[WASH]

Bush was to say the nation has expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents during his presidency and has sent home about 6 million people entering the United States illegally. Still, he would add, that has not been enough. "We will fix the problems created by illegal immigration and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly and fair," the president was to say. He would also call for enactment of a guest worker program to allow immigrants to take low-paying jobs, and he was to say employers must be held to account for hiring illegal immigrants. He was to say also that a tamper-proof identification card for workers would "leave employers with no excuse" for violating the law.

Could someone explain what is(was)going on with using the past tense?

[Izzy Dunne]

Could someone explain what is(was)going on with using the past tense?

Bush was to say = Bush was {expected | predicted } to say