[Vicomte13]

"I wonder if there is anything he could have said tonight that would have pleased them."

They've been screaming it for weeks:

(1) A physical fence the entire length of the border, and
(2) No guest worker or other amnesty at the present time.

That's been the core of it.
I'm not even a BorderBot, but I got it.
The President and his men got it too, but they do not want to alienate the business base, do they are adamant in their refusal to do it.

Unfortunately, that almost certainly means the exit of the BorderBots this election cycle, which in turn means a Democratic Congress.

I do not agree that Bush was operating in a fog.
It was really very clear what Border Conservatives wanted. He did not give them either point.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Just as a point of honest inquiry: is it absolutely necessary to have a fence along every mile of the border? If hundreds of miles are completely inaccessible and have not proven to be an entry point, why would it be necessary to have a fence along those miles?

If a fence could be shown to provide ample security without traversing every mile of the border, wouldn't some of the BorderBots' concerns be addressed? If not, why not?

[TheLion]

Good summation. Bush simply refuses to budge on this issue.