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Tancredo Drops White House Bid, Endorses Romney

December 20, 2007 4:16 PM

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Colorado Congressman and anti-illegal immigration crusader Tom Tancredo ended his bid for the GOP presidential nomination at a press conference in Des Moines, Iowa Thursday, after months of low poll numbers.

At the press conference, Tancredo said he would throw his support behind former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Tancredo had often attacked Romney on the campaign trail for being soft on amnesty. But Romney had toughened his position in recent months.

Tancredo's campaign sent supporters an e-mail message, in which the Congressman says he feels he successfully represented anti-illegal immigration sentiments and left his mark on the race -- pointing out that even Hillary Clinton was put "through hoops."

Tancredo said he chose to drop out now to make sure the most viable Republican wins the race.

"The presidential campaign has come down to less than a handful of viable candidates. Unfortunately several of them have abysmal records on immigration and can't be trusted to do what is needed to preserve this country if they're elected," Tancredo's message said.

"My fear is that if I were to stay in this race my votes could be the factor in handing victory to a pro-amnesty politician. Friends, we have done too much, come too far and the stakes are too high to play that hand. And so I am ending my presidential campaign," he added.

At the same time, he did not mention Romney in the message to supporters.

December 20, 2007 in Romney, Mitt, Tancredo, Tom, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (25) | TrackBack (0)

For Tancredo, What other "Major Announcement" Could It Be?

December 19, 2007 9:35 PM

ABC's Z. Byron Wolf Reports: The presidential campaign of Colorado Congressman and anti-illegal immigration crusader Tom Tancredo may be coming to a close. 'May be' because his campaign has scheduled a press conference in Des Moines for Tuesday to make a "major announcement" about his campaign.

Tancredo's press staff and inner circle were mum on the exact nature of the press conference. But without a significant bounce in the polls and less than a million dollars in fundraising in the last quarter for which candidates reported receipts, Tancredo's campaign would seem to have stalled. The first primary votes are cast (or in this case voters will caucus) in Iowa on January 3rd.

Really there are only two really "major" announcements about one's Presidential campaign: that is starting and that it is ending.

Even if he pulls out of the race, Tancredo can claim to have left an indelible mark on the campaign. His bid seemed at points to hit a populist nerve in conservative Republican ranks and as Congress debated comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants earlier this year, Tancredo parlayed his anti-amnesty crusade into millions of dollars in fundraising for his Presidential campaign and his Political Action Committee, which is called Team America.

Tancredo arguably drew the entire Republican field to the right on the issue of immigration. After former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani sparred at the CNN/YouTube debate in Florida over who was tougher on illegal immigration in their moderate Republican in a blue-state or city former lives, Tancredo was able to beam on national television that they were trying to "out Tancredo Tancredo."

But as candidates with more money and traction in the polls moved into his territory on the immigration and amnesty issues, it has left little room for Tancredo to develop more of a following.

Tancredo would become the fourth announced Republican presidential candidate to end his bid for the White House. Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore stepped out of the race even before the summer and has since launched a U.S. Senate bid, former HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson ended his bid after a poor showing at the Iowa Straw Poll in August and Sen. Sam Brownback R-Kans., was the last GOPer to end his candidacy.

Two announced Democratic candidates have dropped out of the race -- former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh.

December 19, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

Obama: Ol' Mitt Has Gall for Running Ads About Illegal Immigrants

December 14, 2007 7:08 AM

ABC's Sunlen Miller Reports: Barack Obama scoffed at Republican Mitt Romney last night for having "the gall to be running all these ads about illegal immigrants” when illegal immigrants were taking care of his lawn.

The Democrat's sarcasm came out when he was asked by fifth grader Beau Bowman in  Maquoketa, Iowa, “When you’re elected president, what if like the illegal immigrants start to take action and start bombing and stuff?”

Bowman didn’t even finish his question before Obama interrupted. “Wow,” he said in astonishment.

Obama proceded to give Bowman a social sciences lesson, explaining “Immigrants are coming into the country and not blowing things up. They are usually working in meat packing plants, or working in restaurants or working in agriculture, picking vegetables...”

Someone in the crowd yelled “Mitt Romney,” and Obama had his straight line.

“Yeah, they are mowing Mitt Romney’s yard. I forgot about ol' Mitt, who’s got the gall to running all these ads about illegal immigrants.”

The crowd roared in laughter but Obama stopped himself there and went on. “We’ve got a problem with terrorists who are trying to kill us… That’s a separate problem from immigrants,” Obama assured Bowman.

It's possible Bowman's question may have been inspired by a recent ad by another Republican, Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo.

Tancredo's ad argues that there are consequences beyond job losses to open borders. It then shows an immigrant with a backpack who detonates a bomb. The ad includes graphic images of carnage from terrorist bombings around the world.

Illegal immigration has been one of the hottest button issues in the Iowa campaign.

ABC's Teddy Davis contributed to this report.

December 14, 2007 in Obama, Barack, Romney, Mitt, Tancredo, Tom, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (40) | TrackBack (0)