Town hall meeting turns ugly for RINO Craig
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2006/0 ... news03.txt
Town hall meeting turns bitter
Posted: Tuesday, Aug 22, 2006 - 11:38:00 pm PDT
By MARC STEWART
Immigration a hot topic during Sen. Craig's visit to Coeur d'Alene
Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE -- This may be the last town hall meeting Sen. Larry Craig holds here.
The Republican faced a barrage of pointed questions about the U.S. immigration policies and the estimated 10 million illegal aliens in this country Tuesday night during a raucous debate that threatened to turn ugly.
"The reality is that there are 2.5 million jobs here that Americans won't do," Craig said. "You can't go door to door and force between 8 million and 10 million people to leave at gunpoint. For 20 years, immigration laws have failed. We know there's a problem and we're working on it. The first step is securing the border and we're doing that."
The Human Rights Education Institute became an ironic backdrop to a contentious discussion about illegal immigration as Craig struggled to maintain decorum and pleaded with people to listen to his answers. One woman interrupted Craig and said, "I am sick of listening to these lies," before walking out. A young man got up and left while yelling, "fear is a tool of control."
Of nearly 60 people in attendance, many wanted action, including immediate deportation. They said it was a crisis that was going to bankrupt the country and cited numerous examples of problems in Southern California, including drugs, rape, and gangs.
Some went so far as to say he wasn't doing his job to uphold and
protect the Constitution and has failed the citizens of Idaho.
Craig also held town hall meetings in Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint on Tuesday, however, his staff said those meetings were calm and respectful -- nothing like the scene in Coeur d'Alene.
Stan Hess, who is running against Denny Hague for a North Idaho College Board of Trustees seat, was at the epicenter of the hostility. He erupted with anger over the immigration issue. He screamed at Craig and the citizens, who tried to boo him down.
Then Hess confronted a woman and yelled at her only a few inches away from her face. Several people stood up to diffuse the confrontation. Craig's handlers said they were moments away from calling the police.
Hess, who also blasted NIC professor and longtime Human Rights advocate Tony Stewart, stormed out of the meeting.
Other topics of discussion included veteran benefits, same-sex marriage, America's dependency on oil and alternative energy options.
Craig's opening remarks referenced the War on Terror, but only one person brought up Iraq and it was the final question of the meeting.
Craig said he supported President Bush's efforts to bring democracy to the country.
"I am not giving the president carte blanche," Craig said. "But it's a long-term struggle. The leader of Iraq recently came to a joint session of Congress and asked us to stay."
