McCain: Focus on illegal immigration hurt GOP's image

KSWT/AP ^ | 5/5/08 | staff

[pissant]

PHOENIX (AP) - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain says the focus on illegal immigration during the Republican primary season harmed his party's image among Hispanics.

Speaking to reporters in Phoenix on Cinco de Mayo, McCain said that Hispanic citizens want America's borders secured and illegal immigrants to be treated humanely.

He says low-income Hispanic citizens are vulnerable to losing their jobs to the lower wages accepted by illegal immigrants.

On the subject of broader immigration policies, McCain says local governments would not have to take on immigration problems had the federal government overhauled the country's immigration policies.

McCain spoke at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport before his flight to North Carolina.

[pissant]

[notaliberal]

Proceed with caution juan.

[ElkGroveDan]

[pissant]

I’m sure he will do everything necessary to win back the illegals’ confidence they had in him before...

[cripplecreek]

[AngelesCrestHighway]

“Focus on illegal immigration hurt GOP’s image”.....To hell with the GOP’s image!....build the damn wall!

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t know whose side this bastard is on, but it sure isn’t ours.

[pissant]

We don’t need no stinkin walls

[Post-Neolithic]

Is it just me or is McCain purposely trying to throw this election? At this point I have to wonder if he has made some sort of back-room deal with the Libs.

[bill1952]

McCain: Focus on illegal immigration hurt GOP's image

Delusional. What hurt the GOP image was McCain/Kennedy.

At least among American voters.

diehard McCain supporter

[pissant]

As Duncan Hunter said during the primary, if you want amnesty, vote for McCain.

[AuntB]

Why would I believe anything this man says?

April, 2006 SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: “ My friends, I’ll offer anybody here $50 an hour if you’ll go pick lettuce in Yuma this season and pick for whole season. So — OK? Sign up. OK. When you sign up — you sign up, and you’ll be there for the whole season. The whole season, OK? Not just one day. Because you can’t do it, my friend. Sign up.”

(END VIDEO CLIP) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2006856/posts?page=176#176

[MBB1984]

Interesting that McCain cares MUCH more about the GOP’s “image” than enforcing the law and America's sovereignty.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Meanwhile, LA is turning into a 3rd world city ...

[cripplecreek]

Is it just me or is McCain purposely trying to throw this election?

I honestly don't think either party really cares one way or the other. They're on the same side and elections are little more than a distraction for the American idle voters.

[pnh102]

The problem is that there is a ring of truth to what McCain is saying. A lot of anti-illegals GOP Senators and Congressmen went down in flames in 2006. Anti-illegals GOP primary candidates for President also went nowhere.

[AuntB]

That’s about the only scenario that makes any sense in this election.

[KarlInOhio]

On the subject of broader immigration policies, McCain says local governments would not have to take on immigration problems had the federal government overhauled the country's immigration policies.

The problem was that McCain's "overhaul" last year was yet another example of having immediate amnesty (or whatever euphemism McCain wanted to call it) in trade for enforcement sometime in the future. The American people were punked by Congress in 1986 and weren't interested in being suckers again.

[Shermy]

“Is it just me or is McCain purposely trying to throw this election?”

Two choices I suspect:

1. He believes his anti-American wage earner policies are “honorable” so he has to publicly ruminate about them, like Obama publicly ruminates whether he is patriotic or not.

2. He needs to excite his money donor base of business lobbies looking to juice up short term profits be cutting wages, this is a signal for money, like when Obama publicly lectures about carbon credit trading.

[TADSLOS]

On the subject of broader immigration policies, McCain says local governments would not have to take on immigration problems had the federal government overhauled the country's immigration policies.

wow.

[dcwusmc]

Only one of MANY reasons he will never get my vote! And why I will encourage as many as I can to write in Ron Paul for president or vote third party. McLame disgusts me on ever possible level!

[cripplecreek]

A lot of anti-illegals GOP Senators and Congressmen went down in flames in 2006.

And even more anti illegal congressmen were elected than were voted out.

[dcwusmc]

Oops... “ever” = EVERY.

[donna]

News from Senator McCain’s state:

Cinco de Mayo celebration includes breaking Arpaio pinata

A new human rights organization is using Cinco de Mayo to kick off a campaign to help end what it calls hateful attacks against immigrants.

The group is called the Pueblo Center for Legal and Human rights.

As a symbolic message, members plan to break a Sheriff Joe Arpaio pinata during their celebration.

Arpaio says it’s a sad idea.

``This is freedom of speech, they want to do that. I just don’t like it because of the young people. It sends a bad message to young people that they’re trying to beat up the chief law enforcement officer,” says the sheriff, who has made cracking down on illegal immigrants one of his priorities. (snip)

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=827358

[AuntB]

“The problem is that there is a ring of truth to what McCain is saying. A lot of anti-illegals GOP Senators and Congressmen went down in flames in 2006..”

This is one of the biggest myths, oh, hell, let’s call it what it is .... a lie, out there.

The lie, “anti-illegal immigration people cost the repubs the 2006 election!!

The truth:11.5% of all Republican seats in Congress were lost as Democrats took back control of Congress

But only 6.7% of the Members of Tancredo’s Immigration Reform Caucus lost their seats.AND- one of them was Hayworth who voted against HR 4437!

# 9.6% with an A grade lost

# 25.0% with an F grade lost

http://www.numbersusa.com/hottopic/electionanalysis.html

[Shermy]

“A lot of anti-illegals GOP Senators and Congressmen went down in flames in 2006.”

Rove myth meant at the time to push through “comprehensive” immigration reform.

“Anti-illegals GOP primary candidates for President also went nowhere.”

Name one who didn’t run against an anti-illegal Democrat.

[longtermmemmory]

In related news:

Nevil Chamberlin thinks Mr. Hitler may not be such a good person to trust...

[HappyinAZ]

I read the article and can’t see what Mccain said to get you riled up?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

What an arrogant, pinhead ass.

Is there a possibility he will drop dead before elections?

And no, I am not apologizing for saying this. It is a matter of saving our country.

[pissant]

I know you can’t see it.

[AuntB]

BTW, many states had ballot measures in the 2006 elections strengthening laws against illegal aliens. They ALL passed.

McCain is worse than a liar. I think he believes his own garbage.

[dcwusmc]

Love your tagline!

[dragnet2]

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain says the focus on illegal immigration during the Republican primary season harmed his party's image among Hispanics.

Illegal aliens? GOP image hurt?

This violent invasion of millions, that is costing working class Americans billions has hurt their party image?

Are there any words left to describe these arrogant insiders?

[maggief]

[Sybeck1]

Pander Bear McCain is back in force, and pushing the conservatives further away!

[TADSLOS]

Was Juan Hernandez and Lindsay Grahamnesty working the crowd handing out McCain Fiesta tickets?

[dragnet2]

What an arrogant, pinhead ass. Is there a possibility he will drop dead before elections? And no, I am not apologizing for saying this. It is a matter of saving our country.

I saw your post after I posted 35.

This is the guy the GOP is begging votes for?

I need to find a cave and hide.

[bmwcyle]

McCain wants to have illegals make him king.....

[RJL]

McCain: Focus on illegal immigration hurt GOP's image

And Bush and McCain's decision to stand with the Mexican government and their illegals, against America, split the Republican Party and continues to do so today.

[bill1952]

I honestly don’t think either party really cares ...

Exactly what I have been saying.
They are now pursuing an agenda, and elections are just speed bumps.
so are we.

[maggief]

[kbennkc]

Can anybody get the $50.00 an hour or just his friends ? I am so sick of hearing about lettuce every time someone says secure the border , I am thinking of trying arugula , whatever that is .

[DoughtyOne]

And he was right. What he forgot to mention is that the government in Mexico City should move to D.C. Our government is more favorably inclined to govern in the interests of the Mexican national than it is in ours.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

“What an arrogant pinhead ass.”

My apologies. I meant to say:

“What a crooked, arrogant, pinhead ass.”

[VOA]

bump

[dragnet2]

I honestly don’t think either party really cares ... Exactly what I have been saying. They are now pursuing an agenda, and elections are just speed bumps.

More like a facade to appease the easily led.

I was right thinking years ago the fix was in, and it don't matter a whit about laws or what Americans demand.

[cripplecreek]

[donna]

“The problem is that there is a ring of truth to what McCain is saying. A lot of anti-illegals GOP Senators and Congressmen went down in flames in 2006..”

Arizona's "English Only" referendum got passed without anyone being mad at Republicans:

2006 election
Arizona Proposition 103:
English as Official Language

Yes...No...Full AZ
74%...26%

Yes...No...By race
79%...21%..White
80%...20%..African-American
48%...52%..Latino