Posted on 04/14/2006 11:17:56 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Ads criticizing Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid for "playing politics" with immigration reform legislation are scheduled to air on Spanish-language radio stations in four Western cities with large Hispanic populations next week.
The ad campaign targeting the Nevada Democrat is funded by the Republican National Committee and will air in Las Vegas, Reno, Tucson and Phoenix, GOP officials said Thursday.
The ads are part of the continued political fallout from the collapse of compromise legislation forged last week by Senate leaders. The deal was scuttled when Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., rejected a series of Reid's procedural demands for voting on politically charged amendments.
"Harry Reid is not an honest broker in this debate and has proven he will manipulate the issue at any cost," RNC spokesman Danny Diaz said. He would not disclose how much the group spent on the radio campaign.
The 60-second spot says in Spanish that Reid "blocked our leaders from working together" and blames Democrats for legislation that passed the Republican-controlled House that would make illegal immigrants subject to felony charges.
"Reid's Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hardworking immigrants as felons," the ad says, "while President Bush and Republican leaders work for legislation that will protect our borders and honor our immigrants."
The reference is to a House vote on an amendment that would have reduced the proposed penalty to a misdemeanor. Many Democrats, including members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, voted against the amendment, arguing they did not support criminal penalties. Nevada Republicans Jon Porter and Jim Gibbons also voted against the amendment, which failed. The felony provision remained in the bill, H.R. 4437, and it passed the House on a largely party line vote.
A similar ad, paid for by the New Mexico Republican party, is to run in Albuquerque and Las Cruces.
"No amount of spin by the Republican leadership can alter the fact that the House bill, including the felony provisions, were authored by Republicans and ultimately passed by Republicans," Reid spokesman Jim Manley said.
Reid also is fielding attacks from local Republicans. In a statement Thursday, the Nevada Republican Hispanic Coalition, a group affiliated with the state and Clark County GOP, called Reid "a rich Anglo" and accused him of "using Latinos as a pawn for political gain."
Pilar Weiss, political director for a Las Vegas union that represents hotel and casino workers, said her group thinks Reid made the right call. And although few of her members, more than half of whom are immigrants, understand exactly what happened in Washington, they're willing to be patient, she said.
"We have a lot of faith in Sen. Reid's judgment," the Culinary Union official said.
How about some English language ads "explaining" the "Republican" position on Amnesty+ ?
I have mixed emotions on this. I note that the Republican party seems to care a great deal what the comparitively samll Hispanic community thinks. Perhaps the Republican party would do well to place some adds directed at the massive by comparison U.S. Citizen base. We vote, they don't. We have a vested interest in our nation. They only have a vested interest in what our nation can do for them.
Just damn. If this isn't one of the best examples of the tail wagging the dog, I don't know what is.
make sure ya add chinese and arabic subtitles and captioning. ;-)
I still love that suggestion by one of Rush's Hispanic callers, the we refer to the legislation directed at the illegals, as the Guest-Voter legislation.
I note that the Republican party seems to care a great deal what the comparitively samll Hispanic community thinks.
--
It mirrors their mode of how they deal with the gay, abortion and the mediaites movements, all shrinking in credibility much less beleivability. They are just trying to be consistent, Im sure.
And they're achiving that consistancy, to be sure.
Of that, I have no doubt whatsoever. His "judgement has been bought and paid for by them" (the culinary union is to Nevada what the UAW is to Michigan)
That would be full of lies too.
It is sad. It ought to stop many in their tracks and ask, just who do many of our leaders actually work for anyway.
That's the problem with silent majorities that do believe in the process.. Because they do trust that their elected officials will do the right thing, they do not raise their voices, and when they do break their silence, oft times, it is too late.
That comment is not meant to demean or denigrate the many here at FR who are never silent, but not all Americans frequent here or blogs and such.
The true 'minority' is made up of those who are just too trusting or too busy to get involved themselves and be heard when it matters most.
I agree.
Guest-Voter, I missed that. lolol
"That would be full of lies too."
Two sick parties. No leadership, just PR mouthpieces for various business lobbies looking to juice some profits they want to make the easy way, bribing politicians.
The Repubs could bash Reid with his prior stands on immigration but that would impeach many Republican senators' views. And of course Bush's.
We don't hear much from the Bushbots these days.
What'a joke.
Ping!
There is nothing like Spanish ads in America paid for by Republicans. One that galls me royally, is "Viva Medicare".
And now Republicans are blatantly racist!
I'm gonna be sick...
The ad campaign targeting the Nevada Democrat is funded by the Republican National Committee. The 60-second spot says in Spanish...
"Reid's Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hardworking immigrants as felons," the ad says, "while President Bush and Republican leaders work for legislation that will protect our borders and honor our immigrants."
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