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Graham praises Rubio as ‘game changer’ in immigration debate
The Hill ^ | April 7, 2013 | Carlo Munoz

Posted on 04/07/2013 12:15:35 PM PDT by jazusamo

Video at link if you can stand it.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday praised fellow “Gang of Eight” member Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as a “game changer” in the immigration debate on Capitol Hill.

“Marco Rubio has been a game changer in my party,” said Graham on NBC's “Meet the Press,” predicting that the Tea Party favorite would help aid passage of a Senate immigration bill.

Graham said the Tea Party favorite had worked to ensure that GOP concerns were addressed in the legislation.

“He will be there only if the Democrats will embrace a guest worker program and a merit-based immigration system to replace the broken one, and we'll regain our sovereignty by securing our borders and having control of jobs through E-Verify,” said Graham.

“Marco has been indispensable. 70-30, we get there,” he added.

Rubio is expected to play a key role in winning conservative support for the bipartisan Senate immigration bill being crafted, but in recent weeks has urged senators to move slowly, fearing that the legislation could falter if they do not secure public support first. Those comments led to fears that Rubio was not on board with the Senate group’s efforts, but Graham sought to allay those fears on Sunday.

Rubio will brief Republicans on progress in crafting an immigration bill during next week's policy luncheon, Graham said.

On CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) also praised Rubio’s role in the talks, with McCain saying he had been “very helpful.”

“He’s reached out to conservative sides,” said McCain.

Schumer said that there would be no deal until all members of the Gang of Eight were in unison.

“All of us have said there will be no agreement until all of us agree on a big specific bill, but hopefully we can get that done,” said Schumer.

The bipartisan Senate group is close to unveiling legislation on a comprehensive immigration reform proposal, with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying Sunday he was hopeful language would be ready by the end of the week.

“We’re hoping to get this thing done in the next couple of weeks,” Graham said, offering a broader timeline than Schumer.

The group first unveiled their framework in January, but have since been bogged down in negotiations over a number of key provisions, including a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country.

But Graham said Senate Republicans are largely on board regarding immigration reform.

"The politics of self-deportation are behind us,” Graham said, adding that conservative opposition to granting citizenship was "impractical" given the number of illegal immigrants already in the country.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; gangof8; gope; graham; illegals; rubio
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Many good comments after article, Conservatives are not going for this.
1 posted on 04/07/2013 12:15:35 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo

All of the Rubio-supporters around here should be DEEPLY ashamed. Some of us recognized him for a race-baiter right from the start.


2 posted on 04/07/2013 12:19:46 PM PDT by Politicalmom (Liberalism. Ideas so great they have to be mandatory.-FReeper Osage Orange)
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To: jazusamo

Come on South Carolina, Off this POS! Ditto for AZ and McLame! Republicans will cease to exist if men like these remain in office.


3 posted on 04/07/2013 12:21:36 PM PDT by vette6387
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To: jazusamo

Conservatives are not going for this.

I hope you are right. There are still a lot of folks, and even some FRiends, who remain in the dark about the rot inside the GOPe core. I almost feel bad for Rubio, being suckered into hitching his wagon to that train. But then, I thought Rubio was smarter than that. He's let me down a little; I can't feel too bad for him. After all, he's choosing to become part of the problem.


4 posted on 04/07/2013 12:22:12 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: jazusamo

Rubio might well end up playing the same role in the illegal alien debate as Bart Stupach played in the Obamacare debate.


5 posted on 04/07/2013 12:23:14 PM PDT by Will88
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To: jazusamo

“the Tea Party favorite”

Not anymore.


6 posted on 04/07/2013 12:24:19 PM PDT by BarnacleCenturion
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To: jazusamo

I am not fond Of Rubio or Graham.

Not even a little bit.


7 posted on 04/07/2013 12:24:37 PM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: so_real

I hear you. I believe he has many less supporters here now.


8 posted on 04/07/2013 12:26:14 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: jazusamo

Graham said everything except Rubio is a credit to his race.


9 posted on 04/07/2013 12:28:44 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (I am a dissident. Will you join me? My name is John....)
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To: jazusamo; alarm rider; Alex1977; at bay; Babsig; BILL_C; bnelson44; ColdOne; DesScorp; G.Love; ...
Uber RINO Lindsey Ping
"Republican by day, Democrat by night."


Want on or off this ping list?
Just FReepmail me.


10 posted on 04/07/2013 12:31:37 PM PDT by upchuck (Free Republic: faster than a speeding bullet!)
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: jazusamo

There are indeed good comments, along with commenters who can’t stop calling TEA Partiers “teabaggers.”


12 posted on 04/07/2013 12:35:37 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (I am a dissident. Will you join me? My name is John....)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

Rubio praised for being a first class sucker.


13 posted on 04/07/2013 12:37:22 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: so_real
I almost feel bad for Rubio, being suckered into hitching his wagon to that train.

Suckered? Getting into a room with four Democrats does not make him a sucker - it makes him an accomplice. Let's face it - the only thing we know about what these people think comes from what they tell us. Would it surprise you to hear that politicians, even more than car salesmen, tell us what they think we want to hear, rather than what they really think, in order to hoover up campaign dollars and volunteer time? Until they get into positions of power, upon which they push legislation contrary to their supporters' beliefs and interests, thereby demonstrating what they really believe (mainly in personal advancement and, in Rubio's case, the interests of his ethnic group). Rubio has actually revealed time and again what he really believes, but conservatives have repeatedly blocked out that reality because he's young and has an attractive persona, in addition to being somebody's idea of the mythic Great Hispanic Contender who will finally bring in the Hispanic vote for Republicans.

14 posted on 04/07/2013 12:38:31 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

I anxiously await some socialist calling me a teabagger.


15 posted on 04/07/2013 12:38:58 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (stop worrying about what they want to do to you,start thinking about what you want to do to them)
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To: jazusamo

“Game changer,” kinda like Benedict Arnold trying to sell West Point to the British.


16 posted on 04/07/2013 12:44:36 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (Real republicans, yes. RINOs, no, under no circumstances.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

I believe there were 9 or 10 comments when I posted but didn’t see teabagger, the one comment now that says the tea party is over is by a nutjob:)


17 posted on 04/07/2013 12:45:28 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

18 posted on 04/07/2013 12:56:45 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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19 posted on 04/07/2013 1:08:02 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: jazusamo

Well, hammering the last nail into the GOP coffin does change the game a little.


20 posted on 04/07/2013 1:10:59 PM PDT by Trod Upon (Every penny given to film and TV media companies goes right into enemy coffers. Starve them out!)
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