Issue of Illegal Immigration Is Quandary for Democrats

Washington Post ^ | November 2, 2007 | Perry Bacon Jr. and Anne E. Kornblut

[3AngelaD]

Until Tuesday night, Democratic presidential candidates had largely ignored the subject of illegal immigration. The topic, strategists concluded, was fraught with too much potential for alienating general election voters. But after Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton struggled to answer a question about whether she supports giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, the topic burst into the forefront...

While voters are in line with Democratic positions... immigration remains a thornier subject. Polls suggest that most Americans want to allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country and create ways for them to obtain citizenship, but party strategists say the voters who care most about this issue are those angry about illegal immigration and want to hear a tougher message...

The debate...also illustrated the fine line Democrats, who depend heavily on the Hispanic vote and soft-pedal the idea of harsh penalties for people who enter the country illegally, will have to walk...

All of the Democratic contenders have embraced some form of "comprehensive reform..."

Polls showed a majority of Americans supported that legislation, but two-thirds also thought the United States was not doing enough to stem the tide of illegal immigration..According to a CNN poll last month, 76 percent of Americans oppose giving licenses to illegal immigrants, compared with 23 percent who favor it. But noting that many African Americans, a strongly Democratic group, oppose creating a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, they wrote "this is a real wedge issue that Democrats need to get right."...

After Tuesday's debate, a group of Democratic strategists moved to tamp growing fears among party candidates across the country, warning them not to duck the issue and coaching them on how to defuse the topic...

[3AngelaD]

The reporters' bias on this, and take on the polling about illegal immigration, is most interesting. A "big vision," indeed. The topic "burst to the forefront"? Were these reporters in Finland last summer?

[Bruinator]

“Polls showed a majority of Americans supported that legislation”

Then why did it not make it to cloture. I think this reporter has it backwards. If the Polls did indeed show this reform bill was approved by the majority of American’s, I have to question who was polled.

[Puppage]

Democratic presidential candidates had largely ignored the subject of illegal immigration

One of MANY things they choose to ignore. Don't cha just feeeeel safer?

[UCFRoadWarrior]

You know the liberal media are clueless when they claim most Americans support amnesty..which is totally false.

The real fact is that most Dems are against illegal alienism...and its only the elites in both parties that support illegal alienism

Which is why someone like Duncan Hunter, and not a liberal pro illegal GOP, would win vs Hillary or the Dems...the illegal alien issue is the true winner....but as long as the GOP panders to the pro-illegal/anti-American lobby...they can kiss 08 goodbye

[rhombus]

Were these reporters in Finland last summer?

All they saw was Republicans forming a circular firing squad and that's all they cared about.

[jmaroneps37]

” ... and coaching them on how to defuse the topic...”
In other words how to lie well enough to fool the lemmings which aint happening. The illegal alien invasion is the third rail rat killer that can change the make up of the next Congress.

[bcsco]

Polls suggest that most Americans want to allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country and create ways for them to obtain citizenship...

Huh? What planet is this person living on?

!!2007 WEBLOGS Awards!!Vote daily (once per day) for Best Funniest Blog PJ-Comix's DUmmie FUnnies. A vote for PJ is a vote for Free Republic!

Direct link:

2007.weblogawards.org/polls/funniest-blog

[ari-freedom]

hillary tries to be agnostic on immigration when she’s really an alienist

[Don Corleone]

Polls suggest that most Americans want to allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country and create ways for them to obtain citizenship

Oh yeah! That's why that legislation breezed thru Congress without so much as a murmur from the public. Idiotic and biased as usual!

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I like that term “alienist”...good one

Hillary definitely is an alienist

[ari-freedom]

yeah she doesn’t believe in America

[Liz]

Amazingly----in Democratic strongholds such as New York and California------one illegals-issue pollster said voters oppose illegals licensing by 75%. Licensing illegals overall is opposed 80% to 20%.

POLITICANS HANDING US SOVERIGNTY OVER TO THIRD WORLD HELLHOLES LIKE MEXICO

The entire nation is up in arms over pandering politicans handing US sovereignty to Third World hellholes like Mexico. Amnesty One and Two went down to defeat b/c Repubs and Dems got the same message from constituents....."shove it." When presidential candidates can't (or won't) control US borders, the safety and security of Americans is at risk.

HISTORY OF USING GOVERNMENT POWER TO PROTECT ILLEGALS

Interesting that Hillary and Giuliani are both illegal panderers from way back. Pres Bill pardoned Puerto Rican terrorists to nail latino votes for Hil's Senate race.

Mayor Giuliani established NY as sanctuary city; he ordered city employees to ignore federal law and barred them from assisting federal immigration agents. Giuliani sued all the way to the Supreme Court to defend the city’s sanctuary policy against a 1996 federal law decreeing that cities could not prohibit their employees from cooperating with the then-INS (now ICE).

RUDY'S TURN TO ENDORSE SPITLER

2008 candidates--Clinton and Giuliani are so much alike, they must compare notes to get their pandering priorities in sync. Hillary came to Gov Spitler's defense. Now it's Giuliani's turn to endorse Spitler.......just as he endorsed ultra-liberal Dim Gov Mario Cuomo in 1994.

[DustyMoment]

Until Tuesday night, Democratic presidential candidates had largely ignored the subject of illegal immigration.

WHAT!!??

No, seriously, . . . . WHAT!!??

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Of course. It is ironic that the author of this piece was “Staff writer Hsu.” Wonder if he contributed anything more substantive?

[Miss Didi]

From the NY Post today:

...Karen Thalacker, a political activist in Iowa, which holds the nation's first caucuses, decided to back Sen. Chris Dodd's campaign after watching him slam Clinton on the issue in Tuesday's debate.

Thalacker turned down a Clinton-campaign request to introduce the former first lady at an event next Monday.

"The way she answered the questions were 'I was for it until I was against it for people who are on the fence,' that sort of answer confirms how they feel about her," Thalacker said.

Clinton's handling of the issue also drew fire from New York Democrats who would normally be backing her "favorite daughter" candidacy.

"Until she takes a stand [against Spitzer's plan], I certainly wont be supporting her," said Long Island Assemblywoman Ginny Fields.

"If she's going to stay with that kind of attitude, it's the beginning of the end."

One New York state Senate Democrat, asking for anonymity, said senators warned Spitzer in a recent closed-door meeting that the timing of his plan could cause Hillary agita. (cont.)

MIKE IN THE 'NO': REJECTS BESIEGED HILL'S STANCE ON 'ALIEN' LICENSES

And agita it has caused…poor Mrs. Clinton. Seems like even the Dems are turning against her.

[Diogenesis]

[ncpatriot]

Duncan Hunter needs to do something dramatic to get his face/name/views in front of the people. I know he could win.

[KC_Conspirator]

Yeah, if they supported it, (which is a lie), then why did it not pass into law?

Bottom line is that democrats want illegal aliens to stay in this country because they think can get them to cast illegal votes for them and win elections that until last cycle they have been unable to win.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

When asked about New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer's proposal to provide driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, Clinton initially refused to answer, but her campaign put out a statement the next day saying she does support such as move.

She didn't know what her own position was. She had to talk it over with her staffers and pollsters and they finally decided that supporting the Spitzer proposal would net her more electoral votes than opposing it. That's their conclusion. I happen to think they've miscalculated the true American sentiment, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.

My point is that everything the Clintons do is calculated solely by one criterion: that which would be most favorable to furthering the interests of the Clintons. Ronald Reagan reflexively took positions that were based entirely on whether the positions would further the interests of The United States of America. I doubt that such a concept has ever been considered by Bill or Hillary Clinton.

[KC_Conspirator]

That pic says it. Laughing away your civil liberties.