Thread: McCain takes immigration stance

Posted on Fri, Nov. 02, 2007
McCain takes immigration stance
Lisa Fleisher

Sen. John McCain said Thursday he will vote against any issue related to immigration reform until the borders are secured - even if it's an issue he agrees with.

McCain, an Arizona Republican running for president, made the comments during an interview with the editorial board of The Sun News before he spoke before a full auditorium at Coastal Carolina University.

The immigration issue has dogged him across conservative South Carolina. McCain said a win in South Carolina is pivotal, and it would be "awfully hard" to win the nomination without winning the state.

He said his support for an attempt at immigration reform at the start of the summer was a "very hard blow" to his campaign.

"This immigration issue became white-hot, and people were truly frightened," he said. "I haven't changed my position, but I certainly understand the priority of the people, and that's secure the borders."

Last week, McCain skipped a Senate vote on immigration legislation called the DREAM Act - Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors. He then said he would have voted against the bill, even though he was a co-sponsor.

The act, essentially, would allow most people who had entered the United States before age 16 who have been in the country for five years to remain and apply for permanent residency.

"I think it has certain virtues associated with it," McCain said of the DREAM Act. "And I think other things have virtues associated with it. But the message is they want the borders secured first."

He said he even would vote against a temporary worker program, which he supports.

"I will vote against anything until we secure the borders," he said.

"There is no way we're going to enact piecemeal immigration reform."

A spokeswoman for Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who sponsored the DREAM Act, ripped McCain for his statements.

"Think about all the kids who are going to be deported in the next six months while he waits for comprehensive immigration reform that he knows is unlikely to pass the Senate," said the spokeswoman, Sandra Abrevaya.

To the editorial board and in front of around 270 people at CCU, McCain also said he supported President Bush's embattled nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey.

McCain said Mukasey believes waterboarding is "repugnant," that Mukasey was not briefed on the procedures because those are classified, and Mukasey does not think the president can disregard the law in a signing statement.

At CCU, McCain discussed his support for choice in education and health care, among other things, and took questions from the audience.

"I appreciated the fact that he did address our future," said Jamie Dellisanti, 24, a CCU senior majoring in finance, though she noted that he probably was tailoring his speech to his student audience.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/politi ... 97111.html

Not good enough old man.. you are a fake and a fraud and I will not vote for you

this is the same freak that had his name ALL OVER AMNESTY LEGISLATION

take your corrupt (Keeting 5) OLD Dilapidated sneaky A$$ down here to Florida and play a couple rounds of Shuffle Board

We will make ANY President that Pushing Amnesty into an IRRELEVANT politician and end his or her corrupt car rear right after we stop any and all Amnesty pushes

What is truly sad is that many die hard Republicans will vote for McCain as the fiscally responsible candidate ignoring all the deficit spending under Reagan and Bush II, the junk bond debacle, the S&L implosion, the Enron energy scams, and now the sub-prime crisis. I really cannot understand their delusion which has lasted for decades.

AirborneSapper7 wrote:

What is truly sad is that many die hard Republicans will vote for McCain as the fiscally responsible candidate ignoring all the deficit spending under Reagan and Bush II, the junk bond debacle, the S&L implosion, the Enron energy scams, and now the sub-prime crisis. I really cannot understand their delusion which has lasted for decades.

Choose your poison, Obama or McCain. Of course you are free to choose the alternative which is to make your vote obselete (IMO).

From NW: "Choose your poison, Obama or McCain. Of course you are free to choose the alternative which is to make your vote obselete" (IMO).

I don't agree. Sometimes you have to lose to win. I want to see enough people jump ship to at least send some waves.

I have written for and received my Absentee Ballot. It will allow me to write in Chuck Baldwin... I wanted Ron Paul.. the Constitution's last hope, but he just endorsed Chuck.

If America can last four years, we cut our losses now and head in a new direction. I still use this analogy when expressing this dire situation:

Think of yourself in a bus heading at a high speed toward a huge cliff. It is at this point that you don't care who is driving....just jump.

Just when was the Dream Act up for vote...how did we miss this and I pray to GOD it did not pass!!

Last week, McCain skipped a Senate vote on immigration legislation called the DREAM Act - Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors. He then said he would have voted against the bill, even though he was a co-sponsor.

..."ACTION ALERT"... !!!!

CALL FAX AND E-MAIL THE SENATE NOW!!!...
THEY ARE TRYING TO PASS THE SAME BAIL OUT AND HAVE ATTACHED THE
" Alternative Minimum tax" as a little sweetener for votes,
in other wards they are using you and me to get this bill passed.
CALL THEM AND TELL THEM NO WAY!!!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopic-133968-days ... asc-0.html

I don't see where he says he will enforce our immigration laws.

Right tinybob. McCain is doing the political speak: secure the borders and then consider immigration reform, which I believe is legalize everyone here illegally, although he will not point blank say anything about not pushing legalization, although he is on record already for the failed McCain-Kennedy bill. I don't trust that this character has changed his stripes, just his dialog. Wish Lou Dobbs would be able to interview both him and Obama, but that would be a perfect world.

John McCain is a pathetic liar. He has had the power to secure our border with Mexico. He is an ARIZONA senator for crying out loud! A BORDER SENTAOR. McCain didnt do a damn thing to convence me.

Remember, this article is from November 2007, during the primary season when McCain was being pushed by Tancredo, Hunter, Romney etc., and just a few months after his mass amnesty scheme was defeated by the American people (and his campaign derailed).

If anything, based on his recent pathetic pandering to La Raza, LULAC etc., Amnesty John is backing off his (already fraudulent) claim to secure the border "first."

McCain wants mass amnesty, despite the vast majority of Americans who continue to oppose this. Should he be elected, McCain would likely quickly claim the border is secured (even though it won't be) so he could again try his mass amnesty push.