Posted on 06/05/2006 12:54:44 PM PDT by SmithL
Carlsbad, Calif. -- Republicans seized on Democrat Francine Busby's comments that sounded like encouragement for illegal aliens to help her campaign as the GOP sought an edge in the final hours of a surprisingly close House race.
Immigration looms large in the runoff election Tuesday in the San Diego-area district some 30 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. Busby's remarks, and her subsequent explanation that she misspoke, has drawn much of the attention in the race's last days.
Speaking to a largely Hispanic audience last Thursday, Busby faced a Spanish-speaking questioner who said he wanted to help her campaign but lacked voting papers. The question was translated into English and she responded, "Everybody can help. You can all help. You don't need papers for voting, you don't need to be a registered voter to help."
Busby's GOP rival, Brian Bilbray, criticized the Democrat, saying she was encouraging possible illegal immigrants to volunteer for the campaign. On Monday, the GOP launched a radio ad that said, "That's right. Francine Busby says you don't need papers to vote."
Busby said repeatedly throughout the weekend that she misspoke. She said she had been trying to encourage underage high school students or people who weren't registered — but are in the country legally — to participate in the political process.
"I had a slip of the tongue and I corrected it immediately," Busby said. "I want to make it unequivocal that I do not support anyone who is here illegally voting or working on campaigns."
In the traditional GOP stronghold, registered Republicans outnumber Democrats, 3-to-2. But the downfall of convicted former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, doing time for accepting bribes, has given Democrats hope of capturing the seat.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Leave it to the AP. Those were "voter fraud" remarks. They had little to do with immigration.
Busby let the democrat slip show.
tsk tsk.
John McLaughlin's on his "McLaughlin Group" on PBS predicted this weekend a Democrat pickup here tomorrow. Then he smiled that the Democrats would need only 14 more seats for control. His former wife was a cabinet secretary under Reagan.
"I had a slip of the tongue and I corrected it immediately," Busby said. "I want to make it unequivocal that I do not support anyone who is here illegally voting or working on campaigns."
I don't support it, but I hope you'll do it anyway.
"Leave it to the AP. Those were "voter fraud" remarks. They had little to do with immigration"
You are a harsh critic!
Like Hildabeast supporting the WOT, watching a Dim straining with "immigration"
is something like . . . watching a poodle pass a peach-pit?
("You can do it girl, breathe!")
breathe="gulping for air"
McLaughlin has become unwatchable of late...This week's piece on Haditha was despicable..I think he's become senile..I only tune in because of Tony Blankely..
"...You don't need papers for voting, you don't need to be a registered voter to help."
Yeah - sounds like. Must be some kind of auditory illusion.
McLaughlin Group is still on?? Who knew. ;) Not sure they even air it here. Anyway, McLaughlin was always a pretty bad prognosticator.
But it was at just the wrong moment in history. She's close enough to voting day that it will still be fresh in voter's minds, and will motivate many to go to the polls to vote against her.
Bilbray is well known hereabouts as an opportunist who is actually an establishment guy. But if he demonstrates (for the umpteenth time) that being solidly against illegal immigration is a way to get elected, then that's good enough.
Don't know that much about the dynamics of the race, but would suspect Ms. Busby done did screwed da pooch.
Trying to cover her first "misspeak", she just did it AGAIN, saying "I meant that you don't have to be a registered voter to vote."
Her aid corrected her, and she laughed. The DNC must be so proud.
The news is running both "misspeaks" every 15 minutes.
Maybe she meant they could clean the commodes after closing...
she is toast....
I heard this on Roger Hedgcock show. I interpret this as encouragement to illegals to help her campaign, not that they should vote illegally, although I doubt she would have said anything to dissuade it.
I remember PBS.
Maybe she didn't mean anything by it. But the fact that she backtracked like that will make it seem that she did.
Very good info on this thread, including heleny's transcription of Busby.
Keep in mind, this was NEVER meant to reach the English press, which was not invited.
It was recorded by an undercover Minuteman.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642545/posts?q=1&&page=32#32
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.