Thread: DNC: John McCain Hoping for Amnesty... From Conservatives

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DNC: John McCain Hoping for Amnesty... From Conservatives
20 March 2007, 2:57pm ET

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ --

As he prepares to deliver a speech before a joint session of the Alabama legislature today, John McCain is under increasing pressure from conservatives to change his position on immigration. Confirming that he's willing to do anything to win, McCain is giving in. McCain's immigration dilemma was further complicated when Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions said recently that "Senator McCain will be hurt badly if he continues to support a bill" like the comprehensive immigration reform bill he introduced in the Senate during the last Congress along with Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. [New York Times, 3/20/07]

This would not be the first significant position change for McCain on a critical issue. McCain has already walked away from his signature issue of campaign finance reform, has avoided voting on the Iraq War despite being the president's biggest supporter on the war and escalation, and has decided for the sake of Iowa caucus-goers, to downplay his opposition to ethanol. Now, according to the New York Times, "Mr. McCain said he was reconsidering his views on how the immigration law might be changed" and that "he was open to legislation that would require people who came to the United States illegally to return home before applying for citizenship" According to the Times, McCain even "appeared to distance himself" from Senator Kennedy "with whom he formed an alliance last year on an immigration bill that stalled in Congress." [New York Times, 3/20/07]

"McCain can plead for amnesty from conservatives all he wants, but he's only proving that he's willing to do anything to win and that voters can't trust him," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "McCain's lackluster poll numbers and his contradictions on every major issue confronting the American people not only show that the 'straight talk express' is stuck in reverse, but that McCain's just not electable."

IMMIGRATION LATEST VICTIM OF DO-ANYTHING-TO-WIN CAMPAIGN

McCain Said He Would Consider Reconsider Position on Immigration. "As he left Iowa, Mr. McCain said he was reconsidering his views on how the immigration law might be changed. He said he was open to legislation that would require people who came to the United States illegally to return home before applying for citizenship, a measure proposed by Representative Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana. Mr. McCain has previously favored legislation that would allow most illegal immigrants to become citizens without leaving the country." [New York Times, 3/20/07]

McCain Distancing Himself from Kennedy on Immigration. "Mr. McCain, for example, appeared to distance himself from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat with whom he formed an alliance last year on an immigration bill that stalled in Congress." [New York Times, 3/20/07]

CONSERVATIVES DEMANDED MCCAIN ABANDON "SHAMNESTY" PLAN, CONFRONTED MCCAIN IN EARLY PRIMARY STATES

Conservatives Derided McCain-Kennedy Immigration Plan as "Shamnesty". Conservative political writer Tom Bevan wrote that McCain's stance on immigration reform made no sense if he was trying to win conservative votes. Bevan wrote, "Many conservatives have long since deemed McCain's immigration

proposal 'shamnesty,' a derisive term meant to conjure up unfavorable comparisons with the dreaded Simpson-Mazzoli bill of 1986." Bevan added that "if McCain is really concerned about conservatives staying home in November, how can he think that passing a comprehensive immigration bill, opposed by large numbers of conservative activists in districts all over the country, is something that will help improve Republican prospects? It makes little sense." [foxnews.com, 7/30/06]

McCain Faced "Pointed And Sometimes Hostile" Questions About His Immigration Plan In Concord, NH. At a reception in Concord, McCain faced questions that were "pointed and sometimes hostile" on his immigration plan. McCain's efforts "to persuade skeptics" only created more friction and "prompted more and sometimes heated questions." When he asked that those who disagreed with him speak up, "people did," including one who complained of lower wages and said: 'A criminal is a criminal.'" All of the disagreement was not vocal against McCain, as supporters "stood toward the back of the room, clearly unhappy about McCain's view." [Washington Post, 4/9/06; Union Leader, 4/8/06; Hartford Courant, 4/12/06]

Conservatives In Keene, NH Expressed A "Seething" Anger Towards McCain's Immigration Plan. In Keene, McCain faced opposition from "conservatives expressing a seething.anger over McCain's stance on immigration," such as when one attendee who declared, "There's no job an American can't or won't do." Another said, 'they should all be thrown out. No amnesty, no exception." [American Spectator, 4/11/06; Hartford Courant, 4/12/06]

McCain 2000 NH Supporters Questioned His Immigration Plan. On his first trip to New Hampshire since 2004, McCain faced skepticism from his earlier supporters about his immigration plan. Ron Dupuis, who supported McCain in 2000, asked of McCain, "don't we have to enforce the laws we already have?" Dupuis also said "he'd prefer to see the borders closed immediately." Allan and Elizabeth Bloomquist, also McCain supporters in 2000, said they weren't concerned about McCain shifting to the right, but "that he and Ted Kennedy [were] co-sponsoring that new immigration bill," about which Mr. Bloomquist said, "I'm not sure I agree with that." [AP, 4/8/06; Union Leader, 4/5/06]

McCain Was Protested In South Carolina For Immigration. When John McCain visited South Carolina to raise money for the state GOP in June 2006, he was met with conservative protesters angered by his stances on immigration and the confederate flag. The AP reported that "nearly 50 people joined the South Carolina chapter of the League of the South in picketing McCain's stop at the Lace House." Lourie Salley, the political director of the group, questioned McCain's stance on immigration, saying, "If our citizens didn't pay income tax, they'd go to jail. If an illegal immigrant does that, they get amnesty and citizenship." Salley continued, "I am surprised Governor Sanford would associate himself with John McCain." [AP, 6/30/06]

McCain Was Met By Protesters On Immigration In Florida And Arizona. At a book signing event by McCain in Palm Beach County, Florida, "about a dozen people protested McCain's co-authoring a recent Senate bill that would give some undocumented immigrants the opportunity to become legal residents." McCain was protested in his home state as well, where he held numerous town hall meetings with his constituents. The conservative backlash to McCain's immigration proposal reared its head when "McCain faced tough questions at a town hall meeting Thursday night [August 25, 2005] in Mesa, where conservatives accused him of going soft on illegal immigrants. 'No amnesty!' some shouted." At a town hall meeting in Tempe, "attendees didn't wait for the event to begin to ask their questions or share their thoughts. Protestors and admirers alike greeted McCain outside the Pyle Adult Recreation Center[.]" [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 4/10/06; AP, 8/27/05; Arizona Republic, 4/20/06]

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Contact: Luis Miranda (202) 863-8148

If 'Mc-Nobrain' mccain had anything but jello in that lump he calls his brain, he'd see that Americans didn't want the crappy Pence plan either!
Face it mccain, the only way you are going to get conservatives to go for your plan is if your immigration plan is similar to HR. 4437. We are not going to fall for anything short of that, and WE DO NOT WANT AN AMNESTY, AND WE WANT EMPLOYERS PUNISHED AND OUR BORDERS SEALED, AND THE LAW ENFORCED!!!

Senator, one would htink you might have received the message by now. The message is clear and simple: Americans DO NOT WANT AMNESTY!
Stop reading the gallup polls with your drunken loser buddy kennedy and start listening to the people!
Better yet, just quit the presidential race altogether. No one is going to believe you've seen the light and changed your views on immigration.

I was in the car listening to the radio today and I believe Rush was talking about this article or a similar one and doing his dead on impersonation of McCain and at the end, he said, "God bless the people of Iowa, but Hells Bells, are telling me that he didn't know how people feel about illegal immigration?"

Then, Dick Morris was on Hannity and they were discussing the implosion of McCain's campaign and I was waiting for Morris to say Iraq, but he said McCain was going down because of his plan for CIR and alignment with Ted Kennedy on the issue. He also said he's trying to change to the Pence plan but nobody's going to believe him.

We don't want the Pence plan either. It really gives amnesty just makes the american people pay for the illegals to return to their home countries and then we must pay for them to come back. What a waste of american taxpayer funds.

Beckyal wrote:

We don't want the Pence plan either. It really gives amnesty just makes the american people pay for the illegals to return to their home countries and then we must pay for them to come back. What a waste of american taxpayer funds.

I just emailed McCain at info@ExploreMcCain.com and told him what we want--thought I'd help him along with his next new plan.