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Via the Standard. This is what they’re going to do to pass the time in Congress between bailouts? Jerk around with a hot-button issue guaranteed to enrage all sides and exacerbate Democratic infighting while the economy’s melting down and the Iran nuclear clock ticks on? Why not toss social security onto the table too, just to really get the juices flowing?

WASHINGTON — John McCain’s close friend and ally from South Carolina, fellow Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, will be on hand in Chicago Monday as McCain meets with his former rival, President-elect Barack Obama. Also attending will be Obama’s new chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill. In an interview Friday, Graham said Emanuel asked for the meeting about a week ago. “We were talking about some things that we could work together on,” Graham said.

Palin addresses issues on television interview Republican Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin addressed issues yesterday relating to Latin America, including Hugo Chavez and illegal immigration, in her first interview with a Spanish-language network. The interview began with Univision anchor, Jorge Ramos asking Palin to clarify recent statements she and Republican Presidential candidate John McCain have made, characterising Senator Barack Obama’s tax proposals as “socialist”. Palin denied ever having called Obama a socialist directly. The interview quickly turned to US nemesis, leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has repeatedly claimed the US is planning to attack Venezuela. However,...

Yeah, crazy Joe and his crazy ideas. Here’s the source for his “dysfunctional” comment. Try to contain your outrage. Joe Biden shared his views on illegal immigration with an Iowa crowd, saying that the solution starts with big changes in the Mexican economy. “They’re being irresponsible. This is the second-wealthiest nation in the hemisphere - we’re not talking about Sierra Leone,” the Democratic presidential candidate said. “This is a dysfunctional society.” The full translated script follows below. Exit question one: Who exactly is supposed to take exception to what Biden said? If Mexican immigrants turned U.S. citizens didn’t (fundamentally) agree...

As Senator John McCain slips further and further into the grips of age-realted dementia, his arguments in favor of legalizing 38 million illegal aliens become more and more specious. In 2007, for instance, McCain issued a very bizarre challenge to American patriots who oppose the amnesty travesty that McCain favors. Speaking at a fund-raiser in Houston, the senator said: "I think it’s (immigration reform) a matter of national security,” McCain said, “and to do nothing - to leave the status quo - would be an abrogation of our responsibilities to the American people.” The addled senator added, “If they’ve got...

Arizona Sen. John McCain, who blamed illegal immigration Monday for Republican losses in major congressional races, has rejected Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s invitation to discuss the issue. “Sen. McCain truly appreciates your invitation and the valuable opportunity it represents,” Jo Black, a scheduling official in the presumptive Republican nominee’s presidential campaign, wrote in a letter to Barletta’s congressional campaign Wednesday. The letter cited “tremendous demands” on McCain’s time and a “large volume of similar requests.” Efforts to reach McCain’s campaign were unsuccessful. Last week, Barletta invited McCain and the Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, to come...

Arizona Sen. John McCain has rejected Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta's invitation to come to the southern Luzerne County city and discuss illegal immigration. "Senator McCain truly appreciates your invitation and the valuable opportunity it represents," a scheduling official, Jo Black, in the presumptive Republican nominee's presidential campaign wrote in a letter. Barletta's congressional campaign released the letter today. "Unfortunately, I must pass along his regrets as I do not foresee an opportunity to add this event to the calendar." Black said McCain has "tremendous demands on his time" and because of "the large volume of similar requests, events such as...

(The Politico) "The hot-button issue of immigration doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon – at least not in Republican circles. On NPR’s “Morning Edition” today, John McCain suggested that strong anti-immigrant rhetoric contributed to two recent, high-profile GOP Congressional losses – of former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who badly lost to Sen. Bob Casey in 2006, and Jim Oberweis, who lost the heavily Republican seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert this month in a special election.

Aside the most obvious case -- his own -- John McCain cited two recent examples of GOP candidates taking a hard-line on immigration to no avail (And note the elbow thrown at a certain former colleague who came after McCain in the primary). My colleague Josh Kraushaar writes up McCain's comments: On NPR’s “Morning Edition” today, John McCain suggested that strong anti-immigrant rhetoric contributed to two recent, high-profile GOP Congressional losses – of former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who badly lost to Sen. Bob Casey in 2006, and Jim Oberweis, who lost the heavily Republican seat of former House Speaker...

McCain's love of amnesty will be a key issue. He supported amnesty in 2003 by name, proposed it in 2006 and 2007 without calling it amnesty, and says that anyone who says that he ever supported amnesty is a liar. He has insulted Americans who advocate border security and has cursed at the thought of building a border fence. The presence of Juan Hernandez in the background of the McCain campaign tells us that John McCain is as weak on border security now as he ever was. Dr. Juan Hernandez, a dual citizen of the US and Mexico, and past...

Relentlessly, angry American voices are asking, “Why is our government deliberately refusing to secure our borders?” We now understand. The truth is indeed ugly. While Congress talks the good talk on border security and immigration enforcement, they are actually in the business of aiding and abetting the invasion by Illegal Aliens and their offspring while pillaging our tax coffers for illegitimate purposes. We have been and continue to be betrayed by what can only be described as an intentional dereliction of duty and responsibility to the American people. It’s lunacy……it’s reality………it’s a giant magnet and it’s the largest Underground Welfare...

House Republican leaders will introduce a petition drive today to force Democrats to debate immigration this year, using a Democrat-sponsored bill to box them into taking a stand on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Republican leaders reached the decision yesterday evening to initiate a "discharge petition," a parliamentary move minority parties can use to force issues onto the House floor over objections of the majority. The last successful use was on campaign finance in 2002. But Republicans' move also puts Sen. John McCain, their party's presumed presidential nominee, in a tough spot. He has consistently opposed enhanced security efforts that...

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain criticized his Democratic rivals on Tuesday for pledging to renegotiate a hemispheric trade treaty that Democrats blame for U.S. manufacturing job losses. At a town-hall meeting in St. Louis, the Arizona senator also called for the Democratic-controlled U.S. Congress to approve a free-trade treaty with Colombia that is being stymied on Capitol Hill. "On trade, I'm a free trader," McCain told employees at Savvis Internet company, a session dominated by questions about the ailing U.S. economy. McCain, the likely Republican nominee to run in the November election, is spending the week...

Geraldo Rivera and Juan Hernandez, two of the most flagrant supporters of illegal immigration and amnesty in the media, have both announced their support for McCain. The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) also known as the Council of the (Hispanic) Race has announced their positive feelings for McCain while labeling any group or personality opposed to amnesty as an ally of the KKK. Even Ruben Navarrette, a CNN columnist who constantly rants in support of illegal immigration, while slinging mud at anyone who stands up for immigration enforcement, loves John McCain. Every illegal immigration supporter is signalling they want...

While John McCain was being coronated as the heir apparent at a highly publicized White House meeting with President Bush, his colleagues on Capitol Hill couldn't resist rolling out what could be described as a Lou Dobbs dream package of immigration bills. It was one of those moments where one had to wonder if the right hand of the Republican Party was talking to the left, er, moderate hand. Immigration is the preeminent issue that has divided McCain from his party, as he has supported an ill-fated comprehensive immigration overhaul, including a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Since that...

The Say-Town Lowdown MATT.org, Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, is based in the Alamo City where Tejanos and Mexicanos once fought against each other. The non-profit describes its mission in the following manner: “To encourage Mexicans and Americans to come together to bridge the gaps in understanding and quality of life so that we may truly prosper together.” Legendary marketer and advisor to GOP presidents Lionel Sosa enthusiastically leads the organization. The group is passionate about immigration reform; the issue is at the center of everything it does. The organization launched a massive billboard and PR blitz during the 2006...

DeMint Introduces “Complete the Fence Act"Sets 2010 Deadline for Completion of 700 Miles of Physical, Pedestrian Fencing on Southern Border   March 5th, 2008 - Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) introduced the “Complete the Fence Act” that will require the completion of 700 miles of reinforced pedestrian fencing along the nation’s southern border by December 31, 2010. The bill also requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report to Congress by June 2009 on fence construction progress and how it plans to complete the full fence by the 2010 deadline. “Americans demand...

Senator McCain Thanks Democrats March 5, 2008 BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Listen to this, Snerdley. Listen to this, all of you. A portion of Senator McCain's victory speech. MCCAIN: I want to thank all of you here, all the Republicans, independents, and independent-thinking Democrats in all parts of the country who supported our campaign for the nomination and have brought us across the finish line first, an accomplishment that once seemed to more than a few doubters, unlikely. RUSH: All right. So apparently McCain can thank the Democrats for making him the Republican nominee, can thank independents for making him...

... If there's a single thread that runs through the e-mails I receive from peevish Republicans, it's that none of the current candidates possesses the conservative purity of Ronald Reagan. One could almost get the idea that Dutch was betrayed by Pontius Pilate and crucified on Calvary. But that wasn't exactly the case. The fact of the matter is that Gov. Reagan gave Gov. Jerry Brown a run for his money – or should I say our money? – when it came to raising taxes here in California. But, in spite of the additional revenue, he was responsible in large...

For the most part, the Republican presidential candidates tried to play the "immigration" card — one that may backfire come November. Only John McCain was willing to take a gentler approach to immigration and thank God he’s the last man standing. CNN and the liberal media were all too willing to let the Republicans continue their suicidal plunge on immigration. Meanwhile, the New York Post recently featured a column by Geraldo Rivera decrying the impact of the immigration debate on the Republican Party: freefall in the polls among Latino voters. President Bush carried 45 percent of the Latino vote in...