Posted on 03/30/2007 9:09:25 AM PDT by John Jorsett
WASHINGTON (AP) - Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, an outspoken opponent of illegal immigration, will announce his bid for president on Monday.
Tancredo will kick off campaign with an announcement in Iowa, where political caucuses start whose the presidential nominating season, an official close to the congressman said.
Tancredo has flirted with a presidential bid for more than a year and began raising money for the effort in January. After taking in more than $1 million in two months, he has decided to make his run official, said the official, who asked not to be named ahead of Tancredo's official announcement.
Tancredo's office on Friday morning said that he will make a "major announcement" Monday on a Des Moines, Iowa, radio station.
Tancredo spokesman Carlos Espinosa would say only that Tancredo will announce his intentions and that his decision whether to run for president won't affect whether he will run again for his House seat.
Tancredo, a five-term House member who represents the Denver suburbs, is a leading supporter of securing the nation's Southern border with Mexico and cracking down on illegal immigration. He has used the issue to take on President Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain, a leading contender for the GOP nomination.
Tancredo acknowledges that he is a long shot for president, but he has made no secret that he hopes to rattle McCain's campaign in Iowa by appealing to conservatives on immigration, abortion and other issues.
McCain last year co-sponsored a bill creating a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country now, though he has played a smaller role in the issue this year.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Snowball's chance. However, he will introduce some more badly needed sanity into the immigration debate, along with Duncan Hunter, and continue to keep the pot boiling and putting pressure on the others.
ditto that..,...zero chance but will bark the issues and Newt will define em..........we are cookin' w/ gas now...............wooooooooooohooooooooo
Tom Tancredo running is a good thing. While he a pony that does only one trick (immigration), it's a damn good trick and if he can push the entire Republican field in the correct direction, then he's done good, not to mention he might turn out to be a good VP candidate.
Right on.
Undoubtedly on Jan Michelson's show on WHO.
VP possibility. Thompson/Tancredo... hmmmm....
Tancredo is not a one trick pony. He know, as do most who follow the immigration debate, that illegal immigration affects everything. Schools, healthcare, population, environment, etc. You can just go right down the line of anything that is in supposed dire straights of 'government needs more money'.
Illegal immigration boils down to two things........taxes and laws.
Tom Tancredo knows this but it really should be emphasized more by the anti-illegal people.
Not to mention it might be the single most important trick this country has faced in the last 30 years and one our leaders have failed us miserably on. IMO it is more important than the WOT - even pretending that the border and the WOT are two different things. Which I don't.
The snowball's chance in hell stuff I don't get. The primaries are the time to decide who you can support and who you can't based on the issues. They shouldn't be a horse race where people pick favorites based on who has the best chance of winning. The purpose of the primaries is to determine who the best candidate is.
I'm glad Tancredo is running and I suspect some will be a lot surprised to find out how big of an issue the illegal aliens problem is with the people. Just watch.
McCain is already finding that out and not in a good way.
Who is left to join the mile-long parade?
I still think it's going to come down to Thompson and Gingrich. These two can rip the Democrats apart. Especially when you look at who they are running and the division in their ranks. All the Republicans have to do is get tough and show our people that they can bring this country back to what it once was. These two can also get tough with the UN if they want to. All they have to do is tell the UN to straighten up or we are out of there. I'd bet that England would follow suit and establish another organization to take the UN's place.
Gingrich doesn't have a prayer, and he knows it. I think his candidacy is just a means to let the world know that he still exists so that he can sell more books and speeches. This isn't a knock on Newt, whom I like (at least politically. His personal life is a little more, uh, "complex" than I'd like).
That is exactly right and his presence in the race will ensure that the tax-and-spend on immigrants issue gets driven home.
Tancredo: The Republican Howard Dean
"I'm glad Tancredo is running and I suspect some will be a lot surprised to find out how big of an issue the illegal aliens problem is with the people. Just watch."
I have always liked Tancredo. Straight shooter that believes in America first, no compromise. That is probably why he is un-electable but who knows? Could be another Reagan.
Tancredo, Hunter, and Thompson are the conservative rebellion. They will speak plainly, and they will push this election to where it needs to go.
My preference is Hunter, and I like Thompson. I like Tancredo, too, but I haven't heard him articulate a position on the offensive war, and for me the war is bottom line. I agree with others, that you can't separate border security from the war itself, but so far Tancredo hasn't shown much interest in war issues. That will probably change now, as he enters the race.
I am expecting him to be more isolationist than the others, more inclined perhaps to bring the boys home and focus on simply keeping the baddies out. I don't think that will be effective, I don't think we have that choice, personally, but I'll wait to hear Tancredo explain his own position.
Doesn't matter...The Dems will rip them apart as well...
The winning votes will not be determined by the Republican or Democrats...If that were true, the Democrats would win every time...There's far more of 'em...
The independants will pick the president...
Question is, who has the message that will appeal to those folks...It's going to take a half liberal like George B. or a pro America fella like Ron R...IMO...
Ditto - he's a one issue candidate. No chance of being nominated.
The GOP Presidential debates should be pretty decent and very telling about all of the candidates on all of the issues and personal lives.
Grat post sheana!
Rep. Tancredo's conservative credentials:
Recipient of the American Conservative Union's "Best & Brightest" award in 2005 and 2006.
American Conservative Union score of "100" for 2004 and 2005.
American Conservative Union lifetime rating of "99".
Recipient of Family Research Council’s “True Blue Award” in 2004, 2003, 2002 & 2001 for having achieved a 100% voting record on issues of importance to the American family.
Ranked as third most fiscally conservative member of the US House of Representatives for 2005 by the National Taxpayers Union (NTU).
Earned a Taxpayers' Friend Award for 2005 and 2004 from the NTU .
Earned a score of "100" from the National Right to Life Committee for votes cast during the 109th Congress.
Consistently received a score of "100" from the National Right to Life Committee since his arrival in Congress in 1999.
Received the US Chamber of Commerce's "Spirit of Enterprise" award for pro-business support for the first session of the 109th Congress, as well as for the 108th, 107th and 106th Congresses
Awarded a grade of "A" by the National Rifle Association (NRA) for the 2004 and 2006 election cycles.
Praised by Tony Blankley on "The McLaughlin Group" as being the most honest person of 2005 "for saying what the polls indicate about illegal immigrants and soft borders".
Relying upon an article written by a left-winger with quotes from a left-winger working for the Southern Poverty Law Center to make a point? The left-wing author of the article, Bill Berkowitz, "is a freelance writer covering right-wing groups and movements". Here is a link to a webpage that contains that description of him: http://www.alternet.org/authors/3438/.
So that those reading this thread can achieve an understanding of how left-wing Mr. Berkowitz is, here is a link to an article written by Mr. Berkowitz that was posted on Jaunary 17, 2007, entitled "Bush's Legacy Enshrined for $500 Million?": http://www.alternet.org/story/46526/.
Below is a copy of the first paragraph of that article:
"After six years of incompetence and cronyism, a failed war against terrorism, the quagmire that is Iraq, wars against science, the environment, corporate regulation and the public's right-to-know, a chummy working relationship with the country's most reactionary conservative evangelical Christians, a politicized faith-based initiative, giveaways to the energy industry, tax relief for the wealthy, a culture of corruption culminating in the forced resignations and imprisonment of some of the administrations key soldiers, and an attack on fundamental democratic rights and values, the Bush Administration is hatching plans to celebrate itself with a $500 million library (the costliest presidential library ever) to be built sometime after the end of Bush's second term."
And what of Tancredo's stature in the House. He has been there quite a few years with no advancement because most think he is a backstabber.
As the leader and chief spokesman for anti-reform, he has made a lot of strategic and tactical errors. The worst being the felony language. That was what solidified public opinion against his cause and led to his removal.
Another loser for the 1% club.
The more I hear Tancredo on the Peter Boyles show, the more I like him. He has my support.
You obviously haven't drunk the Kool-Aid yet.
Somehow the powers that be are supposed to bless a particular candidate and we are all supposed to fall lockstep into line.
This is so that candidate won't have to spend as much money during the primary and can save up for the main election.
You will receive your marching orders at the appropriate time.
Please stay by your radio and await further instructions.
No.
I have acquired a basic knowledge of American history through hard study and not the talking heads of TV and talk radio.
PS - if that sound like I'm patting my own back it is because I am patting my own back. :0)
Probably.
Needs fixing: "....and a rebuke of sorts to Ben Ficklin, who is widely seen, even on FreeRepublic, as a loudmouth embarrassment."
Rep. Tancredo campaigned for Rep. Bilbray's election to Congress. If you are implying that he was somehow removed against his will, you are mistaken.
As a candidate for president, Rep. Tancredo will not be able to devote the time to the caucus that he has during previous years.
Rep. Tancredo is not viewed as a backstabber. Before the November elections, there were over one hundred members of the caucus. That membership was dominated by Republicans, but did include a few Democrats.
Rep. Tancredo did not make strategic or tactical errors while the leader of the caucus. Under his leadership since 1999, the caucus prevented the passage of amnesty for illegal aliens during several sessions of Congress.
H.R.4437 was Rep. Sensenbrenner's bill not Rep. Tancredo's bill. Rep. Tancredo did support passage of the bill. Both Rep. Sensenbrenner and Rep. Tancredo supported an amendment to the bill that would have made illegal presence a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. Public opinion was on the side of the House bill, not the Senate bill, S.6211, that would have rewarded millions of illegal aliens with amnesty.
Apparently, to make your point about the immigration reform caucus you required a quote from a left-winger working for a left-wing organization who gave his comments to a left-wing writer. Gee, what a great source of left-wing information you provided.
Did you support passage of H.R.4437?
Did you support passage of S.6211?
What presidential candidate are you supporting?
Do you believe illegal aliens should be given legal status and a path to citizenship?
Very happy day...it'll get him out of his House seat.
Don't be so sure. He'll be out of the race long before he has to worry about his House reelection bid. His spokesman even said this "wouldn't affect" his next House campaign. I think even he knows he can't win it.
Probably just wants to inject his one issue into the discourse.
It is interesting to note that Tancredo and Sensenbrenner, together, have 40 plus years experience in the House, yet both are sitting on the back bench, without any position of authority.
You may choose to deny reality based on the author, but most of this was presented in the Roll Call article.
Because of Tancredo, the Borderbots will not be able to even introduce legislation, much less get it passed.
But not to worry, the fools will contribute mucho dinero to Tancredo's campaign, and he will spend as little of it as possible. There is big money in campaigning for Prez, just ask Tancredo's mentors, Pat and Bay.
If most of the information in the article by the left-winger was presented in the Rill Call article, then why don't you simply provide a link to the Roll Call article? You chose to link to an article weritten by a left-winger containing quotes from a left-winger that works for a left-wing organization.
The facts do not contradict my assertion that an attempt was made to amend Rep. Sensenbrenner's bill so that the crime of illegal presence would be classified as a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. When that vote was taken, the Sensenbrenner bill contained language that classified illegal presence as a felony.
Please tell me what position of authority you expect Rep. Sensenbrenner to have under a Democrat-controlled House. He was chairman of the judiciary committe when the Republicans control the House. Please explain how you classify someone that was chairman of the judiciary committee as a back bencher.
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of H.R.4437?
Why are you afraid to say whether you support passage of S.6211?
Why are you afraid to say what presidential candidate you are supporting?
Why are you afraid to say whether you support giving illegal aliens legal status and a path to citizenship?
You post comments concerning Rep. Tancredo's involvement in a 2005 bill related to illegal immigration, you are afraid to say whether you supported passage of that bill.
You post opinions about Rep. Tancredo's presidential campaign, but are afraid to say what candidate you support.
The next-to-last sentence of post number 34 should have read "You post comments concerning Rep. Tancredo's involvement in a 2005 bill related to illegal immigration, yet you are afraid to say whether you supported passage of that bill."
Since Rep. Hunter and Rep. Paul aren't resigning their House seats to run for the presidency, Rep. Tancredo should not be expected to resign his seat.
Thompson/Hunter with Algore running as a Green.
President Thompson could then name Bolton as Sec/Def and Tancredo as Homeland Security chief.
Throw in Gingrich as Sec/State and Giuliani as Attorney General and I believe that would cover it.
I'm interested in your opinion. How much, or what percentage, of the campaign funds that Tancredo is raising do you think comes from democrats? They know that if he has enough money he will flip Florida to the dems in 08.
...illegal immigration affects everything. Schools, healthcare, population, environment, etc
---
Yes! Add income tax revenue lost since many illegals are paid under the table. I think illegal immigration is the biggest crisis facing this country and is the reason for Fred Thompson's surprising leap in the polls out of nowhere.
I don't know what percentage of the money he is raising is coming from Democrats. If you have information concerning the percentage of camapaign funds that Republican presidential canidates are receiving from Democratic donors, please post it. I would like to learn the percentage of donations that each of those candidates are receiving from Democrats.
Rep. Tancredo has a lifetime rating of "99" from the American Conservaitve Union. That rating is higher than any other candidate running for president.
It is interesting you've taken to insulting an outstanding conservative Republican congressman by calling him "Senselessbreener".
You are so easily willing to direct an insult towards a former Republican chairman of the judiciary committee, yet you are afraid to say what presidential candidate you support?
Why are you afraid to say what presidential candidate you are supporting?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of H.R.4437?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of S.6211?
Why are you afraid to say whether you support giving illegal aliens legal status and a path to citizenship?
Why don't you post a link to the Roll Call article since you claim "most of this was presented in the Roll Call article"? I wonder if the Roll Call article contained quots from a left-wing employee of the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center.
The fourth sentence of post number 39 should have read "You are so easily willing to direct an insult towards a former Republican chairman of the judiciary committee, yet you are afraid to say what presidential candidate you support."
The fourth sentence of post number 41 should have read "You are so easily willing to direct an insult towards a former Republican chairman of the judiciary committee, yet you are afraid to say what presidential candidate you support."
The extremist kooks in the republican party, and their patrons Senselessbrenner/tancredo/and others, have severely damaged the GOP. While you are fixated on presidential candidates, it is most likely that the dems will win the presidency and expand their control over Congress.
As for immigration reform, the legislation that can be enacted will be only what the dems support. As a Borderbot, your concept of legislative victory is the block any and everything, which is what the dems want you to do.
The future of the GOP is not with backward looking people.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Why are you afraid to say what presidential candidate you are supporting?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of H.R.4437?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of S.6211?
Why are you afraid to say whether you support giving illegal aliens legal status and a path to citizenship?
House Republicans overwhelmingly supported H.R.4437, yet you are afraid to say whether you supported its passage.
A majority of Republicans opposed S.6211. It was overwhelmingly suppported by Democrats. You are afraid to say whether you supported S.6211.
I'm not fixated on presidential candidates. I simply would like for you to disclose what presidential candidate you are supporting. If I criticize Sen. Brownback or Sen. McCain for their immigration policies, those viewing my posts know that I'm a supporter of Rep. Tancredo. Unlike you, though, I don't go time after to threads about a particular Republican presidential candidate and make negative comments about them. In fact, I have very rarely posted on threads about other Republican presidential candidates.
What member of the United States Senate or House not running for president best represents your views with regard to illegal immigration and legal immigration?
Is Duncan Hunter an extremist kook?
Why don't you tell everyone posting on this thread what Republicans serving in the House and Senate you believe aren't extremist kooks. Somehow I suspect that if you actually answer the question all of those persons that you name will support giving legal status and a path to citizenship to millions of illegal aliens.
He is an excellent second amendment candidate.
A lifetime score of "99" from the American Conservative Union says it all.
What Republican members of the United States Senate and United State House of Representatives are extremist kooks?
An accurate statement would be that "some House republicans supported HR 4437 as a stand alone, enforcement only immigration bill and some House republicans supported HR 4437 as the enforcement provision that was to be merged with the Senate's immigration reform bill".
When the House's HR 4437 reached the Senate, the Senate made some changes to the enforcement and added reform. From there, the bill was to go to conference committee, and compromised to a final bill to be voted on by the Senate and the House.
Of course, House leadership(Hastert) knew that the Borderbots had lost, that if the compromise bill came back to the House, there were enough votes on the House floor to pass it. In fact, Tancredo said several times in the media that he could stop the Senate's bill only if Hastert honored his pledge.
Rather than go to conference committe, the Hastert/Borderbots walked away from the legislative process. This contributed to the electoral bloodbath for Republicans.
Nothing has changed. Except that the dems control Congress and they will easily manuever the GOP into a more extreme and strident position of trying to block any and everything. This will cause further losses for the GOP in 08.
In case you don't know it, we are in the 110th Congress. All those bills from the 109th were wiped out. Where is your bill for this Congress? Who is writing it? When will it be submitted?
What's that you say, you don't have a bill?
Why are you afraid to say what presidential candidate you are supporting?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of H.R.4437?
Why are you afraid to say whether you supported passage of S.6211?
Why are you afraid to say whether you support giving illegal aliens legal status and a path to citizenship?
What Republican members of the United States Senate and United State House of Representatives are extremist kooks?
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