McCain says salesmanship needed in GOP on immigration
6/15/2007, 10:08 p.m. ET
By PHILLIP RAWLS
The Associated Press


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate John McCain, campaigning in Alabama on Friday, said he needs to do more salesmanship within his own party for a bipartisan immigration bill that could get another chance in the Senate.

Both of Alabama's Republican senators have opposed the legislation, with Sen. Jeff Sessions being out front in the fight against the bill.

McCain, the only Republican presidential candidate to side with President Bush in support of the bill, said "we need to do a little more salesmanship" among the Republican Party. But he said the Senate will be granting "defacto amnesty" to 12 million illegal immigrants if it doesn't act.

"We have to act to secure the border and account for these 12 million people who are here in this country illegally," he said while attending a state convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Later, speaking at a state Republican Party dinner, McCain began the salesmanship by encouraging Republicans to have a respectful dialogue "rather than accuse each other of a lack of patriotism."

The bill, which would strengthen border security before opening a path to legal status for illegal immigrants already in the country, appeared dead last week when it failed to reach the Senate floor for a vote. But Senate leaders said Thursday it could come up again as soon as next week.

"I support the president of the United States in trying to come up with a resolution to this issue and I think we have a good proposal," McCain said while attending a state convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

McCain also stood with the president on the troop surge in the war in Iraq.

"We've seen some progress in Iraq," McCain said, but he said more time is needed to prove the strategy will work.

Wayne Dial, who, like McCain, served in the Vietnam War, said he's still undecided about a candidate, but he likes McCain's position on the war.

"I'm convinced if we don't fight the war on terrorism on their territory, we are going to fight it here," the Air Force retiree from Talladega said.

Another Vietnam veteran, Air Force retiree Roy Coulter of Athens, said McCain's views on immigration aren't strong enough.

"As much as I like Sen. McCain and him being a veteran, I think he's a little outdated," Coulter said.

This is McCain's fourth trip to Alabama this year, more than any other presidential candidate.

"Alabama is the most patriotic state. Alabama's Guard and young people are serving in the military in large numbers. Alabama, in my view, is the strength of the Republican Party, as well," he said.

Polls conducted in April and May of likely Republican voters in Alabama showed McCain running about even with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or running a close second. That's better than he has finished in some national polls.

"He's picking up support. Part of it is he's spent so much time here," said state GOP Chairman Mike Hubbard, who hasn't endorsed a candidate.

David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama, said Alabama's early primary on Feb. 5 is important for McCain, even though some bigger states are scheduled the same day.

"If McCain survives the initial primaries, he has to show he has support among Christian conservatives and winning Alabama would send a strong message," Lanoue said.

He said McCain's support of the compromise immigration bill is unpopular with rank and file Republicans in Alabama. But he could do well in the state if Christian conservatives turn to him because they don't like Giuliani's pro-choice stance or the Mormon faith of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Lanoue said.

McCain originally planned the trip to Birmingham to speak to a state GOP dinner, but then he arrived early to attend the VFW convention just before TV evening newscasts. Lanoue called it a smart move.

"That's where he shines because he's the real thing," he said.

Later at the GOP dinner, before McCain spoke, the party chairman singled out state Senn. Charles Bishop, R-Jasper, who a week earlier hit a Democratic senator on the Senate floor, attracting international attention.

Bishop received a standing ovation from about half of the 575 people attending the dinner.


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