Posted on 11/28/2006 10:20:17 AM PST by Dane
U.S. Sen. Biden focuses on Mexico during talk
U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wants to get tough with Mexico, a country he called an “erstwhile democracy” with a “corrupt system” that can be blamed for illegal immigration and drug problems in the U.S.
Biden, D-Del., was in Columbia on Monday in his first post-election trip to this first-in-the-South presidential primary state as he continues to line up support for his presidential bid.
During a question-and-answer session before a group of more than 230 Columbia Rotary Club members, Biden was asked about immigration problems.
Biden, who favors tightening the U.S.-Mexico border with fences, said immigration is driven by money in low-wage Mexico.
“Mexico is a country that is an erstwhile democracy where they have the greatest disparity of wealth,” Biden said. “It is one of the wealthiest countries in the hemisphere and because of a corrupt system that exists in Mexico, there is the one percent of the population at the top, a very small middle class, and the rest is abject poverty.”
• Romney taps Columbia’s Tompkins as adviser
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will use Columbia political strategist Warren Tompkins as senior Southeast adviser for his Commonwealth PAC.
Republican Romney and other 2008 presidential hopefuls are lining up people to guide their primary efforts.
Tompkins is one of the state’s top political advisers. However, statewide primaries this year left Tompkins’ shop with no contenders in the Nov. 7 election.
In June, House Majority Leader Rick Quinn came in third in the GOP treasurer’s primary. Tompkins’ client in that race, Sen. Greg Ryberg, came in second. Both decided not to run in the primary against Thomas Ravenel, who went on to beat Democratic Treasurer Grady Patterson on Nov. 7.
Arizona Sen. John McCain already is working closely with Quinn’s father, Richard Quinn, who frequently has advised candidates running against Tompkins’ clients.
• Summit to address disaster responses
Local, state and federal officials will discuss disaster responses Thursday at a regional emergency preparedness summit at Gaillard Auditorium in Charleston.
Security at the Port of Charleston, one of the busiest on the East Coast, will be a key subject of discussion.
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley will receive an award for his city’s emergency preparedness plans. Others scheduled to appear at the summit include: Jim Gilmore, former governor of Virginia and current chairman of the National Council of Readiness and Preparedness, and John Simkovich, regional public health director for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Summit participants will put together a set of “best practices,” which will be compiled and released at a national meeting in February in Washington, D.C.
Contributing: Senior staff writer Wayne Washington and The Associated Press
If only Nixon could go to China, perhaps only a liberal Dem will be able to pull off a tough new immigration policy.
blogs.thestate.com/bradwarthensblog/2006/11/joe_biden_at_ro.html
"The clip begins right after he left the rostrum and waded into the crowd to answer a one-word question: "Immigration?" Note the passion, the waving arms, the populist posturing, the peripatetic delivery. Joe Biden has always loved to talk, but this Elmer Gantryesque performance went far beyond his routine style."
ping
I welcome Biden's remarks. It can't do the enforcement-firsters any harm--and may do consdierable good. If it gives Biden momentum, that's great. Compared with Hillary, Hairplugs doesn't look too bad. Is Biden worse than mcCain, or better?
One thing you and I agree on, Dane.
On the loosing side, that is why we lost both houses, and probably will lose the Whitehouse in 08, unless the country club republicans can be pushed aside by Joe six pack.
Here's your next president...
No problem, Iscool, there is no law against you buying a junked old car.
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