I'd like to see what this article held back from us by being so PC! Go Iowa!!!


McCain surprised by Iowans' strong immigrant views
By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette
james.lynch@gazettecommunications.com


CEDAR RAPIDS - Iowans' strongly held views on immigration have surprised Sen. John McCain, who is campaigning across Iowa this week for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

"People have very, very strong feelings about immigration," the Arizona Republican said aboard his campaign bus, dubbed the Straight Talk Express, prior to a town hall meeting in Cedar Falls Friday.

His answers at town hall meetings on his three-day visit to Iowa this week haven't always satisfied his GOP audiences, which tend to take a harder line on border security and immigration than the legislation McCain is working on in concert with Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.

His plan would create a temporary worker program for unskilled workers, promote working with other countries to provide incentives for illegal immigrants to return to their home countries, enable illegal immigrants to apply for permanent legal status after paying back taxes and a fine of at least $2,000, and completing a six year temporary worker program. Immigrants would have to learn English and pass a background check.

McCain also supports efforts to improve border security with new technology, information sharing.

It's an education process, McCain said.

"When I explain (my plan) to them, they accept -- or at least consider my view," he said. "We're working to make it better. It didn't pass last time, so we have to make it better."

The prospects for passage are better, too, he said.

"I think we have a real shot," McCain said. "The president is heavily engaged. He wasn't last time. More Republicans are engaged. Democrats are engaged."

McCain, who along with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is among the front-runners in Iowa, expects to spend "a lot" of time in the state, especially now that California has moved its
primary up to Feb. 5, which is now being referred to as "Tsunami Tuesday."

It's likely the party's nominee will be determined by early February, and that increases the importance of the Iowa caucuses and primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina, McCain said.

It's also likely, he added, the eventual winner of the nomination might lose one of those contests.

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