Thread: Clinton Tries to Settle Question Over Her Support License P

Hillary Clinton Tries to Settle Question Over Her Support for Illegal Immigration License Plan

http://www.foxnews.com

WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton's campaign said late Wednesday that she supports New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan for illegal immigrant driver's licenses, a clarification required after a twisted campaign performance Tuesday night left people guessing her position.

Spitzer's plan, which he has retooled in the face of heavy criticism, would grant identification on a three-tier basis, decreasing with the level of proper documentation. Undocumented, illegal immigrants would receive a license only to be used for driving, and be inscribed "not for federal purposes," meaning it couldn't be used to board flights or cross borders.

"Senator Clinton broadly supports measures like the ones being advocated by Governor Spitzer, but there are details that still need to be worked out," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said Wednesday.

"Senator Clinton supports governors like Governor Spitzer who believe they need such a measure to deal with the crisis caused by this administrations failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform," he added.

During the debate Tuesday night, Clinton offered support for Spitzer, saying he was trying to "fill the vacuum left by the failure of this administration to bring about comprehensive immigration reform," and noted millions of illegal immigrants are in New York at any one time. They should be able to have identification if they're in an auto accident, for instance, she said.

Clinton responded: "Well, I just want to add, I did not say that it should be done, but I certainly recognize why Governor Spitzer is trying to do."

Dodd then quickly interrupted Clinton before she could finish, seizing on the apparent discrepancy. Moderator Tim Russert then tried to elicit an answer on whether she supported the plan or not, but she avoided offering specific support for the plan.

Then former North Carolina senator John Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, both attorneys like Clinton, took turns dicing her statement.

"Unless I missed something, Senator Clinton said two different things in the course of about two minutes just a few minutes ago," Edwards said.

"I was confused on Senator Clinton's answer. I can't tell whether she was for it or against it," Obama said.

Clinton's apparent indecision also made fodder for Republicans on the campaign trail.

Speaking to reporters in Nashua, N.H., former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani took a page out of President Bush's campaign playbook, playing on a phrase used against Sen. John Kerry.

"Hillary Clinton was for it, she was against it, and she wasn't sure if she was for it or against it, in the space of one answer," Giuliani said. "She is known for taking one position with one audience and another position with another audience. ... What they didn't know is she can actually take two different positions in front of the same audience."

Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign issued a statement, calling Clinton's debate answer "troubling."

"Senator Clinton's troubling answer on providing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants was emblematic of someone who is both dismissive of efforts to enforce our nation's immigration laws and entirely unwilling to offer a straight answer to a very direct question," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said.

Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson said Clinton's response was "another example of (her) dodging hard issues."

And the Republican National Committee issued its own talking points memo, pointing to statements it said show that "Hillary's stance on illegal ommigration reforms remains vague and undefined."

Meanwhile, the controversy over Spitzer's plan is not going away any time soon. On Thursday, 30 New York Assembly members intend to file a lawsuit against Spitzer. They claim that the plan to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses is unlawful and dangerous.

Among the concerns are giving illegal immigrants the right to get ID that they could use to vote, to support terror activities or buy weapons.

scary to think this nut job is a leading contender for the presidency.

Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign issued a statement, calling Clinton's debate answer "troubling."

Like you are one to talk here on flip flopping mr. FLOP HEAD romney. You won't do anything about illegal immigration either!

Hil is great at saying a whole lot about nothing.

Good grief! She is the Queen of Double Talk.

Originally Posted by Disillusioned

Good grief! She is the Queen of Double Talk.

I love how she got upset when he asked the same question again.
Well BILLARY, stop side stepping on the issue and answer the question!
Of course, her reaction was 100% stereotypical liberal. When presented w/ the facts, get emotional and quickly change the subject.

She just setteld up !!!

Lone_Patriot wrote:

scary to think this nut job is a leading contender for the presidency.

I guess we can thank Mr. Bill and name recognition for that. It certainly can't be her candor, honesty, and integrity her supporters find appealing.