[skeeter]

"Although the perceived importance of immigration has increased, it remains near the bottom of a list of issues in terms of the priority the president and Congress should give it, according to the public. "

All the more reason the president deserves criticism for his dogged pursuit of a guest worker program, and at the risk of fracturing the party.

[bayourod]

"at the risk of fracturing the party. "

You've got it backwards. At least on FR, the vast majority of the anti-immigrant posters are people who disliked Bush first and then use immigration as an excuse to attack him.

Reminds me of the Old Media saying that Bush is responsible for partisanship when in fact it's the Democrats that are opposing everything Bush proposes.

Remember, the Bush team has not taken the field yet on this issue. As soon as they do, the anti-immigrants will fold faster than Saddam's army, because the anti-immigrant propaganda is based on Buchanan/Tancredo lies, distortions and racist slogans.