Thread: Tancredo Talks About 'Other' Issues In Debate

Tancredo Talks About 'Other' Issues In Debate

Terry Jessup
Reporting
May 16, 2007
(CBS4) DENVER Rep. Tom Tancredo is trying to prove to voters his platform includes more than immigration reform. Recent polls give the Republican from Littleton the support of only 1 percent of Republicans, but he said hoped he scored some points in a debate held Tuesday night.

Tancredo told CBS4's Terry Jessup in a phone call from the House floor Wednesday he's been getting requests for interviews from all over the country following the debate.

The national spotlight gave him a chance to address several issues along with the nine other Republican candidates about reducing the national debt, the war in Iraq and his platform issue of illegal immigration reform.

"I think I did well and I believe it was a ten times better format than the previous one," Tancredo said.

In the previous debate, Tancredo had to wait 45 minutes to get his first question, a random one about organ transplants.

"I recognize that I'm not going to get as many questions as the top tier guys," Tancredo said. "That's where most of them went. At least, when I got a chance to say something, I felt that I could address the issue."

It was Tancredo's biggest national exposure yet to not talk just about illegal immigration.

"I think we have to understand that we are going to be in Iraq, or at least in the region for a long time, our national interest dictates that," Tancredo said while answering a question in the debate.

The 9-year congressman also said he believed some of the other candidates were trying to sound as conservative as he is.

Former Gov. Dick Lamm, the last Colorado politician who ran for president, said Tancredo is influencing the other candidates, especially on illegal immigration.

"Tom Tancredo is forcing their nose into this issue, and not allowing the other candidates to get away from this issue" Lamm said "Giuliani has very much modified this issue. Even John McCain, who has been pushing amnesty for years, is now saying he's not for amnesty."

"They know it's a huge issue, and they want to get it off their plate," Tancredo said. "All of them, especially a lot of the Democrats here in the House, they don't want it there when they're out on the road."

Tancredo said he'll stay in the race as long as he can, at least through the Iowa Straw Caucus. If he doesn't finish in the top half there, his campaign money will likely dry up and he might then be forced to drop out.

http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_136230112.html

Former Gov. Dick Lamm, the last Colorado politician who ran for president, said Tancredo is influencing the other candidates, especially on illegal immigration.

"Tom Tancredo is forcing their nose into this issue, and not allowing the other candidates to get away from this issue" Lamm said "Giuliani has very much modified this issue. Even John McCain, who has been pushing amnesty for years, is now saying he's not for amnesty."

I suspect this was Tancredo's goal all along and I think he is doing a swell job of it.

I believe that was his goal also...BUT LETS HIT A HOME RUN and TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!

TANCREDO FOR PRESIDENT!!