Thread: Obama overstates his role on immigration

Obama overstates his role on immigration
ANALYSIS | But McCain deserves credit for going out on a limb to forge bipartisan deal

July 12, 2008

BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Columnist

WASHINGTON -- No matter if you are—or are not — voting for presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), he deserves credit for trying to forge a bipartisan deal on immigration in 2005 and 2006 at great personal political risk, a situation unfamiliar to rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)

McCain put his comeback presidential bid in peril because of his leadership role with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) to find a path for millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S.

The Kennedy-McCain legislation stalled in 2006, because the hardline pro- and anti-immigration forces preferred the status quo to a compromise. Another try in 2007 — in a bill backed by McCain and Obama — also failed.

McCain and Obama, wooing Hispanic voters, each has madeclear in recent appearances before the National Association of Latino Elected Officials and the League of United Latino American Citizens a few days ago that he would make immigration reform — and legalizing the status of millions of illegal immigrants — a priority if elected president. I expect each to send the same message at the upcoming National Council of La Raza conference in San Diego, where Obama speaks Sunday and McCain on Monday.

In the meantime, Obama on the campaign trail inflates his leadership role — casting himself as someone who could figure out how to get something done. Obama “did not absolutely stand out in any way,’’ said Margaret Sands Orchowski, the author of “Immigration and the American Dream: Battling the Political Hype and Hysteria,â€

LOL, I never even HEARD of Obama until the campaigns started! I remember the jokes about John Edwards being "wet behind the years", in that case Obama's still in diapers!

When he talks, WHAT is he saying? Where does he stand on the issues? Can't stand on both sides, which he tries to do. Cut the crap Obama and tell us what YOU think. We don't want to know what your wife thinks, she's of no importance. We already know what your long-time pastor thinks.

The Kennedy-McCain legislation stalled in 2006, because the hardline pro- and anti-immigration forces preferred the status quo to a compromise.

Actually, the so-called anti-ILLEGAL immigrant forces preferred enforcement of our current laws! In my book that is not the same as preferring the "status quo" because across the board enforcement wasn't happening (still isn't).