If this were to help elect Kerry, then the blame should be placed squarely on Bush and Karl Rove. To blame Tancredo would be absurd. He is fighting for provisions that most Americans would approve of.
Bush is bascially coming out against popular provisions to fight illegal immigration. This is insane. He will not gain any support from Hispanics on this because Kerry and the Dems can out pander Bush and the GOP any day of the week, and because they are going to vote overwhelmingly for Kerry for reasons unrelated to immigration. Somebody should really clue Rove in on this.
As to Tancredo; it should be noted that he has a lifetime rating of 97 out of 100 from the American Conservative Union. His conservative credentials are beyond dispute, and he has backed President Bush on the two defining areas of his first term -- the tax cuts and the war on terrorism. He has shown tremendous loyalty to Bush and the GOP on pretty much everything except immigration, and on that he holds the conservative positions while Bush's are of the left.
Tancredo has no 'campaign against Mexican immigrants.' I notice you resorted to a leftwing tactic there of calling illegal Mexican aliens simply 'Mexican immigrants.' Vicente Fox thanks you. But anyway, Tancredo does oppose rewarding illegal aliens with amnesty, drivers licenses, and in-state tuition, and he thinks that legal immigration should be reduced. In holding these views he has revealed himself to be in the mainstream of American opinion. Most polls taken on these topics show most Americans agree with Tancredo.
As to conservatives who hold conservative views on immigration helping to elect Kerry: Well again, Bush has no one to blame but himself for pursuing a policy of pandering; a policy that will not win the loyalty of latios (why should it?--their preferred Dems already hold these positions) but that may indeed alienate many of the people who are actually naturally inclined to vote for the GOP w/o being pandered to. But having said all of that, I think its safe to say that most of the base who has been upset by Bush's liberal immigration policies will nontheless vote for him because of the simple fact that immigration is not a litmus-test, make or break, top-tier issue with most voters. And because as bad as Bush is on immigration, Kerry would actually be worse, as impossible as that sounds. And because Kerry is awful on just about every issue, whereas Bush is terrible only on a few.
So don't worry. Most conservatives who disagree with Bush on immigration will be there for him on election day. It would be nice in a second term if in simple gratitude Bush could at least refrain from using the leftwing rhetoric of mass immigration-enthusiasts to smear those who disagree with him on this.
Republicans will not forget or forgive Tancredo for his treasonous behavior. Anyone on his staff who doesn't resign in protest of Tancredo's attacks on the President better start practicing saying "would you like frys with that?" because after the election they won't be welcome anywhere in politics or government.
There is no similarity between advocating a different position on issues (eg McCain, Lugar, Ron Paul etc..) and personally attacking the President with lies three weeks before a close election.
Tancredo has proven beyond doubt that his loyalty is to Pat Buchanan, not the Republican Party or President Bush, or conservatives or the people of this nation.
Ref: Post #12 - you are right on. Everybody knows most of the illegals, when given amnesty or vote illegally, will vote for the democrats. Looks like Bush is the one helping the democrats win, especially in the future.