Thread: Immigration: Delicate issue for Clinton

Immigration: Delicate issue for Clinton
At NBC debate, Clinton struggles to court various groups key to campaign
By Marc Santora
The New York Times
updated 4:09 a.m. ET, Thurs., Nov. 1, 2007

It was a moment that crystallized Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s struggles in Tuesday night’s debate. Questioned about a plan to grant driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, Mrs. Clinton at first seemed to defend it, then suggested she was against it, until finally, pressed for a direct answer, she accused the moderator, Tim Russert, of playing “gotcha.â€

LICENSE TO WAFFLE?
Oh, what a dilemma for Sen. Clinton.

On the one hand are those polls showing that even a majority of local Democrats - not to mention an overwhelming 72 percent of all New Yorkers - are dead-set against Gov. Spitzer’s plan to hand out driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.

On the other hand are all those Democratic special-interest groups she needs to court - the hard left, immigration activists, Hispanics - who think illegals are entitled to regular licenses, with no restrictions whatsoever.

And then there’s her strongest White House rival, Barack Obama: He endorses the Spitzer plan wholeheartedly.

What’s an overly cautious presidential candidate to do?

If you’re Hillary Clinton, there’s only one possible course of action: waffle, double-talk - and desperately try to change the subject.

Which is precisely what she did in Tuesday night’s Democratic debate when pressed on the issue - as the other candidates were quick to gleefully point out.


And what one of her spokesmen did shortly afterward when he tried to explain her debate remarks.

And what Hillary herself did again yesterday, after nearly 24 hours of turmoil - when her campaign released a statement intended to “clarifyâ€

Hillary draws fire for aliens answer
Christina Bellantoni

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday declined to clarify her position on enabling illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses despite sharp attacks from both Democrats and Republicans.

Democrats called her debate answer evasive, and Republicans rebuked her for saying New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s policy of enabling illegals’ licensing “makes a lot of sense.â€

Clinton hammered for stance on licenses for illegals
Conflicting responses during debate spawn fusillade of criticism
By Jerry Zremski NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF
Updated: 11/01/07 6:50 AM

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s conflicting responses on the issue of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants drew criticism at the Democratic candidates debate Tuesday from John Edwards, left, who said she lacked consistency, and Sen. Barack Obama, who said her responses were “confusing.â€

Apparently she's gone into hiding. No mention of Hillary sightings yesterday. Flipping channels yesterday and was amazed at how uninformed the MSM remains with regards to how the anger surrounding illegal immigration crosses political party lines. They continue to consider this a wedge issue amongst "nativists".

I guess that's their way of brainwashing those who are passive into believing its not such a big deal. Problem with their theory is that even those who are normally passive are being affected by illegal immigration in some area of their lives. The illegal population has exploded all over the US and there is no getting around them or ignoring the issue.

Right on, WhatMattersMost

A Day Later, Clinton Embraces Spitzer’s License Effort
By Adam Nagourney


John Edwards, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama during last night’s debate. (Photo: Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times) A day after she appeared to struggle to give her views on the subject, Hillary Rodham Clinton offered support today for Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s effort to award New York driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, as her campaign sought to contain potentially damaging fallout from what her own supporters saw as a tense and listless debate performance.
Mrs. Clinton’s statement affirming her support of Mr. Spitzer in his office came less than a day after she offered a muddled and hesitant position on the bill, prompting a round of denunciations by her opponents. It signaled the extent to which her advisers viewed that moment as the biggest misstep she made in the debate, and one with long-term potential to undermine her candidacy.
“Senator Clinton supports governors like Governor Spitzer who believe they need such a measure to deal with the crisis caused by this administration’s failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform,’â€