Privately, Bush Says He Favors Citizenship (for Illegals)

AP ^ | April 26, 2006 | DAVID ESPO

[West Coast Conservative]

President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.

Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.

Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.

Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

[Howlin]

You quoted a newspaper to try to back up the "Bush called the Minutemen vigilantes" rant; it won't work. He never even mentioned them and that quote is taken OUT OF CONTEXT, a liberal trait if there ever was one.

[RHINO369]

Sometimes we are called Goldwater Conservatives

[tobyhill]

Bush was also the first President in history to be reelected by over a 50% majority with an approval rating of 48% at election time (according to the MSM).

[Prokopton]

"Oh, please don't quote me a newspaper by a reporter, FGS."

Please post non-newspaper links for those "facts" you posted concerning presidential approval numbers.
Thanks.

[skip_intro]

I did no such thing.

What newspaper?

What reporter?

[Howlin]

I would say I expect you to ask an honest question, but twisting words worthy of Bill Clinton is what's passing for discussion around here lately.

[cva66snipe]

I can't deny that Bush did make his agenda clear. If you notice nobody is calling him a liar, because its clear hes not. But hes not a conservative, so naturally conservatives are going to complain about his leadership.

I wish people had realized this in early 2000.

[FreeReign]

FACT 2: he has slashed the budget for Border Patrol Agents...

No.

Fact: He shrunk the increase.

[Howlin]

Facts are like kryptonite to some of these people.

[Junior_G]

You accused Bush of calling the Minutment vigliantes. It's up to you to prove it. So far you haven't.

It's not up to me to prove something that is already common knowledge to all but a stubborn few on this forum. Sheesh.

[pollyannaish]

Ok, I generally agree with your sentiments and thank you very much for responding.

I would be happier with high tech solutions than an old fashioned fence...but I think the principle is the same. I also believe we need to put an emphasis on enforcement, but at the same time make sure that employers are not caught in a catch-22 between civil rights lawyers and false documents.

So...I think we have common ground.

Now, tell me how it differs from the Presidents plan. Second, how you respond to those who want to round illegals up and ship them out immediately or it's not good enough? Finally, with 4.9% unemployment, what steps can be taken to keep the economy from taking a monumental nose dive if they are forced to leave?

I seriously believe we have more in common here than not. But you say we need the political will to it. That starts with a plan and a step in the right direction, does it not?

[Mo1]

Bush thinks just because his corporate buddies want illegals

Wow .. corporate buddies??

That sounds so liberal

[onyx]

Some of us were Goldwater Girls (too young to vote for him).

Reportedly, Hillary was one of us back then.

[woofie]

HUG?

[RHINO369]

Haha yea I was trying to be funny but it fell flat on its face.

However Bush was asked by a reporter what he thought about the minutemen project.

He replied by saying;
"I'm against vigilantes in the United States of America,"

What else could he mean? I understand why you'd mistrust the MSM but you need to have evidence to disprove this quote.

[A Citizen Reporter]

I wish people had realized this in early 2000.

OK, for argument's sake, let's say they had. Then where would we be right now?

WHO would be President? Pat Buchanan? HAHAHAHA!

[Howlin]

I did no such thing.

Is this not your post?

To: FreeReign

Bush didn't call the Minutemen vigilantes

WACO, Texas — President Bush yesterday said he opposes a civilian project to monitor illegal aliens crossing the border, characterizing them as "vigilantes."

He said he would pressure Congress to further loosen immigration law.

More than 1,000 people — including 30 pilots and their private planes — have volunteered for the Minuteman Project, beginning next month along the Arizona-Mexico border. Civilians will monitor the movement of illegal aliens for the month of April and report them to the Border Patrol.

Mr. Bush said after yesterday's continental summit, with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin at Baylor University, that he finds such actions unacceptable.

"I'm against vigilantes in the United States of America," Mr. Bush said at a joint press conference. "I'm for enforcing the law in a rational way."

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050324-122200-6209r.htm

457 posted on 04/27/2006 12:39:33 AM EDT by skip_intro

You most certainly DID quote a newspaper.

[skip_intro]

Bush didn't call the Minutemen vigilantes

[FreeReign]

Gott dam, you've convinced me that President Bush never called them vigilantes. Question: has he ever praised what they're doing on the border (you know, keeping illegals out)?

Like all political executives, he doesn't encourge citizens to help with law enforcement. There are various reasons for it.

Myself, I think that the Minutemen are a good thing.

[Junior_G]

It must suck to have an agenda that is so pitiful...

Secure borders. Yep.

[tobyhill]

It's a 4.7% unemployment not 4.9%.