Posted on 06/05/2007 3:14:39 AM PDT by Baladas
Presidential contender John McCain chose South Florida turf replete with immigrant success stories to pick a fight Monday with Republican rivals who oppose legislation allowing illegal workers to earn citizenship.
The speech to more than 200 people at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables was the Arizona senator's most extensive remarks on the bill since Congress took it up last month, setting off a firestorm in the GOP and on the campaign trail.
McCain's speech, laden with references to the American dream and land of opportunity, earned two standing ovations from the crowd full of Hispanic business leaders and elected officials. Polls show most voters support immigration reform, but the GOP's right wing, a strong force in Republican primaries, says the proposal rewards people who broke the law.
''I would hope that any candidate for president would not suggest doing nothing,'' McCain said to applause. ``And I would hope they wouldn't play politics for their own interests if the cost of their ambition was to make this problem even harder to solve. To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country's problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot, but it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership.''
He added: ``Pandering for votes on this issue, while offering no solution to the problem, amounts to doing nothing. And doing nothing is silent amnesty.''
The jabs were aimed at Republican opponent Mitt Romney, who has dismissed the immigration proposal as ''amnesty'' but has not offered a detailed plan of his own.
In a written response, Romney said he would only support a plan ''that rewards immigrants who obey the laws and guards against providing special incentives for those who show no regard for them.'' He tried to strike a less combative tone, saying, ``I respect Sen. McCain, but my opposition to his bill is a matter of principled disagreement about policies and priorities related to enforcement of our immigration laws.''
Al Cárdenas, a prominent Cuban-American supporter of Romney in Miami and the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said Romney had provided a sensible ''road map'' to reform.
In a visit to Dania Beach Saturday, candidate Rudy Giuliani noted his own objections to the bill, which he said does not go far enough to guarantee that all illegal immigrants carry fraud-resistant identification cards registered in a national database.
The issue is likely to be argued in full force tonight during a nationally televised debate in New Hampshire among the Republican candidates. This week could be key to the bill's survival in the Senate.
McCain's dispute on immigration with his leading rivals may help him recapture the anti-establishment image that fueled his last campaign. At the same time, he has received political cover from some of the bill's prominent supporters, including President Bush, former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida.
''You can't be in a position where you are trying to appeal to Hispanics for votes and then degrading or insulting them,'' said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a McCain supporter who attended the speech with the two other Cuban-American representatives from Miami, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart. ``This is good policy and good politics.''
The forum was sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, which supports immigration reform. The chamber favors the bill's emphasis on helping skilled workers come to the United States, though it is concerned about new penalties for hiring illegal immigrants.
McCain gave a rousing defense of the bill he said would allow the federal government to separate law breakers from American dream seekers. The legislation would increase border patrols and pay for the construction of a fence at the Mexican border. It allows illegal workers who pass a criminal background check to apply for temporary visas. To earn citizenship, immigrants would have to pay fines and back taxes, learn English and return to their home countries.
''I defend with no reservation our proposal to offer the people who harvest our crops, tend our gardens, work in our restaurants, care for our children and clean our homes a chance to be legal citizens of this country,'' said McCain, who also called immigrants ``God's children.''
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Well upon this issue alone, McCain and quite a few others have proven to me they’re no Presidential material.
You don’t abolish the law to reduce criminal offences and claim it’s not amnesty. You don’t remove offenders from the reach of justice and claim it’s not amnesty.
I have nothing against anyone wanting the American Dream; but the way to do it is within the legal system. Why is that so hard for these politicians to understand?
Government now admits that there are about 20 million illegal aliens in the U. S. That means that there are probably twice that number, and growing every night.
....Are they all Bozos on that bus....?
Keep it up John. The sooner you fade from the scene the better.
BTW, whatever happened to the recall effort against him? Did 911 overshadow it?
I hope if he runs for reelection again the good citizens of Arizona will get their heads out of their butts and vote him out.
kennedy amnesty bill = no money for gop = socialist America. We must keep up the fight!
I knew before but now I am positive, he has no chance.
Very well said.
Unfortunately his time in the Senate has tolled a much worse life experience than his time in Hanoi ...
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Here is a unique thought for mcinsane... the mexicanos that come here want to steal our land back for mexico. What is mclame going to do about that. I don’t see that covered in his little abortion of an immigration bill.
LLS
Let him come to atlanta and see what a warm reception we will give him.He will leave knowing he does’nt have a snowballs’ chance in hell in 08.
McCain just does not seem to be living in reality. The debate tonight will mostly be watched to see if McCain will finish off his campaign with a big bang.
Hope they check him for suicide belts, he’s about to blow!
The answer to this problem is so glaringly clear these sorts of postures by the bill's supporters have become absurd to the nth degree.
When you have a busted water pipe in your house, do you go after a mop first or do you shut off the water first, then mop up?
:-)
LLS
Gee, I wonder why?
Your claim was to get dirty money out of the political process.... welll every dime and nickel collected from “ILLEGAL” activity is still dirty money. You advocate for, profit from and intend to gain personally under a criminal enterprise activity by taking dollars from employers who break the law hiring illegal invaders to the groups that demand of we the people give away what is NOT yours to give.
You took an oath to uphold the Constitution, instead what you have done time and time again is to attempt to destroy that very Constitution, using whatever means that serve your personal gain.
Wolves in sheep clothing stripping us clean bare, go away John McCain, just go away!!!!
IMO of course!
In your face pandering to illegals who vote. They aren't even attempting to disguise it anymore.
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