Posted on 01/15/2008 4:16:58 PM PST by NormsRevenge
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee called Tuesday for suspending immigration from countries that sponsor or harbor terrorists.
Hitting the campaign trail in South Carolina's Jan. 19 primary, Huckabee sharpened his rhetoric on immigration and embraced a tougher measure than any of his rivals have so far.
"There's a couple of things we're going to do differently," Huckabee told about 300 supporters in Rock Hill, shortly after arriving in the state from Michigan. "I say we ought to put a hiatus on people who come in here ... if they come from countries that sponsor and harbor terrorists."
"Let's say, until you get your act in order, and we get our act in order, we're not going to just let you keep coming and threaten the future and safety of America," he said.
"Every one of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 came here legally. Our government welcomed them in," Huckabee said.
Huckabee didn't mention the proposal at his second stop, a rally of about 250 in Sumter. Afterward, his new senior adviser, Jim Pinkerton, backed away from the proposal, saying that Huckabee really meant that wants a "thorough review" of immigration policies.
"It was crazy that of the 9/11 hijackers, they had 63 pieces of fake identification between them, and we're not going to let that happen," Pinkerton said. "Whatever it takes to cease and desist that, he'll do it.
"What should be the news is he's going to build a fence," Pinkerton said. Huckabee has been calling for a fence to seal off the U.S.-Mexico border for several months.
The national commission that studied the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks concluded that at least two of the 19 terrorists and possibly 11 others presented fraudulently altered passports when they entered the United States.
Huckabee wants to sound strong on illegal immigration in South Carolina, a state where the issue inflames GOP voters and where he is competing in Saturday's primary against Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has backed a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.
Last month, Huckabee proposed to seal the Mexican border, hire more agents to patrol it and make illegal immigrants go home before they could apply to return to this country.
It is tough talk for a man who, as Arkansas governor, took a more forgiving attitude toward some immigrants in the U.S. illegally, attempting to make children of illegal immigrants eligible for scholarships and in-state college tuition.
I hope he doesn’t hurt himself flip flopping.
What a phony!
This guy is probably tops on my list of panderers.
Please Mike, if you are going to use religion, at least, please, act like you have a few principles left.
It’s like Huck has Robin Williams disease: he gets in a crowd, feeds of their energy and just can’t help himself from shooting off his mouth and pandering to whatever the crowd wants to hear.
Then his handlers have to do damage control and parse.
If the president gig don’t work out, he might have a promising career in televangelism though.
This is what happens when you have stream of unconsciousness gum flapping. Your campaign manager has to clarify.
There’s an empty proposition...just like our gas tanks are gonna be...’cause what countries could he mean??
I was thinking the same thing. The Huckster is trying to distract us from one problem by waving another problem around.
If Huckabee is nominated, the GOP effectively becomes extinct.
Maybe Iran?
But it would actually make sense for the US to accept highly educated Iranians who don’t like the regime that is there now....
Good Lord! He sounds as goofy as Obama and Hillary on these matters. Which poll hit him in the face today?
Was that a tripple axle into a double lutz? Wow, he’s got more positions than Olga Korbut.
Just got the most obnoxious push poll from Huckacrap. He is REALLY SCARED of FRED! It was automated. They did not identify who they were, and when I hung up and picked up the phone 20 seconds later it was still on the line. I vowed not to vote for the shuckmeister in the general election. Now I will vote against the charlatan if he is the nominee. Would not be surprised if that Phelps fellow from Topeka supports knuckabee.
“Would not be surprised if that Phelps fellow from Topeka supports knuckabee.”
Um, I honestly don’t know what to say. Is this what Free Republic has become?
Realizing that he is on the wrong side of this issue, Mike Huckabee does his imitation of John Kerry, the Waffle Man of 2004.
And the campaign manager clarifies in Clinton speak:
‘Hiatus’ is synonym for thorough review,” said Jim Pinkerton, a senior adviser to Huck’s campaign.
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/01/hucks_team_no_h.html
Now worried and triangulating. I wonder how he’ll do West of the Rockies? As if I needed to ask.
Wow, he’s got more positions than Olga Korbut.
let’s hope he doesn’t drive like her..
..the huckster,soon to be an also ran
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