[Sabertooth]

"My administration will work with the Congress to increase the annual number of green cards that can lead to citizenship. "

That quote can no way be interpreted as "I will give illegal immigrants citizenship in the future".

That's not even the relevant quote. Here:

Some temporary workers will make the decision to pursue American citizenship. Those who make this choice will be allowed to apply in the normal way. They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start.
Text of Bush immigration speech
President outlines plan to give illegals legal status

The normal way is to get a green card, wait five years, then become a citizen.

So, under the Bush Amnesty, "temporary workers," millions of whom would be legalized-Illegals, "will be allowed to apply in the normal way" for U.S. citizenship.

So, the Bush Amnesty would put Illegals on the path to U.S. citizenship, it just wouldn't be "automatic," which is the operative word to be parsed in this bit of Bush/Rove harisplitting:

I opposed amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship. Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws and perpetuates illegal immigration.
Text of Bush immigration speech
President outlines plan to give illegals legal status

The difference between "automatic path to citizenship" and Illegal Alien eligibility for a non-automatic path to citizenship under the Bush Amnesty is the need for a blue card before a green card. That's it.

[swarthyguy]

My two cents on the why of this amnesty.

Bring illegal dollars into the system for FICA payroll deductions for Social Security.

Second, unsaid, but a future privatisation of PEMEX, Mejico's state run oil monopoly.

[m1-lightning]

So, under the Bush Amnesty, "temporary workers," millions of whom would be legalized-Illegals, "will be allowed to apply in the normal way" for U.S. citizenship.

I see nothing wrong with temporary workers applying for a green card in the same manner that every non-"temporary worker" foreigner does. I would detest if Bush were simply granting them green cards for working here.