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Huckabee: Watch Out for Pakistani Illegals
December 28, 2007 12:57 PM
ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: At "Meet Mike Huckabee" event Friday morning in Pella, Iowa, the former Arkansas governor and surprising leader in Iowa clarified comments he made Thursday night suggesting that, in the wake of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, the U.S. be on the look out for illegal immigrants from Pakistan attempting to cross our borders.
"In light of what happened in Pakistan yesterday, it's interesting that there were more Pakistanis who illegally crossed the border than of any other nationality except for those immediately south of our border, 660 last year form Pakistan who came into our country illegally because we don't have secure borders," Huckabee told reporters at the Pizza Ranch in a town that has probably supplied one the windows in your home or office.
During a media availability after the event, one reporter suggested the comments might be seen as "ethnic bating."
Huckabee replied, "When I say single them out I'm making the observation that we have more Pakistani illegals coming across our border than of all other nationalities except those immediately south of the border. And in light of what’s happening in Pakistan, it ought to give us pause as to why are so many illegals coming across these borders."
The governor claims his figure -- 660 Pakistani illegals crossing the border last year -- are from CIA and Immigration reports.
"I'm just saying a lot of Americans sitting in Pella, Iowa, maybe look halfway around the world and say, 'How does that effect me?' And so the way that it effects them is that we need to understand that violence and terror is significant when it happens in Pakistan, it's more significant when it can happen in our own cities, and it happens if people can slip across our border and we have no control over them," Huckabee claimed.
"That's exactly how it can effect us, and if we don't understand that the fact is the immigration issue is not so much about people coming across to pick lettuce or make beds its about people who can come with a shoulder fired missile and can do serious damage and harm to us."
On the broader topic of his foreign policy experience, Huckabee has offered a list of advisors of late that he has met with concerning foreign policy issues.
The list includes, but is not limited to Richard Haas, John Bolton, Newt Gingrich, Ken Allard, in addition to various retired and active military personnel.
What is your reaction to Benazir Bhutto's death? How do you think this incident will influence Pakistan's future? Click here to talk back and join the debate.
And for all the day's politics -- what's happening in Iowa, New Hampshire, and the entire 2008 campaign trail -- read The Note every morning.
December 28, 2007 in Giuliani, Rudy, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (66)
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ABC needs to get new reporters or editors .
He is talking about criminals and you or calling it a race issue.
How stupid do you think the American people are,
Posted by: carlton corbin | Dec 28, 2007 1:39:57 PM
We need to shut the borders down...period.But this clown is the the guy who will do it..He is just sucking for one more vote..He will say and do any thing for a vote.
Posted by: Joe MUrphy | Dec 28, 2007 1:55:49 PM
The verb you twice transcribed from Huckabee quote as "effect" is actually "affect". Quick definitions: "to effect" : "to bring about". "to affect": "to make a difference to". I'm sure Huckabee had the second meaning in mind. Thanks in advance for correcting your error.
Posted by: Spelling purist | Dec 28, 2007 2:02:30 PM
.
FREE TUITION FOR ILLEGALS - Huck before his flip.
QUESTION: What do a Radical, Islamic Muslin Jihadist and a Right-Wing American Evangelical Fanatic have in common?
ANSWER: They BOTH strongly support and religiously follow Mike Huckabee's statement that "a wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband".
I have no doubt that Huck will bring these two groups together.
Any woman with a brain and a sense of free will should be afraid - very afraid - of this Neanderthal.
.
Posted by: ALEX H. | Dec 28, 2007 2:03:43 PM
Take a hike, Mike. Huckabee is a huckster who supported illegal immigrants, but flip flopped like a fish on the beach when he runs for the presidency. Ron Paul is the most consistent and constitutional candidate for president. Vote for constitutional change. Vote for Ron Paul.
Posted by: David | Dec 28, 2007 2:03:45 PM
This is another example of a politician (Cheney is a great one at this) saying something false and then the news cycle moves on to another topic. If they do get called on it and have to retract the statement, less people are paying attention and still the original remarks are remembered as fact.
Posted by: TSnow27604 | Dec 28, 2007 2:11:36 PM
Pakistanis are not a race or an ethnic group. They are a nationality. But the news media doesn't care about distinctions like that when they can smear a Republican.
Posted by: Neo Politicus | Dec 28, 2007 2:12:13 PM
Don’t the Pakistani people have enough trouble right now without having one our our most prominent presidential candidates pointing a sanctimonious finger at them? Is this Huckaboy’s idea of Christian charity? How could anyone seriously think of putting this imbecile in the White House?
Posted by: rembrant | Dec 28, 2007 2:15:51 PM
A knee jerk reaction. Most of the 911 terrorist were Saudis. So what do we do? Forget about them now and watch Pakastanis. Is this the kind of President he will be? A series of knee jerks with no vision.
Posted by: ken | Dec 28, 2007 2:16:17 PM
Just when I was starting to like Mike Huckabee.. I find out he's being advised by the same "foreign policy" neocon trash, Bolton and Haas, that instigated the Bush into the war in Iraq! I'm counting down the days till Bush is out of office (and yes, I voted for him - TWICE!) and am surely not going to vote for his clone! Huckabee needs to find some new foreign policy experts... some that belive in diplomacy first - not bombs.
Posted by: dena | Dec 28, 2007 2:22:30 PM
Huckabee is a disaster waiting to happen.
He dosen't even have a theological degree.
Posted by: John | Dec 28, 2007 2:31:47 PM
dena said, "Just when I was starting to like Mike Huckabee.. I find out he's being advised by the same "foreign policy" neocon trash, Bolton and Haas, that instigated the Bush into the war in Iraq!"
Dena -- it is actually worse than that. Giuliani and McCain are also advised by people of the same mindset. This is clearly an indication that the country needs to NOT elect any of those three candidates in 2008, lest we find ourselves mired in the same train-wreck foreign policy we've experienced during the past 8 years.
Posted by: Eric | Dec 28, 2007 2:33:21 PM
Besides the "affect/effect" mistake, the article's writer also misspells "baiting" (bating) and "from" (form). Maybe there are some illegal immigrants doing your spellchecking.
Posted by: Another Spelling Purist | Dec 28, 2007 2:47:53 PM
Well I guess someone didn't like having a link on here to the Dept of Homeland Security's website. The 2006 statistics of illegal immigrants and their country of origin breaks down like this. Starting with the most: Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Philippines, Honduras, India, Korea, Brazil, China, Vietnam, and "Other Countries." "Immediately south of our border" to me means Mexico but let's throw in the other Central and South American countries. That still leaves quite a few. And the numbers you ask? Brazil was 8th on the list and averaged an estimated 18,333 per year over the past 7 years. That's quite a few more than 660. Play nice Mike.
Posted by: TSnow27604 | Dec 28, 2007 2:52:11 PM
This has racism spelled all over it. If he is concerned about Pakistani's coming across the border, he should focus on CANADA....not Mexico. Its much easier for Pakistani nationals, as members of the British Commonwealth to enter Canada. Huckabee is being unrealistic in protecting this nation and these comments are why he cannot lead us.
He is trying to appeal to the angry white voter in an attempt to preserve the US WHITE Heritage and Culture and using security concerns as the justification for it.
Posted by: scott jeffries | Dec 28, 2007 2:56:00 PM
ABC News: Please change all 'effects' to 'affects.' Thanks. 'Affect' is the verb (example: Dry air affects my sinuses), but 'effect' is a noun, used similar to 'result' (example: The effect of the drought was to reduce crops).
I know, I know; English is so hard as a second language, isn't it?!?
Posted by: Philip | Dec 28, 2007 2:58:15 PM
You whackjobs with your "Illegal" immigrant fixation are an insult to this country's immigrant legacy. After stealing the land from the natives, the USA's only redeaming quality has been the flow of immigrants who could come from anywhere.
But a few white folks can't handle that reality when it comes with a less than pink face that doesn't uphold their values.
Huckabee is pandering to your xenophobia and hatred, just like that blowhard Lou Dobbs does. You aren't focused on "illegals" you are focused on "others" not culturally like yourselves. Just like when the Irish arrived in NY and were treated as scum, Italians, and now Mexicans.
The history of America's racism is as known as its history of war and conquest.
Posted by: chris | Dec 28, 2007 2:58:35 PM
Hey -- anything to get headlines, I guess.
Posted by: bb | Dec 28, 2007 3:06:14 PM
A lot of people, maybe to many are jumping on the bandwagon and accusing Mike Huckabee of playing the race card.
I hope that before you jump on this particular bandwagon you look at some of the evidence. On 7/7 mass murder was perpertrated on London's transport network by three individuals of Pakistani descent and one Jamaican convert to Islam. The person accused of masterminding the plot to blow up aircraft over the Atlantic using liquid explosives is a Pakistani who recently escaped from custody in pakistan. An individual of pakistani descent was imprisoned in the UK recently for attempting a mass casualty event using over a ton of explosives.
Look at the evidence Pakistan is a hotbed of terrorist activity. The mastermind of 9/11 was arrested, you guessed it, in Pakistan. Richard Pearl was murdered allegedly by a Briton of Pakistani descent.
Mike Huckabee is merely stating what we should all be thinking. Rightly America should be concerned with Arabs infiltrating the US. The US Government has closed the loopholes used by the 9/11 hijackers to enter the US.
Don't you think Al Qaeda realises this? and will use other nationalities if it can?
Posted by: Chris Linthwaite | Dec 28, 2007 3:09:09 PM
Should Huckabee get the Republican nomination, the Democrats would get religion, he being the answer to their prayers. In his 1992 contest with Dale Bumpers, Huckabee used campaign funds to pay himself as his own media consultant. Other payments were given to his babysitter. In 1994, he set up the Action America group so he could give speeches for money without having to disclose the names of his benefactors. He failed to report that campaign travel payments were used to finance the use of his own personal plane. He converted a governor's mansion operating account into a personal expense account, claiming public money for a doghouse, dry-cleaning bills, panty hose and meals at Taco Bell. Inauguration funds were used to buy clothing for his wife. Friends of his and his wife set up a wedding registry three decades after their wedding so their new home could be stocked with gifts of linens, toasters and other items. He was sanctioned five times by the Arkansas Ethics Commission. The Democrats will have a field day with this guy as the Republican nominee for President.
Posted by: Jacktar7 | Dec 28, 2007 3:15:50 PM
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