Critics Pounce on Clinton After (Illegal) Immigration Comments

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL ^ | Jan. 12, 2008 | MOLLY BALL

[kellynla]

An off-the-cuff comment Hillary Clinton made in Las Vegas on Thursday has ignited a national firestorm.

Answering a shout from a man in the crowd who said, "I'm married to an illegal woman," Clinton shot back, "No woman is illegal," grinning as the packed Mexican restaurant at which she was speaking exploded in cheers.

That comment, reported in Friday's Review-Journal, caught the attention of the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and the Drudge Report and led to nearly 1,000 angry comments on the newspaper's Web site.

To put the remark into context, Clinton did add, after a pause, "... and no man, either." She then explained her position on immigration.

Most Popular Stories

LAS VEGAS STOP: Clinton pitch hits home DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN: Obama rocks Vegas faithful NORM: Superfans facing life after Celine NORM: Beckhams check bawdy side of LV CRAZY '08: LAS VEGAS LIGHTS UP NORM: Mayweather likes to flash the cash FINAL CURTAIN FALLS NORM: Tips might help jazz up pageants RINGING IN THE CLUBS NORM: He's no neighborly Mr. Rogers of TV

But anti-illegal immigration activists weren't upset because of sexism, but because of the implication that those who cross the border illegally aren't lawbreakers. Many demanded an explanation.

Clinton, a spokeswoman said, meant that she "believes you can be tough on the issue of illegal immigration without being mean-spirited about the human beings involved."

The spokeswoman, Hilarie Grey, noted that Clinton's position is to secure the border in addition to treating current illegal immigrants humanely.

"It simply isn't true" that there aren't illegal immigrants, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an anti-illegal immigration group. "We have immigration laws, and yet we have government officials who have sworn to uphold the laws of this country saying if somebody violates them, they make an exception to the rule of law."

Mehlman's group was one of the main forces in derailing a bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the U.S. Senate but was killed in the House of Representatives in 2006. The measure failed after a massive grass-roots campaign fueled by talk radio jammed congressional phone lines and e-mail in-boxes.

The group is nonpartisan and has targeted Republicans who fall out of line with its message just as harshly as it has Democrats.

"Illegal alien is a legal term," he said. "It describes somebody who violates our immigration laws. You can apply the law to people without showing disrespect to them as human beings. Illegal immigrants should be treated with human decency, but we still need to enforce immigration laws."

Politicians, Mehlman said, don't understand the anger of average Americans on the immigration issue, anger that crosses party lines.

"On a gut level, we have millions of people getting away with not playing by the rules while we are expected to play by the rules, so there is a sense of unfairness," he said. "But this also directly affects a lot of people who work for a living, or have kids in school, or rely on social services."

He added, "I'm sure the children of people Hillary Clinton hangs around with, their kids aren't sitting in classrooms where half the kids don't speak English and nobody's learning anything."

The episode illustrates the inflammatory nature of the immigration debate as well as the degree to which it hinges on issues of semantics.

Though immigration is a red-hot issue nationally, it will be spotlighted in the run-up to Nevada's Jan. 19 caucuses, established partly to give Hispanics a voice in the presidential nominating process.

Las Vegas Democratic activist Tony Sanchez, head of the IMPACTO political action committee of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, said of Clinton's comment, "Good for her."

Sanchez said he doesn't like it when people are referred to as illegal. "A person can't be illegal," he said. "You can be undocumented. You can not have your papers. You can be noncompliant. But to call people 'illegals' is meanness."

Sanchez said Clinton shouldn't be portrayed as a radical illegal immigrant-coddler for a few compassionate words. "She didn't say to open up the borders," he said. "She was responding to a crowd that wanted to hear that, and I happen to agree with her."

[kellynla]

Las Vegas Democratic activist Tony Sanchez, head of the IMPACTO political action committee of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, said of Clinton's comment, "Good for her."

Sanchez said he doesn't like it when people are referred to as illegal. "A person can't be illegal," he said. "You can be undocumented. You can not have your papers. You can be noncompliant. But to call people 'illegals' is meanness."

[kellynla]

ping

[cripplecreek]

I prefer the term criminal or in this case crimigrant.

[Cicero]

To put the remark into context, Clinton did add, after a pause, "... and no man, either."

That makes it better?

[Steely Tom]

You can not have your papers. You can be noncompliant. But to call people 'illegals' is meanness."

OK. How do you say "illegal immigrant" in Spanish?

[bannie]

"A person can't be illegal."

Ok...if that's not correct verbiage, maybe we should just call them "criminals." Maybe "enemy invaders"?

[Waco]

Be patient, the fed/sate gov. will provide the rest of us with some crap to obey.

[okie01]

"A person can't be illegal," he said. "You can be undocumented. You can not have your papers. You can be noncompliant. But to call people 'illegals' is meanness."

Tony, mi amigo, you have my permission to call me a 'legal'. And that wouldn't be 'mean', it would be a 'fact'.

[processing please hold]

I guess I’m justa mean ole hag because I call them illegal aliens no matter their sex.

[Always Right]

"No woman is illegal,"

No if Bill said that, it would have taken on a whole different meaning.

[billorites]

Clinton's a larcenous shrew.

A hideous superannuated skank...

[Citizen Tom Paine]

Every day, I become more convinced that the current ration of politicians don’t care a whit about what we think about the issues. They have their hands on the levers of power, and they will maintain their position - period. In this land of the free and the home of the brave.

What ever happened to term limits?? Just wondering.

[tflabo]

Call ‘em whatever you want amigo. Bottom line is they are not supposed to be in the USA. Tu comprende?

[indylindy]

Yes, it is true! LOL

[billmor]

If they violate the legal laws of this Country, then they are il-legal...period... Stop trying to make the 'illegal' situation go away by redefining it in a politically correct way...or by saying there are no illegals...Hillary's next step would be to say they are just 'undocumented' so she would grant them Amnesty and then tell the 12 million to go out now and get your paperwork done...oh, and register as Democrats... Yes, they are humans, with illnesses, needs, souls, etc but they are also illegals...and NO we do not want Amnesty for 12 million people...

[Chode]

LOOK... it's TouristSenator!!!
It shows up in more places than TouristGuy,
only with less style and substance...
she's Vaporware, just an empty crusty.
(Please spread me around like the parasite that i am...)

[vox_freedom]

"How do I make wrinkles illegal?"

[Vinomori]

bttt

[Earthdweller]

If we have to live one more year with these stinking word smiths....

Is is not is...criminals are not criminals.... illegals are not illegals...murderers are not murderers....rapists are not rapists...

This is so much bull.

The Clintons make me sick as much as the tought of syphilis spread on toast.

[billorites]

Who will rid me of this meddlesome heifer?

[AmericanInTokyo]

So supporting the rights of people to have about six or seven drinks before getting behind the wheel to operate a vehicle would be seen as:

"DRIVER'S RIGHTS"

according to this crackpot logic.

[sofaman]

"But to call people 'illegals' is meanness."

Mr. Sanchez, did they enter the country legally or illegally? Therefore, they are here illegally. Therefore, they are illegals.

Simple solution, don't enter the country illegally and we won't hurt their feelings.

What a silly arse this man is.

[Grizzled Bear]

LOL! Bravo!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...you can be tough on the issue of illegal immigration without being mean-spirited about the human beings involved.

The open borders version of " I support the troops but not the mission"???

[UglyinLA]

Sanchez said to call people ‘illegals’ is meanness.”

I agree. Let’s use a more accurate term. Henceforth, lets call them CRIMINALS !!

[Rb ver. 2.0]

inmigrante ilegal.

[edcoil]

We are the world, we are the children. Course they don’t help us.

[NathanR]

She can’t be a “heifer”. That would mean that she had never given birth, and that would mean ... OK. Never mind. LOL

[Steely Tom]

inmigrante ilegal.

Gracias, FRamigo.

[peeps36]

Sanchez wouldn’t feel the same way if the criminal aliens were white Europeans. I can only imagine the outrage from people like him if White Europeans were coming here and taking jobs away from Hispanic's. I’m getting real tired of watching the gutless politicians ignore a problem that’s hurting the country. Throw them out of office.

[The Electrician]

Las Vegas Democratic activist Tony Sanchez, head of the IMPACTO political action committee of the Latin Chamber of Commerce...

Let me put on a pink(o) hat before commenting on that... OK, here goes...

Of course he would support illegal immigration - he is nothing more than a mercenary, a tool of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, which in turn is simply an old-boy network of rich capitalists and slumlords who torment and exploit minorities and the weak by paying them substandard wages, denying them their right to free health insurance, and forcing them to slave away for long hours in dirty and unhealthy sweatshops, mosquito-infested fields, and dangerous unregulated construction projects...

[Past Your Eyes]

"She then explained her position on immigration."

She then explained her positions on immigration.

Fixed that up for you.

[fella]

The open borders version of " I support the troops but not the mission"???

DITTO

[khnyny]

But anti-illegal immigration activists weren't upset because of sexism, but because of the implication that those who cross the border illegally aren't lawbreakers. Many demanded an explanation. Clinton, a spokeswoman said, meant that she "believes you can be tough on the issue of illegal immigration without being mean-spirited about the human beings involved."

The spokeswoman, Hilarie Grey, noted that Clinton's position is to secure the border in addition to treating current illegal immigrants humanely.

Hillary Clinton's response:

"You know, I just have to say that I'm so very happy to have hired all the good people that work in my campaign. I'm fighting for you little people and to be the first woman President of the United States and to institute the change that you all deserve. You know, I really don't know how I could function every day (sniff, sniff) if I really didn't have these flunkies running around everywhere explaining what I REALLY meant by my various statements. You know, the press takes everything that I say and misconstrues it simply because I'm a woman (waaa, waaa, sniff, sniff). You know, you'd think that I'd be used to it after all these years working for change, but it still hurts. (sniff)

Ok, Ms. Grey go get me and Bill a latte and a muffin - make it snappy missy! Huma, get over here - I need a massage!"

[popdonnelly]

I’m mean. They’re here illegally, hence “illegal” is an appropriate term to apply to them. Hillary just had a momentary lapse into 1960’s rhetoric.

[doug from upland]

Memorialized in song - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1952818/posts?page=1

[RobinOfKingston]

Clinton's a larcenous shrew.

A hideous superannuated skank...

I take exception to that. She is my age.

[upchuck]

I’ve long preferred the term “criminal alien.”

IMHO, describes them perfectly.

[Travis McGee]

QUISLING: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.

U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

---

Invasion: \In*va"sion\, n. [L. invasio: cf. F. invasion. See Invade.] [1913 Webster]

1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.

[neverdem]

BTTT

[LachlanMinnesota]

What do Mexicans call people who cross their southern border without authorization? I’ll bet its something more dehumanizing that “illegal immigrants!”

[grey_whiskers]

To put the remark into context, Clinton did add, after a pause, "... and no man, either."

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'illegal' is..."

Cheers!

[Tennessee Nana]

YOOHOO Hillary................

I’m a REAL immigrant so I can say it.....

Anyone who crossed the border into the United States without first asking permission and getting immigration papers, or a visa, from the United States government, is an ILLEGAL ALIEN

Anyone still in the United states after their visa has expired is an ILLEGAL ALIEN

[VeniVidiVici]

What do Mexicans call people who cross their southern border without authorization? I’ll bet its something more dehumanizing that “illegal immigrants!”

Deported.

[ridesthemiles]

I prefer the term criminal or in this case crimigrant.”

The first one that tries to step onto my property will get a far stronger dose of “meanness” from me.

[varon]

OK. How do you say "illegal immigrant" in Spanish?

Mojado dorso? ;-)

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>Clinton, a spokeswoman said, meant that she "believes you can be tough on the issue of illegal immigration without being mean-spirited about the human beings involved."<<

That's true, you can, but Hillary is the opposite of "tough" on illegals, and considers them political pawns to get what she wants.

[Ann Archy]

The NOMINATRIX has spoken......NO WOMEN IS ILLEGAL!!! What a pathetic POS she is!!