Voter challenges Romney on immigration
Voter challenges Romney on immigration
A weekend crammed with campaigning already is well underway in New Hampshire, which votes Tuesday in presidential primaries.
USA TODAY's David Jackson says Republican Mitt Romney faced some tough questioning at a town hall this morning in Derry. Here's his report:
A man who proclaimed himself a proud Irish immigrant drew cat-calls by asking "have you no shame?" when it comes to immigration policy. "Just remember they're human," the man said, as Romney supporters booed and one man shouted, "Shut up!"
Romney drew a distinction between legal and illegal immigration. The first has re-vitalized the country, he said, but the second has to be addressed because "respect for the rule of law" is a "fundamental principle" of a healthy society.
"I love legal immigration," Romney said. "But I want to end illegal immigration."
It's been a kind of frustrating morning for the former Massachusetts governor. The next questioner asked how tax cuts could help the lower and middle classes. Romney said they would keep the entire economy growing.
Update at 10:35 a.m. ET: Some good news for Romney, David says -- hs immigration inquisitor doesn't live in New Hampshire. His name is Ciaran Staunton, and he owns an Irish bar in New York. Here's more from David:
Staunton said he came to New Hampshire to ask Romney this question on behalf of his organization, the Irish Lobby For Immigration Reform. "His answer was disappointing," Staunton said, largely because Romney once said nice things about comprehensive immigration reform as pushed by the White House.
That plan would have provided a way for most illegal immigrants to apply for citizenship. Staunton said Romney is now "prostituting his soul" to appeal to anti-immigration voters.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/20 ... lenge.html
