes, national security, and counterterrorism, not immigration. Every poll shows this.