Thread: Obama Defends Driver's Licenses for Illegals in Interview wi

Obama Defends Driver's Licenses for Illegals in Interview with ABC News


February 02, 2008 1:57 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told ABC's David Muir Saturday that his support for driver's licenses for illegal immigrants will not block his path to the White House because he and G.O.P. frontrunner John McCain share substantial overlap on immigration.

"I think they will pounce on any issue that has to do with immigration," said Obama, referring to Republicans, "but my position has been very similar to John McCain's, who's may be the likely Republican nominee, and if he wants to try to parse out this one issue of driver's licenses, an issue of public safety, my response is that we have to solve the overall problem and this driver's license issue is a distraction."

McCain does not support driver's licenses for illegal immigrants but he shares Obama's support for giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship without requiring them to leave the United States.

Obama defended his stance on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants on the same day that La Opinion, the nation's largest Spanish language newspaper, cited his support for licenses -- and Sen. Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., opposition -- in its endorsement of Obama.

"We were disappointed with her calculated opposition to driver's licenses for the undocumented, which contrasts markedly from the forceful argument in support made by Obama," wrote La Opinion's editorial board. "We understand that this is an extremely controversial issue but we believe there is only one right position and it is that of the senator from Illinois."

While Obama's position on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants helped him win the endorsement of La Opinion, Republican Party officials believe that it could become a lightening rod in the general election.

"With positions like this, it's easy to understand how Obama is labeled as 'most liberal' Senator," said Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant, referring to a study of 2007 votes by National Journal magazine. "It's a position that may appeal to the left-wing, but the vast majority of Americans reject. There's no question it may help in some primaries, but it'll hurt him in the general. To the degree that immigration will be an issue this fall -- and it will be -- so will Obama's unpopular stance on drivers' licenses."

Asked about the Republican criticism which is already being directed at him, Obama said, "Well, I'm sure that the Republicans will try to make immigration an issue because they've been talking about it in political terms instead of trying to solve the problem. But I've been very clear working with John McCain and Ted Kennedy and others that we have to have a comprehensive reform package and if we are doing what we need to do to control the borders, if we are doing what we need to do in cracking down on employers who are hiring undocumented workers and undermining U.S. workers then we shouldn't have a problem with driver's licenses because we will have legal workers here in this country as opposed to illegal ones."

"So, I'm interested," he continued, "in solving the problem, not perpetuating the sort of political football we've been seeing out here."

During his interview with ABC News, Obama also brushed off the suggestion that his recent endorsement from MoveOn.org, the liberal anti-war organization, could undermine his centrist image.

"Well, David, I'm hearing this theme of Republicans suggesting that I'm too liberal, keep in mind that it was only last week that I was a follower of Ronald Reagan," said Obama, referring to criticism recently directed at him by Clinton for comments he made about the former president to a Nevada newspaper. "This is the politics of the past, where folks are trying to parse out and figure out who's Left and who's Right. I'm interested in solving problems, that's what I think the American people are interested in, they want to get past these old ideological arguments that dominated so much of our politics over the last 20 years."

"They want to see problems solved," he continued, "how do we keep people in their homes, how do we make sure that they get jobs that pay a living wage, how do we make sure that everyone has health care, how can kids go to college. If we're focused on those issues then I think we'll do just fine."

"Look," he added, "we're here in Idaho, considered perhaps the Reddest state in the country where the last time out you had 5,000 Democrats participating in a caucus, we had 13,000 people in an arena, just a few moments ago. So, I think it gives you an indication people are interested in looking to the future and not getting into these same old divisive arguments."

The interview will air Saturday on ABC's "World News".

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar ... nds-d.html

""I think they will pounce on any issue that has to do with immigration," said Obama, referring to Republicans, "but my position has been very similar to John McCain's,"

This should scare people to death

In the debate the other night his defense was that 'we do not want a bunch of hit and run drivers who will not report an accident'.This means that because an illegal has a license he will comply with the law?No laws will be passed checking immigration statis of drunk drivers because illegals will leave scene license or no license?Having drunk driving laws at all will hurt people cause drunks going to jail will split up families?Obama has decided laws on deporting illegals is wrong and a bad law so he will order non-enforcement?Hillary, however had a different view.If we give licenses to illegals it will be easy for government to track them down and deport.These were not her exact words but unless your IQ is below 30 you know this is what she meant.

an issue of public safety,

Always assuming they will buy insurance etc. I talked to my insurance agency and they said it would be the worst move ever. Seems it's the same issue they had in Florida....get it and then just simply cancle it once you get your papers. Takes months for them to catch-up and once you know the game you just sign up and cancle again......Heck I could save over a thousand a year if I wanted to do that. Do a civil law suit and you get nothing. Can't get any financial reimbursement when there's no assets. Maybe they get a fine and small jail time and the state gets fines but the victim is the one who pays.......where's the public safety in that? My sister was killed.....it came to sueing the parents...so much time elapsed they just got divorced and declared bankrupcy......no real penalty when there's that many outs. They didn't get enough "reward" to even bury her, even though the guy was guilty. Forget the others who lived with permenant disabilities....... When the penalty is cheaper than the fine.....it's all in risk management.

They do that everyday in the stockmarket....don't risk what you can't afford to loose. When the loss is a better deal than the risk.....why bother going by the rules?

DHolmes7, I could be wrong but thought Hillary said this AM they shouldn't have licenses since they shouldn't be here in the first place.

A couple of years ago we changed insurance companies in the middle of our policy. The new company didn't send info to DMV. We got letters from DMV that I took to insurance company. Next thing I know, we're getting letters saying DO NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

What would illegals do if they got these kinds of letters?

Hillary, however had a different view.If we give licenses to illegals it will be easy for government to track them down and deport.These were not her exact words but unless your IQ is below 30 you know this is what she meant.

I don't have the same opinon of Hillary. I suspect she seeks to give all of them a "legal standing" in the USA. Consequently, they will need a driver's license to go to work. I believe she plans to prevent any type of enforcement against illegals. All of them will be given her permission to stay her, pending true legal status. True legal status could take decades. She's not about to deport them. She wants all of them to vote for her.

The country was furious when Spitzer wanted to give illegals DL's. Obama wants to do it and it seems like no one bats an eye lash. What's up with that?

Obama must be an IDIOT. If he gets the nomination and I was running against him, my only ad would be him announcing his support for drivers licenses for illegals.
Whew, when Gov. Spitzer from NY announced that, did the sparks fly! Heck, Democrats didn't even support him!!! They were close to going after Spitzer with torches and pitchforks.
Well, Obama will have the illegal vote.
I'm beginning to think he's not too bright.

Obama is a lawn jockey. Kennedy and all the liberal left elites are coming out supporting him why?? Any ideas? Maybe because they feel they (the elites) will be able to control him when he gets in office?? Hitlary is too loose of a cannon for them to control so Obama is their puppet. Obama and a majority of Dems controling the house and Senate...