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Tancredo Plots Anti-Immigration 2008 Campaign
New York Sun ^ | November 22, 2005 | MEGHAN CLYNE

Posted on 11/22/2005 12:28:26 PM PST by Icelander

WASHINGTON - As Republicans look to the 2008 primaries in search of a candidate whose credentials and personality can triumph over Senator Clinton, one potential candidate has no expectation of winning on the basis of his personality or record - or of winning at all, for that matter. Instead, Rep. Thomas Tancredo, a Republican of Colorado, is hoping that his participation in Iowa's caucuses and early primaries will bring a victory for his signature issue: immigration reform.

He isn't waiting until 2008. Mr. Tancredo, 59, who has earned a national reputation for being an advocate for stricter border controls on Capitol Hill, has yet to make a firm declaration of his candidacy. But he is already making campaign stops from coast to coast and writing a book about immigration, tentatively titled "In Mortal Danger." It could serve as Mr. Tancredo's campaign platform and will be available in June, the congressman told The New York Sun yesterday.

In addition to laying the groundwork for his own bid, Mr. Tancredo is headlining campaign events for others who share his immigration philosophy. Reached yesterday by phone in Orange County, Calif., Mr. Tancredo was campaigning for the founder of the Minuteman Project, James Gilchrist, who is running for the congressional seat vacated by the new chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Christopher Cox.

Mr. Tancredo has also visited New Hampshire and South Carolina. Bay Buchanan, who is the sister and adviser of another opponent of illegal immigration and former presidential candidate, Patrick Buchanan, has helped Mr. Tancredo make contacts in such early primary states, the congressman said. This weekend, Mr. Tancredo was in Alta, Iowa, on his fourth visit to the crucial caucus state in the last six months.

Mr. Tancredo has said that he will throw his hat into the Iowa ring if no other Republican emerges who will "include immigration in their platform ... and do so with some degree of vigor, "the congressman said yesterday. So far, Mr. Tancredo said a former speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich - who wrote in a recent report for the Center for Immigration Studies that immigrants' dual citizenship posed an "insidious challenge" - has come the closest to being satisfactorily strong on the issue.

Yet Mr. Tancredo appears to enjoy some advantages Mr. Gingrich and his likely 2008 competitors do not, principally the support of an influential Iowa Republican, Rep. Steven King. Mr. King is one of 91 members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, of which Mr. Tancredo is founder and chairman.

"Tom Tancredo needs to keep coming to Iowa," Mr. King said. "I want him on the stage in this debate."

Messrs. Tancredo and King, and the executive director of the Iowa Republican Party, Cullen Sheehan, indicated yesterday that Mr. Tancredo will have a natural base of support among 2008 caucus-goers.

While Iowa is further removed from the issue of illegal immigration than border states such as California and Arizona, Mr. Tancredo said, it has been surprisingly receptive to his message of ending illegal immigration and reducing the number of legal migrants permitted to enter the country. His Iowa audiences, the congressman said, "are as concerned about it as any group I've ever spoken to in Arizona."

Mr. Sheehan said that illegal immigration is a matter of importance to Iowa's caucus-goers, saying that most "want people to obey the law, and they want our government to uphold the laws we have." Mr. King said jobs in the agricultural industry were also a factor, citing as an example the Farmland Foods packing plant in Dennison, Iowa. Ten years ago, Mr. King said, eight Hispanics worked at the facility compared to 850 today.

Iowans, however, are focused mostly on national security: "How can a nation have a border they don't defend?" Mr. King said. "If it's not really a border, then you're not really a nation."

Mr. King said he also anticipated Mr. Tancredo's message to resonate with caucus-goers because of his focus on the cultural effects of massive immigration. Mr. Tancredo said that today's immigrants decline to become Americans, leading to a "balkanized" society. Immigration, Mr. Tancredo said, fuels and reinforces the divisive multiculturalist ideologies propagated by American elites in academia, the press, and politics.

In fact, it was outrage at multiculturalism in American schools that first brought Mr. Tancredo's attention to immigration. The congressman is a former junior high school teacher, and the schools' insistence on bilingual education and hostility toward America in textbooks and classrooms, combined with his reading of Arthur Schlesinger's "The Disuniting of America" in 1992, served as his road-to-Damascus moment on the need for immigration reform, Mr. Tancredo said.

Mr. Tancredo, a Denver native, left teaching to take a seat in Colorado's House of Representatives in 1976, and later served in the federal Department of Education under Presidents Reagan and Bush. In 1998, Mr. Tancredo was elected to Congress.

After founding the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus in 1999, Mr. King said, Mr. Tancredo's "credibility is going up as the American public puts pressure on other members of Congress" on the matter of border security. When Mr. Tancredo first introduced amendments to restrict immigration, Mr. King said, the measures would receive 20 to 25 votes. "Three years ago, that same amendment got 60 to 70 votes. Now, that same amendment will get 100 or 110."

If Mr. Tancredo's star is rising among American voters and in the House, he may not be winning friends in the circles of Republican leadership.

The editor of RealClearPolitics.com, John McIntyre, said yesterday that Mr. Tancredo's candidacy poses "a real problem" for the GOP in 2008.

While the Colorado congressman's message might win votes as a hot-button issue in 2008 and 2012, Mr. McIntyre said, demographic trends suggested the position might prove electoral poison in 2016 and beyond as the American electorate becomes increasingly Hispanic, and if the Tancredo platform paints national Republicans as "anti-immigrant."

For Republicans to succeed in quieting Mr. Tancredo, satisfying the base's yearning for a serious immigration policy, and to avoid being tarred as nativist, it would be necessary for the GOP to nominate a popular candidate with a reputation for being a moderate-such as Senator McCain, of Arizona, or Mayor Giuliani - who would then embrace the issue in the 2008 campaign.


TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; elections; hillary2008; immigrantlist; immigration; iowa; plotsmindyou; tancredo; tancredo2008
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

and you keep missing the fact that HE DID bring out the words NUKE and MECCA in the same sentence.

And you keep MISSING the fact that the MSM will SKEWER him for it. It's called BAGGAGE. Look it up.


241 posted on 11/22/2005 6:13:26 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: MikeinIraq

Why do you care about what the MSM says? They're not going to support Tancredo anyway, even if he had suggested sitting down and having tea with the terrorists if a nuke went off in an American city.


242 posted on 11/22/2005 6:15:45 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (JOE WILSON IS A MUTHAFAKING LIAR)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

you should care what the MSM says. While they won't support him, you DON'T want to give them ANYTHING they *MIGHT* use to bet you over the head with.

Look at the CBS News fiasco last year. They needed something against President Bush so they COOKED UP A STORY, that was blown apart by Buckhead et. al. A similar firestorm would occur, and Tancredo wouldn't have the bully pulpit of the Presidency to get himself out there like President Bush does.

Even though it's dying a slow, agonizing death, the MSM still reachs millions upon millions at home every night.

Those millions add up after a while.


243 posted on 11/22/2005 6:18:33 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: MikeinIraq; Dane

I just called Dane out for a filmed debate (RealPlayer and WindowsMedia), my views versus hers in a protected environment of her choosing at my expense. I did this because I'm tired of her constantly getting away with lying and smearing a good man's reputation without fear of retribution. It's time she put up or shut up. I'm giving her the chance to do so in an equally protected environment of her choosing on my dime but she'll have to reveal who she really is to do that. I think she's a gutless Democrat plant who won't show. We need to know if Dane and similar FReepers are sincerely concerned about America or are just shills for the ruling agenda. It's time to see who's who here.


244 posted on 11/22/2005 6:21:19 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus (Traitor: quaint historical reference, see: Activist, Progressive and Soros.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist; Borax Queen

It isn`t as much fun, but if you want some thing done, it ain`t going to happen when you are throwing rocks. Suggesting that Bush doesn`t care, or that is trying to destroy the country, thats just stupid.


245 posted on 11/22/2005 6:25:22 PM PST by bybybill (GOD help us if the Rats win)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

and that has exactly WHAT to do with me?


246 posted on 11/22/2005 6:25:55 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: bybybill
hahahahah.. No plot FRiend.

No conspiracy. I didn't make it up. I's all there in "their" own words, in black and white. Another FReeper just put the pieces to the puzzle together. You can't see the forest because the trees are in the way.

:)
247 posted on 11/22/2005 6:26:04 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: bybybill
Bush has been slow an the border issue, sure. Is he going to get there, hope so. Lets help with our ideas and support. But to say that the President is conspiring to destroy the country is way past stupid.

Correction: Bush has been, for all intents and purposes, dead on the border issue, not slow.

You don't like the word conspire? What word would make you more comfortable? His nephew, btw, has been down in Mexico campaigning, already, making disgusting comments, imho, regarding the United States Law Enforcement (i.e. border patrol). Do you think the nephew of the President of the United States would DARE make negative remarks about U.S. law enforcement without the foreknowledge or "permission" of the President?

248 posted on 11/22/2005 6:30:53 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: bybybill
"Anybody that is saying that the President is conspiring with another nation to destroy America ain`t playing with a full deck."

Again, there is no conspiracy! A conspiracy implies that this is done in secret. Actually, this is happening right in front of you. Just because you do not acknowledge it doesn't mean it is not happening. It just means that you need to cast your gaze in the direction of the process.

Please look up the definition of that word.

No one is "conspiring".

It is in fact happening right before your very eyes. You're just watching too much football to even come up for air.
249 posted on 11/22/2005 6:31:43 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: NewRomeTacitus
"Truth be told the illegals have stolen all the "starter jobs" that youth of all races used to begin with. If any young person dares to attempt to get those jobs now they'll find an entrenched cadre of illegals there willing to sabotage and ruin his or her efforts as a matter of course, SOP."

I applaud you. You are 100% correct. You're one of the few here on FR that look beyond the dish washing / produce picking cliche'
250 posted on 11/22/2005 6:35:10 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: MikeinIraq

That you have sided with her views despite seeing for yourself that the enemies of America are stark raving mad. More often than not you have insinuated that we should ditch/give up/forget about the thousand plus lives who gave everything they had to help Iraq and Afghanistan attain the semblance of democracy. What does that have to do with you? I wouldn't be the first to wonder if you were ever in Iraq at all...especially considering how the soldiers there maintain a sincere belief that they can succeed in their mission. I feel that from them but you leave me cold.


251 posted on 11/22/2005 6:37:23 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus (Traitor: quaint historical reference, see: Activist, Progressive and Soros.)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

LOL

The HELL I have sided with Dane.

rather the opposite.

I don't know what her issue is with Tancredo, but the entire premise of Dane's arguments, that illegal immigration is a great idea because we NEED the workers, is completely and totally stupid.

Get the facts straight.


252 posted on 11/22/2005 6:40:03 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: NewRomeTacitus
I wouldn't be the first to wonder if you were ever in Iraq at all...especially considering how the soldiers there maintain a sincere belief that they can succeed in their mission.

No you wouldn't. And like the others, you would be completely and totally wrong. And I don't exactly understand HOW succeeding in the mission in Iraq has ANYTHING to do with me thinking that The GOP can do better than Tancredo. But I guess when you don't have any arguments, you will grasp at ANYTHING, including another FReeper's screen name huh?
253 posted on 11/22/2005 6:41:40 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: MikeinIraq
The HELL I have sided with Dane.

You don't like Tancredo therefore you support illegal immigration. This is the mentality of the Tancredo Cult here on FR.

254 posted on 11/22/2005 6:44:10 PM PST by COEXERJ145 (If Tom Tancredo is on the GOP ticket in 2008, We Will Have Another President Clinton in 2009.)
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To: bybybill

Nah, personally, I don't enjoy throwing rocks but being proper and well-mannered sure hasn't worked. For my part (and I'm one of many), I campaigned for him very hard, sent money, wrote letters, still write letters, have answered every public opinion poll I can, yet there is almost a complete and total meltdown of enforcing our laws toward illegals or stopping the criminal invasion.

All I receive from the AZ RINOs are form letters about how they are doing blah, blah, blah, yet we have anywhere from 11-20 million illegals in the country now, the bulk of whom started arriving when they heard about Bush's shamnesty.

Not one thing, not one thing has been done by most Congressmen or the President in the last five years, regarding the border. There have been only shams, dodges, double-talk, and Trojan Horses.


255 posted on 11/22/2005 6:44:46 PM PST by Borax Queen
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To: COEXERJ145

And the funny part is, I actually agree with his stances on a lot of things, but as a candidate, he sucks.

Kinda funny I think.


256 posted on 11/22/2005 6:45:18 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: taxed2death
Thanks. Blinders to the truth seem to be the fashion nowdays. Why won't people acknowledge that the unregulated tsunami of illegals is undermining the general public's respect for law but also their very progeny's future? Do they really want us to become Mexico? Seriously, at this point where the leader of our nation sends the message that we should ignore this invasion while no one calls him on it makes me "freak out", as most of the invaders represent a major dent into out welfare net that was intended for citizens down on their luck. The vast majority of these invaders avoid taxes while sending billions of dollars to their home countries thanks to the services of Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Those companies, like Tyson, seem to be above the law and official investigation.

I want to see them all busted and sporting orange jumpsuits.

257 posted on 11/22/2005 7:01:46 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus (Traitor: quaint historical reference, see: Activist, Progressive and Soros.)
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To: MikeinIraq
"Tancredo THE CANDIDATE is the problem. He just is NOT a strong candidate at all. He has not been a Governor, he does not even represent an entire state"

Tom Tancredo Bio
1976, Elected Colorado state legislature
1981, Appointment by Reagan administration - Secretary of Education's Regional Representative
1988, Reappointment by Bush administration - Secretary of Education's Regional Representative
1998 Elected U.S. House of Representatives
2000 Elected U.S. House of Representatives
2002 Elected U.S. House of Representatives
2004 Elected U.S. House of Representatives


Abraham Lincoln Bio
1834 Elected Illinois state legislature
1836 Elected Illinois state legislature
1838 Elected Illinois state legislature
1840 Elected Illinois state legislature
1860 Elected US President US

There goes that theory.
258 posted on 11/22/2005 7:03:36 PM PST by Mulch (tm)
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To: Mulch

right...

Let's see here.....

Look up the record of John Kasich.

Or maybe Dick Gephardt.

Dennis Kuchnich anyone?

Newt Gingrich?

The theory isn't perfect, but it holds......for every one you name that succeeded, I can name a couple more that never came close.


259 posted on 11/22/2005 7:08:32 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: TLI

That's how Clinton got into office. I didn't do it when Ross Perot ran. I thought my husband and other's who voted for Perot were wrong. I think most people who voted for Perot wish they hadn't.


260 posted on 11/22/2005 7:10:29 PM PST by luckystarmom
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