Clinton praises Bush on immigration reform

Yahoo News ^ | 07/08/06 | By ROBERT JABLON, Associated Press Writer

[garbageseeker]

LOS ANGELES - Former President Bill Clinton praised President Bush on Saturday for supporting reforms that would allow millions of illegal immigrants to seek citizenship but said the debate in Congress is being fomented by Republicans who want to divide America.

"I'm proud of him for doing it and I thanked him for doing it," he said of Bush during a "Cafe con Clinton" breakfast speech to the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights advocacy group.

Clinton said Bush's roots in Texas — which has one of the nation's largest Hispanic populations — have helped him view immigrants as people rather than statistics.

"It's hard to demonize people if you know them," he said.

But Clinton also argued that the nation's government is controlled by Republican ideological hard-liners who want to use immigration to divide Americans and distract them from issues such as the war in Iraq and the health care crisis.

Instead of equal opportunity, they support a "financial elite" because they favor "concentrated wealth and power," Clinton said.

"They believe in a government that is secret, unaccountable and that maximizes its own power," he said. "They really believe the world works better if they run it and we keep our mouths shut."

Clinton supported an immigration reform measure passed by the Senate that would provide a way for many of the estimated 12 million foreigners living in the country illegally to become citizens. A House-approved bill would make illegal immigrants felons and build 700 miles of border walls. House and Senate negotiators so far have not been able to work out a compromise.

Bush has said he wants to enforce the borders so fewer people sneak across but also provide a way for those already in the United States to become legal. He has praised Hispanic immigrants as hardworking and family oriented. Clinton used similar language in his own speech.

The message played well with La Raza, which opposes the House bill and whose current president, Janet Murguia, was an assistant in the Clinton White House.

Before Clinton's speech, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa noted a string of rallies over the immigration issue, including one in March that sent 500,000 people into the streets of Los Angeles and garnered international attention.

"You literally reshaped the political landscape of our nation ... we can still see a movement blooming before our very eyes," he said.

Both Democrats and Republicans have been looking for ways to court Hispanics, whose fast-growing population gives them the potential to become an enormous voting force. Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, was scheduled to address the convention on Tuesday

[La Enchiladita]

Don't suppose she picked up a few more millions for her campaign while she was at it?

Always, Carolyn, always. The woman is the premier political fund raiser of all time, something to bear in mind.

[La Enchiladita]

I still like to remind you that Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas will be making an appearance.

Yeah, that is just wrong if Browback and Rove show up. Because, La Raza is clearly a separatist group and they were big supporter and participants of all the "marches" this past Spring. In many cases, these mobs took over streets and even freeways in their little test run at anarchy. They brazenly paraded their illegal status and declared, "Today we march, tomorrow we vote."

I guess that was the signal for the RINOs to salivate.

[AmeriBrit]

Now Bush and Clinton are best friends

---

I don't believe that's true. Real friends of President Bush always get invited to the Ranch. How many times has Slick or Hitlery been invited? President Bush is no dummy and I'm sure he's quite aware of Slicks connections and the damage they could do to him and the country. What better way to keep an eye on him and his activities is there than to give the impression your his friend and have 41 keep his leash taut.

[La Enchiladita]

Gov. Arnold agreed to send 1,000 National Guard troops to the border.

Then, the Bush administration asked for 1,500 more CA troops to be deployed to the Arizona and Texas borders and the Gov said No.

Arnold said we need to keep them here in case of emergency, say fire or earthquake. I agreed as this is a big state and they need travel time to get to a deployment.

[garbageseeker]

Yeah, that is just wrong if Browback and Rove show up. Because, La Raza is clearly a separatist group and they were big supporter and participants of all the "marches" this past Spring.

Yeah, that is just wrong if Browback and Rove show up. Remember,several years ago Trent Lott had to resign his post as Senate Majority Leader because he spoke in front of the Council of Conservative Citizens. I think that Senator Brownback and Karl Rove should resign their posts for speaking in front of Hispanic racists who are just as racist as the KKK but against anyone who is not bronze or brown . I believe if the voters of Kansas knew that their one of the U.S. Senators was affiliated and spoke to Hispanic racists bent on "reconquista" and unrestricted illegal immigration, they would either fire him or run a primary challenger against him.

[garbageseeker]

When Arnold said that he was no going to send National Guard troops to the border and said that he needed them for an emergency, that was a Karl Rove play.

[garbageseeker]

Remember, Karl Rove is also apart of the reelection committee and special adviser to the Governor. Rove was advising him not to send troops to the border or he risked offending the Hispanic voter base.

[FairOpinion]

"It's just Slick's way of trying to confuse people with his double talk, and putting the blame for the country being divided on the Republicans instead of where it really belongs, on the shoulders of the far left leaning commies...aka democRATs.

President Bush I think realizes that with the biased congress he's been handed to work with, without profiling and asking for proof of citizenship, there's no way the 12 million ILLEGAL ALIENS can be rounded up and deported so he's had to try and come up with another solution."

===

BINGO.

You figured it out.

Too bad others are so anxious to bash President Bush, that they don't stop to think.

[texastoo]

What better way to keep an eye on him and his activities is there than to give the impression your his friend and have 41 keep his leash taut.

There is no way 41 can keep a taut lease on Clinton. About a month or so after Katrina, Clinton was on George Stephanophilis Sunday morning talk show.. In his nicy, nice way Clinton criticized the heck out of W's handling of Katrina. H. Bush and Clinton had already made appearances in NOLA together. Next thing you see is H. Bush going to the Miss. gulf coast one week and Clinton the next week separately. They haven't been cosy since then but beware as you can never tell what they may do.

[Types_with_Fist]

The only way Bush could be more sure he's wrong on this is if Gore or Carter chime in in agreement.

Actually, Gore is the only holdout so far: Carter Praises Bush’s Immigration Stance

[La Enchiladita]

When Arnold said that he was no going to send National Guard troops to the border and said that he needed them for an emergency, that was a Karl Rove play.

Really? How did you find this out?

[RodgerD]

Former President Bill Clinton praised President Bush on Saturday for supporting reforms that would allow millions of illegal immigrants to seek citizenship

Perhaps someday we'll not have an immigration leftist in the White House. One can only hope.

[Enchante]

Any "Republican" who received praise from both The Peanut Head and The Bent One should completely re-assess his position on the issue in question, whatever it may be. One of the surest signs of the road to depravity is to see TPH and TBO both pushing something........

[La Enchiladita]

Rove was advising him not to send troops to the border or he risked offending the Hispanic voter base.

PLEASE try to stick to the facts. The Governor DID AGREE to send ONE THOUSAND National Guard troops to the border. I don't know how many have actually been deployed yet, but he will keep his word.

As for his turning down the additional 1,500 to be deployed to other states, his reasoning was sound. I just don't see what it has to do with offending Hispanic voters. Heck, a large percentage of our NG troops are Hispanic.

It's only the fringe Zapatistas and the illegals themselves who oppose having the Guard at the border, but it is every right of the government to do so.

[garbageseeker]

Come on. Think like a politician. Where is the troops he is promised? The general election is in two months. He will not try to alienate his Hispanic base by sending troops to the border.

[garbageseeker]

He needs every vote he can get. And Arnold will not commit political suicide by sending troops to the border. I can see the attack ads by Angelides now.

[La Enchiladita]

I don't know where the troops are. Do you? About a week ago, I read that 250 had been deployed at that time. Do you know for a fact that they are NOT on the border? Have you looked up the facts of the matter, as to how many are currently deployed? What is wrong with looking at the facts?

Do you want the border problem solved or not? Or do you just want to bash the Governor?

[garbageseeker]

All I know, as of right now there is 500 troops at the border as we speak. There is an old Roman proverb "Simplicity is the Seal of truth". The simple truth is that there is no California troops at the border and he has not delivered on his promise. I am assuming that for political reasons he will not deliver those troops until after the November elections. I am not bashing the Governor because I am voting for him. I just do not politicians not following through on promise they will never keep.

[garbageseeker]

He is also taking his advice from Karl Rove who is happens to be speaking at a La Raza meeting. And we know La Raza philosophy on the border.