RECENT POSTS
- Oprah, Health Care Lobbyists, Among Recent Visitors to White House
- An Obama Thanksgiving Menu, with an Extra Serving of Pie
- White House Thanksgiving Traditions: Broken and Observed
- Obama, GOP Air Differences Over Jobs, Economy In Thanksgiving Addresses
- White House State Dinner Party Crashers
- Obama to Lay Out Emissions Goals in Copenhagen
- Free Bird
- The "Good" War
- The Presidential Planner
- Under the Stars, Obama Toasts India’s Prime Minister
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
McCain Double-Talk on Immigration?
June 20, 2008 12:26 PM
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., met Wednesday evening with Hispanic Republicans in Chicago.
In an Associated Press story about the meeting, one quote jumped out at me: "He's one John McCain in front of white Republicans. And he's a different John McCain in front of Hispanics," Rosanna Pulido, a Latina who heads the Illinois Minuteman Project, told the AP. "He's having his private meetings to rally Hispanics and to tell them what they want to hear," she said. "I'm outraged that he would reach out to me as a Hispanic but not as a conservative."
Pulido seemed to be in a rather interesting position to talk about McCain and immigration, so I gave her a call.
An advocate and escort for seniors professionally, Pulido told me that she's one of the original Minutemen who stood on the border between Arizona and Mexico in 2005 and she's also Illinois spokesperson for "You Don't Speak For Me, American Hispanics Speaking Out On Illegal Immigration."
Her parents were from Mexico, but she was born in the U.S. (She spent a year in Mexico in the 1980s as a Christian missionary.) Pulido says her activism against illegal immigration stems from her Christian belief system and sense of right and wrong, as well as the unmet needs she sees in the senior population through her work.
"What they're doing is stealing from the American people," she says of illegal immigrants.
Pulido found out about the McCain meeting from a local newspaper, the Beacon News. She called the McCain campaign contact and let them know where she stood on the issue of illegal immigration, but said as a conservative and a Hispanic, she wanted to attend the meeting. She was curious as to what McCain was going to say.
"I have friends in Washington, DC, on this issue," she says. "We've had conversations on this issue." After comprehensive immigration reform was killed in the Senate and McCain changed his rhetoric on the subject on the campaign trail, Pulido says, "we were hopeful after John McCain started saying, 'I understand where the American people are coming from, there's gotta be enforcement first,' we thought great, he's had a change of heart."
So she went to the meeting, a room full of 150-200 people. "Sure enough," Pulido says, "his mantra at the meeting was comprehensive immigration reform.' And there were cheers and applause whenever he mentioned comprehensive immigration reform."
"Then he said, 'I bet some of you don't know this -- did you know Spanish was spoken in Arizona before English?' And the crowd roared. I was appalled," Pulido said. "He was pandering to these people -- that's what they wanted to hear."
The meeting was jammed up because McCain had attended the Tim Russert funeral that day, and had a fundraiser to attend. He was about 45 minutes late, and only spoke for approximately 15 minutes, she recalls. Originally the plan was for him to take questions, but there didn't appear to be time, she said.
Which is just as well, as far as she was concerned. "The truth of the matter is, I was in the room with 150-to-200 people, and if I'd spoken out I would have been disruptive, which was not what I wanted to do."
"He was telling one group of people one thing and the Hispanics another," says Pulido. "I'm a conservative and I think he's throwing conservatives under the bus."
Pulido doesn't know who she will vote for and says she may not know until election day. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, is not an option. "I'd never ever vote for Barack Obama," she says. "He was an Illinois state senator and unlike the rest of the nation, I know who Barack Obama is, he's too liberal for me."
What she saw of John McCain Wednesday night, however, makes her inclined right now to support Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.
- jpt
UPDATE: Some posters have inquired about what McCain says that contradicts the message above. The Obama campaign on a conference call just now suggested it might be the January GOP debate at the Reagan Library where the following exchange took place. (You can watch it HERE.)
JANET HOOK, LA TIMES: Senator McCain, let me just take the issue to you, because you obviously have been very involved in it. During this campaign, you, like your rivals, have been putting the first priority, heaviest emphasis on border security. But your original immigration proposal back in 2006 was much broader and included a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were already here. What I'm wondering is -- and you seem to be downplaying that part. At this point, if your original proposal came to a vote on the Senate floor, would you vote for it?
MCCAIN: It won't. It won't. That's why we went through the debate...
HOOK: But if it did?
MCCAIN: No, I would not, because we know what the situation is today. The people want the border secured first. ...We will secure the borders first when I am president of the United States. I know how to do that. I come from a border state, where we know about building walls, and vehicle barriers, and sensors, and all of the things necessary. I will have the border state governors certify the borders are secured. And then we will move onto the other aspects of this issue, probably as importantly as tamper-proof biometric documents, which then, unless an employer hires someone with those documents, that employer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And that will cause a lot of people to leave voluntarily. There's 2 million people who are here who have committed crimes. They have to be rounded up and deported. And we're all basically in agreement there are humanitarian situations. It varies with how long they've been here, et cetera, et cetera.
We are all committed to carrying out the mandate of the American people, which is a national security issue, which is securing the borders. That was part of the original proposal, but the American people didn't trust or have confidence in us that we would do it. So we now know we have to secure the borders first, and that is what needs to be done. That's what I'll do as president of the United States.
June 20, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (62)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Hispanics must vote for all Democrats representatives for the US Congress and for John McCain as president. McCain
will be a lame-duck president with no veto power that will have to compromise with a Democratic Congress.
Pass along Hispanics this option.
Posted by: 2bContinued | Jun 20, 2008 3:34:03 PM
I have a couple points I would like to make quickly:
(1) What about the Canadian border? Everyone makes a big stink about the Mexican border, but if it is really about security, and not about RACISM, then what we should be doing is building a wall at the Canadian border -- it is much longer and easier to cross illegally.
(2) There is no way that Hispanics are going to vote for a Republican this year. They have seen enough from the Bush administration, who was supposed to be friendly to them, to know that Republicans are wolves in sheeps' clothing.
Posted by: KH in Houston | Jun 20, 2008 3:33:39 PM
Zeezil -Right on. Sometimes you gotta take care of your own backyard with fences.
Posted by: kat | Jun 20, 2008 3:20:12 PM
DR- I'm in agreement. McCain is not the real McCane. That's because he got too busy pandering to too many people and interests. You can't apply either maverick or centrist to him these days. Sometimes it's like he's become a blank screen even unto himself.
Posted by: kat | Jun 20, 2008 2:43:48 PM
Flip Flop Hippity Hop, another lame excuse for a politician drops. who cares what mccain thinks, who cares what obama thinks, the only one that should matter is what America thinks and Americans think that julio and pedro need to come to America via the proper channels and not scampering through the underbrush or swimming the Rio Grande on a makeshift pontoon. Now Legal Immigration is alright by Mr and Mrs America but those who enter illegally and flaunt their lawlessness should be hunted down, imprisoned, deported UNLESS they are drug runners/traffickers. Then we get to execute them on the 6 O'clock news. Yee Haa
Posted by: Judasme | Jun 20, 2008 2:38:24 PM
It all comes down to whether or not you think we should continue the bush policies. If you think the war should continue indefinitely, while we spend $10,000,000,000 a month, and you think that bush has done well with the economy then mc-more-war is your man. If you think that it's time we start to get out of iraq and do some positive things for the average American instead of just the top 5% then vote for Obama.
Posted by: pt | Jun 20, 2008 2:06:32 PM
One thing in particular Ms. Pulido said that was quite disingenuous, "I have friends in Washington, DC, on this issue."
She actually has an employer in Washington DC that she failed to disclose.
Pulido is a field staffer for the controversial Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the oldest and most influential nativist organization in the country.
FAIR has continued to come under scrutiny for receiving more than $1.2 million from a white supremacist foundation and employing white nationalists.
Pulido herself has been widely condemned for anti-Catholic statements she’s made in Chicago.
Posted by: Devin Burghart | Jun 20, 2008 2:02:25 PM
MCCAIN does what ever he thinks will get him votes from who ever he thinks he can play. he is talking about how great hillary was but a few years before that he called her daughter ugly and called her a lesbian by making a joke about chelsea's father being a women. Then he outright said she was a great politician then laughed about him asking her to be his VP as though she was a joke! now he is talking about more women in top jobs? cause he wants hillary's votes for himself.. now he is playing head games with hispanics talking about spanish was in arizona before english. what does he have to do with that?
he has already attempted to pander to the religious right but they arent buying it...
Posted by: melissa | Jun 20, 2008 1:57:06 PM
Senator Obama will never be POTUS even with Nat Turner's support. Most rational and informed people believe as Jason does. Senator Obama has never told the complete truth about anything the first time and the dirty baggage he carrys around is starting to smell. Rezko, Ayers, Young, Sinclair, etc. He also beleives that drilling for supplies of oil and gas is wrong. He believes sending criminals back home is wrong. He believes give-aways to irresponsible people is right. Obama is so wrong.
Posted by: Mary | Jun 20, 2008 1:56:05 PM
What a waste of a vote. Pulido says her vote will definitely not be for Obama, and McCain has left a bad taste in her mouth, so she's voting for a Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party. Why bother voting?
Posted by: Sandra Johanson | Jun 20, 2008 1:52:48 PM
devin thank you.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 20, 2008 1:50:22 PM
off to class kat, will take this up later. have a nice day.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 20, 2008 1:47:00 PM
John McCain has an amnesty activist on his campaign payroll. What do you expect from a guy who runs a border state and suppports putting immigration officals in prison for doing their job. He is a Teddy Kennedy Republican. Ever hear of those, that's because anybody who gets his talking points and policy positions from Teddy Kennedy, sure AINT no Republican!!! He's a carpetbagger who married a rich heiress, and had her daddy bankroll his campaign for Senate. He's NO conservative. He's a Envro-Nazi, who is pro war, pro death and pro debt. And his idea of good economy is giving illegials your jobs, while he advises you to go under continual job retraining. For what little jobs are left after globalization and uncontrolled immigration plug up available jobs. And of course if you can't pay your college debt or credit card debt to MBNA, while working two minumim wage jobs; They can seize your assets and hound you until you die. And as for his health care plan, just pray you don't get sick! That's the REAL John McCain. Tyranny you can depend on!!!
Posted by: pity | Jun 20, 2008 1:43:50 PM
kat correct absolutely but spanish was spoken before english as well. kat don't twist the point.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 20, 2008 1:43:40 PM
Historically speaking, Navajo and other Indian languages, most lost, were spoken before both Spanish and English.
Posted by: kat | Jun 20, 2008 1:37:06 PM
John McCain is counting on a Democratic Congress to pass his egregious comprehensive immigration reforms, despite his tepid calls for securing the borders first. Both Republican RINO's and Democrats are complicit in this as its a win-win regardless of who wins the White House. I note that neither candidate is willing to accept the will of America's Citizens on the issue, preferring to count on who ever wins as some sort of "mandate" for CIR. Plain and simple, America's Citizens are focusing on taking back control of our government. The near revolt of America's Citizens who shouted down the egregious McCain/Kennedy CIR legislation, and virtually every other non-enforcement focused immigration reform legislation since, should serve to reflect the "true" public sentiment over this issue. So many complained that Obama stole the party primary Clinton, yet they fail to see the much more subservisive attempt by both parties to undermine the will of America's Citizens and force this dangerously misguided Comprehensive Immigration Reform down our throat. Worries over one candidate or the other losing the hispanic vote pale in comparison to the real negative consequences of America losing control of its government to foreign nationals.
Posted by: Ed Weirdness | Jun 20, 2008 1:31:23 PM
quoting a member of the minutemen project is a little desperate isn't it? the quip about 'spanish' being spoken in the southwest first is historically TRUE not pandering.
everything in this story is what mccain has said all along. i do not see a contradition. the only thing lacking in the story is the fact that mccain when speaking before WHITE republicans always reminds the white crowd that immigrants are children of GOd, and deserve to be treated humanely. i find it interesting jake that you forgot to add that.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 20, 2008 1:28:13 PM
OBAMA:
"When I hear John McCain say that he is now in favor of the same oil drilling off the coast that he was opposed to just a week ago," he said. "What he doesn't tell you is that George Bush's own Energy Department has said that this would have no impact on consumers until at 2030m -- 2030 no appreciable impact for the next 22 years, something they're not telling consumers. Imagine what we could do over the next 22 years in investing in completely transforming our transportation infrastructure. That's the kind of approach that I think all of us agree we need to take."
agreed, mccain wants to destroy amtrack
lol we need to think about reforming travel and blowing up amtrack is possibly the stupidest thing... well no i guess not were tlaking about mccain here, but in this kind of crisis having something like amtrack where its far more economical for poepel to travel this way, why would you destory it?
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 20, 2008 1:28:06 PM
Mccain has double talked so much hes been around the bases six or seven times... who even knows where he stands on any issue...
and then he has so many waffled policies that contradict other policies of his that your head really starts to spin...
for immigration against immigration, for drilling agianst drilling for drilling against anwr drilling, for environment doesnt care about the environment, for the veterans and our heros against our veterans and heros, against teh war for the war, the wars for oil no its not, yes it is, i meant the first war in iraq no i was talking about this one, against the bush tax cuts for the tax cuts, im a maverick no im a puppet, i voted for bush i didnt vote for bush no i voted for him.. maybe, hillary was treated unfairly by the media no i never said that oh theres a tape yes i did say that, i know nothing about hte economy i never said i know nothing i am giving out mccain bucks for paid bloggers on my site tahts economic, drilling will do nothing for gas prices yes it will dos omething for gas prices, i differ from bush on almost every major thing even though i voted with him 95% of the time, I want to save the everglades i voted against saving them, i voted for new orleans and katrina victims except when i voted against them on every single measure 2 for levy reform and three times for aid
i mean... the list goes on
FLIPPPPPPP
FLOPPPPPP
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 20, 2008 1:23:20 PM
It's funny that McCain's camp is hammering Obama today about his flip flopping on public financing yet McCain is flip flopping on immigration.
I guess we are indeed on the double talk express.
Posted by: Janey | Jun 20, 2008 1:19:43 PM
Post a comment
