Thread: Tennessee Pollies know Immigration is an issue

Despite how the MSM acts like this is not a major issue. It appears the Tennessee hopefuls are focusing on Illegal Immigration. Our voices are being heard and they are being acknowledged by those seeking office.


http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/in...&news_id=50189


Bryant uses border visit to assess immigration issue
By Jared Allen, jallen@nashvillecitypaper.com
June 02, 2006

Former U.S. Rep Ed Bryant used a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster his anti-illegal immigration credentials and to open up another front in his Senate primary fight against one of his two Republican opponents, Bob Corker.

On Thursday, the Bryant campaign organized a conference call with Tennessee reporters from Cochise County, Ariz., just north of the border with Mexico.

“I’ve heard the complaints, but I wanted to come down here and talk to people who are in the know, folks like [Cochise County] Sheriff Larry Dever, who has to deal with this problem, and find out what he thinks I can do as a senator and the federal government can do to help him,” Bryant said via a conference call.

In addition to local law enforcement, the former congressman also met with the Minutemen Civil Defense Force, as well as with members of the U.S. Border Control.

“It’s essential anybody who gets elected to the Congress to know about these things,” Bryant said.

But others expressed doubt about whether such a trip was as much of a necessity as it was political theater.

“I don’t need to fly to Israel to know we need to be supportive of Israel. Nor do I need to fly to the Texas border or the Arizona border to know we’ve got to seal off the border,” said Van Hilleary, who as of last week a City Paper poll showed was leading both Bryant and Corker in the primary race to succeed the retiring Sen. Bill Frist.

“I’m as against illegal immigration as anybody on the planet,” Hilleary said. “But I’m going to focus on Tennessee.”

But Bryant took a shot at the only other Republican candidate – Corker – who has stumped near Mexico.

“I wanted to come down here and, unlike one of my opponents, not just come down and do a quick commercial and in sound bites,” Bryant said.

Corker, though, said it was helpful to be on site and see where the problem is coming from.

“It just reinforced the same exact position we’ve had throughout this campaign,” Corker said.

Conservative commentator Steve Gill said the Bryant trip was an example of how all three candidates are looking for ways to “out-trump the other guy when they’re essentially saying the same thing.”

“If you want to point to border security, doing a spot with you standing on the border visually adds something to the piece that you’re not going to do if you do a press conference standing on Nolensville Road in front of a Mexican restaurant.”

Gill said, though, that appearing at the border may be dodging the real issue for conservatives.

“Frankly, I’m not sure that the ‘Here they are’ story isn’t [bigger] than the ‘Here’s where they’re coming across’ story,” Gill said.

Corker, though, said it was helpful to be on site and see where the problem is coming from.

ROFLMAO....That remark places him in the 'Never Vote For Him (iq problem) Category.

MJ

The problem with these candidates is that once they are elected they change their tune.

“I’m as against illegal immigration as anybody on the planet,” Hilleary said. “But I’m going to focus on Tennessee.”

If Van Hilleary is going to focus on Tennessee, then stay in Tennessee.

Originally Posted by LunaLun

“I’m as against illegal immigration as anybody on the planet,” Hilleary said. “But I’m going to focus on Tennessee.”

If Van Hilleary is going to focus on Tennessee, then stay in Tennessee.

Yeah, Uhh, he did stay in Tennessee, that's why he said what he said.


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