Thread: McCain, Huckabee Talking Tough on Immigration

McCain, Huckabee Talking Tough on Immigration

Posted by Bobby Eberle
January 17, 2008 at 7:20 am

As the GOP candidates continue their push for the presidential nomination, the issues in focus have changed. In Michigan, it was the economy. Now that the candidates have moved to Nevada and South Carolina, immigration is playing a more important role.

Talking about improving immigration laws and border security are vitally important. It's an issue Americans care deeply about, and it's one upon which the Republican field of candidates will be judged. Many are now talking tough, but talk is cheap, and what America needs is a president who will actually do something about the illegal immigration problem.


In South Carolina, the rhetoric is heated, and the candidates are making a bee-line to the right in order to attract conservative votes. However, I can only roll my eyes and shake my head when I hear candidates such as John McCain and Mike Huckabee talk tough on immigration. These two candidates have dismal records on the issue, and yet they are making "promises" left and right. Promises are one thing.... a record is something else.

As reported in the Washington Times, Mike Huckabee signed a pledge on Wednesday "to enforce immigration laws and to make all illegal aliens go home."

The pledge, offered by immigration control advocacy group Numbers USA, commits Mr. Huckabee to oppose a new path to citizenship for current illegal aliens and to cut the number of illegal aliens already in the country through attrition by law enforcement -- something Mr. Huckabee said he will achieve through his nine-point immigration plan.

"Some would say it's a tough plan. It is, but it's also fair and reasonable," Mr. Huckabee said.

Numbers USA has done an outstanding job of raising awareness of the illegal immigration problem and lobbying Congress to do the right thing. Their pledge is a great idea. However, voters should not be swayed by candidates suddenly "seeing the light" in the heat of a campaign when they have records which are completely counter to the concepts of border security and enforcing immigration laws.

Huckabee signed the pledge with Numbers USA Executive Director Roy Beck as an effort to reduce the barrage of criticism on his weak immigration record.

It's a major reversal from less than two months ago, when Mr. Beck told The Washington Times that Mr. Huckabee was "an absolute disaster" on immigration during his time as governor. Americans for Better Immigration, another group Mr. Beck runs, has rated Mr. Huckabee's record as "poor."

Mr. Huckabee fought for tuition breaks for illegal-alien college students, failed to complete an agreement to let state police enforce federal immigration law and criticized enforcement efforts both at the federal and state level.

McCain, who has not signed the pledge, has said he has "gotten the message" on immigration following its defeat in the Senate. I hardly believe it. This is the senator who teamed up with Edward Kennedy to push Americans to accept amnesty. Did he "get the message" when GOPUSA, Numbers USA, and grassroots Americans around the country flooded Congress with calls, faxes, and e-mails? No. If you recall, the bill didn't die at first... it simply went to sleep for a while until they tried again.

McCain pushed and pushed, but the American people would not be swayed. Now, during the campaign for president of the United States, he has "gotten the message?" You be the judge.

http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=645

Here is my take on it

If McCain has really "gotten it" he will sign the pledge

Of course then Beck would have to give him an excellent rating also

This stuff is going to drive me nuts

The headline of this story is somewhat misleading, as the writer (to his credit) states this:

"I can only roll my eyes and shake my head when I hear candidates such as John McCain and Mike Huckabee talk tough on immigration."

And this:

"McCain, who has not signed the pledge, has said he has "gotten the message" on immigration following its defeat in the Senate. I hardly believe it."