McCain snubs Barletta

Citizen's Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA) ^ | 3/19/08 | Borys Krawczeniuk

[Born Conservative]

Arizona Sen. John McCain has rejected Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta's invitation to come to the southern Luzerne County city and discuss illegal immigration.

"Senator McCain truly appreciates your invitation and the valuable opportunity it represents," a scheduling official, Jo Black, in the presumptive Republican nominee's presidential campaign wrote in a letter.

Barletta's congressional campaign released the letter today.

"Unfortunately, I must pass along his regrets as I do not foresee an opportunity to add this event to the calendar."

Black said McCain has "tremendous demands on his time" and because of "the large volume of similar requests, events such as this are extremely difficult to schedule even though each one is important."

In a statement, Barletta said he was "troubled" by the rejection and hoped McCain would reconsider.

"Illegal immigration is an issue that is very important not just to the residents of Hazleton, but also to the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole," Barletta said.

"While I commend Senator McCain for being the first to respond to my invitation, I am very troubled by his decision to decline my offer. The problems associated with illegal immigration confront every American every day, and the next president of the United States should understand the impact the issue has on Hazleton and similar cities, towns, boroughs, and townships across the nation."

Check back for updates and read the full story in Thursday's Citizens' Voice.

[Born Conservative]

This is newsworthy, given McCain's open border stance, and Bareltta's anti-illegal immigration position.

[Joe 6-pack]

"This is newsworthy..."

IMHO, this is dog bites man. Actually I'm not surprised that McCain rejected Barletta; I'm surprised that Barletta thought there was a chance that McCain might even acknowledge him.

[cripplecreek]

Well what do you expect? McQueeg is a coward.

[MovementConservative]

A declined invitation is newsworthy? Heck, I invited President Bush to my house to have dinner with my family and me. I got it declined. I really wanted to discuss some extremely pressing issues. I should have posted it on this board.

[Born Conservative]

I’m sure that Barletta didn’t think he had a chance; he probably did it for publicity.

[Hans]

John McCain cannot do less than President Bush has done on border security. I will always be disappointed in the behavior a senior Republican leaders on this issue.

[Dr. Ursus]

My hometown.Also, the home of the Obama girl and Rudy’s
latest wife.

[Born Conservative]

It’s newsworthy in the respect that both Barletta and McCain are GOP’ers, with McCain in the run for the presidency, and Barletta is highlighting McCain’s unpopular stance on immigration. That’s going out on a limb party-wise.

[tumblindice]

Vote for Juan McCain?
Unfortunately due to tremendous demands on my time, I must pass along my regrets as I do not foresee an opportunity to add this event to my calendar come this November 4th.

[sageb1]

McCain cannot avoid discussing this issue forever.

[cripplecreek]

Considering the fact that McCain is retrying the old “We can’t win on a strong immigration stance” line, it wouldn’t be very wise to be seen with a man who won on a strong immigration stance.

[redstateconfidential]

[Grateful One]

Too busy being charmed by Juan Hernandez.

[Joe 6-pack]

Fair enough...it's newsworthy; just not at all anything unexpected. I also expect we'll be seeing an earthquake somewhere along the San Andreas Fault in the coming years, and that will hit the headlines, too.

Simply put, the fact that McCain snubs an up and coming GOP conservative that has been on the cutting edge of doing the right thing about immigration does not surprise me.

Likewise, the fact that Barletta would take on the presumptive nominee of his party, and prospective CinC, and risk incurring his ire does not surprise me either. Barletta has long since demonstrated his courage and willingness to do the right thing, negative consequences be damned.

[cripplecreek]

Borders? We don' need no steenking borders.

[isrul]

Why would McCain want to discuss illegal immigration? He sees no problem with it except, perhaps, that there is not enough of it.

[mewzilla]

The gentleman McCain just snubbed....

Barletta victorious by huge margin

...was overwhelmingly elected by Pubbies and 'Rats.

Some issues transcend party, McCain.

Something yer fixin' to find out the hard way. Again.

[Slump Tester]

"A declined invitation is newsworthy? Heck, I invited President Bush to my house to have dinner with my family and me. I got it declined... ...I should have posted it on this board."

Yes it IS newsworthy. It shows the suckers who think RINO McCain won't cram his amnesty plans down our throats as president is indeed the SAME RINO McCain who tried it last time.

But most of them will overlook this just like they overlook his long history of RINOism and other lousy pet causes.

[BallyBill]

Maybe Mayor Lou should try running for President.

[isrul]

That's going out on a limb party wise

For McCain or the other guy? I mean McCain has been disloyal to the party for almost a decade without any repercussions.

[Digital Sniper]

McCain keeps burning bridges between himself and Americans and running to the embrace of his Democrat masters. Why oh why am I not surprised?

[isrul]

Sure he can. Who will dare bring it up?

[cripplecreek]

Maybe Mayor Lou should try running for President.

Well he does have something that McCain doesn't have.....my vote.

[isrul]

But McCain has a very strong immigration stance. He's very pro illegal immigration. And proposes to solve the problem by simply declaring illegals legal.

[Digital Sniper]

A declined invitation is newsworthy?

It is when McCain acts like a coward instead of confronting the issue of illegal aliens and how they are wrecking our nation and costing we citizen taxpayers billions of dollars a year as they suck off the community teat and give us nothing but kidnappings, murder, rape and identity theft.

[nmh]

That would foil McPain’s plans - REALITY

“Arizona Sen. John McCain has rejected Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s invitation to come to the southern Luzerne County city and discuss illegal immigration. “

McPain just wants to put up a fence and then grant shamesty. He doesn't care about the "little people". He doesn't have to LIVE WITH THIS - he's removed from it. His wealthy wife pays his way - the SECOND WIFE. You see the FIRST wife, a former model was crippled and disfigured in a car accident. When the "hero" McCPain came back from Viet Nam he abandoned the FIRST wife and within thirty days of the divorce married WEALTHY wife number two. McCain is a disgrace. He has as much integrity as Clinton.

[Dante3]

McCain is an embarrassment to this country. His al Qaeda statement, which Lieberman corrected, he either once again lied or he is incredibly uninformed and clueless. Or is senility creeping up?

[nmh]

“Vote for Juan McCain?
Unfortunately due to tremendous demands on my time, I must pass along my regrets as I do not foresee an opportunity to add this event to my calendar come this November 4th.”

Same here.

McPain in the arse is a legend in his own mind.

No time for WHITE trash - VN “hero” or not.

[mewzilla]

Meanwhile, from last year, but Barletta and the rest of the folks fighting the good fight have been dealing with....

Police break up $31 million Hazleton cocaine ring (Hazleton, PA)

[mewzilla]

but=what

[cripplecreek]

I’m writing in Duncan Hunter. A VN hero who actually does want to secure the nation.

[sageb1]

McCain Was Right, Iran Works with Al Qaeda

Flashback: Iran funds Shi’ite and Sunni jihadists in Iraq

[mewzilla]

The Hazleton rebellion

[Digital Sniper]

McPain just wants to put up a fence and then grant shamesty.

You're being generous. McCain actually doesn't even want a border fence. It offends his "Hispanic Outreach" (read Reconquista) staffer, Juan Hernandez.

[gitmogrunt]

10-20 million conservatives snub McCain in Novemember elections.

[stuartcr]

Whover the democrat candidate is, I can’t wait for the debates with McCain. I’m betting he blows up at least once.

[redstateconfidential]

[upchuck]

In other words... McCain to Barletta: "SDSTFU."

A serious mistake on McCain's part.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>You’re being generous. McCain actually doesn’t even want a border fence. It offends his “Hispanic Outreach” (read Reconquista) staffer, Juan Hernandez.<<

Despite McCain’s promise to secure the border first, he could not find time to vote on the Chambliss “Zero Tolerance” amendment. Apparently he will make no effort whatsoever to “reach out” to immigration conservatives.

[Born Conservative]

I voted for Barletta the last time he went up against Kanjorski (a crooked thief Democrat), and hope that Barletta will prevail this time around....

[Born Conservative]

Hazleton ping.

[angcat]

Hi BC!

[FourtySeven]

This is not surprising news.

Anyone who is voting for McCain because they think he will do something about the immigration problem is deluded.

I have no such delusions. I’ve already surrendered to the fact that immigration will, unfortunately, not be “fixed” anytime soon. This is a fact since we all know McCain’s stance on the issue, and we all know any DEM would be the same (if not worse) than the good Senator in that regard.

I’m voting for McCain to keep the Dem’s out of the highest office. And any statement that *equivocates* McCain to Obama/Clinton are also delusional. Again, as I’ve said before, similarity does not imply identity, this is a mathematical axiom, and indeed, a universal axiom. I don’t care how many similarities McCain shares with either Dem, that does NOT mean they are the same.

[Convert from ECUSA]

I wish I lived in Hazelton, PA so I could vote for Barletta. Shoot, I’ll top that, I wish Barletta was the GOP nominee for President. I’d crawl over broken glass to vote for Barletta!

[MovementConservative]

It is when McCain acts like a coward instead of confronting the issue of illegal aliens and how they are wrecking our nation and costing we citizen taxpayers billions of dollars a year as they suck off the community teat and give us nothing but kidnappings, murder, rape and identity theft.

All I can say is your view of your fellow man and rage toward him is very sad. If you are a Christian I hope you keep that to yourself so others don't think you are representative of people who are.

[JZelle]

A campaign aid named Jo Black? That’s not a good sign.

[Digital Sniper]

So telling the truth is “unChristian”? What a warped view of the world you possess.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I voted for Barletta..."

I'm a PA native and my family's still there, so I still keep a close eye on state news...I've been following Barletta since the Hazelton story first got national attention, and only wish there were more like him scattered about the nation. Wish I could vote for him, but at least here, I have the privilege of voting for Jindal. My district rep. is Charles Boustany, and he's a pretty strong conservative too.

[E. Cartman]

Arizona Sen. John McCain has rejected Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta's invitation to come to the southern Luzerne County city and discuss illegal immigration.

Barletta would kick McCain's grizzled RINO ass in a fair and open debate.

[E. Cartman]

Well he does have something that McCain doesn't have.....my vote.

Thank you! If I don't vote third party in November (I will NOT be voting for McCain), I now know whose name I'm going to be writing in.