Candidate Giuliani Shifts His Tone on Immigration

NY Times ^ | April 22, 2007 | MARC SANTORA and SAM ROBERTS

[calcowgirl]

DES MOINES, April 16 --Rudolph W. Giuliani is a long way from Ellis Island.

A decade ago, as mayor of New York, Mr. Giuliani used that historic backdrop to champion the cause of immigrants, calling attacks on people who came here legally a blow to “the heart and soul of America.” And from City Hall he often defended illegal immigrants, ordering city workers not to deny them benefits and advocating measures to ease their path to citizenship.

But now he is running for president, and the politics of immigration in the post-9/11 world is vastly different, with the issue splitting the Republican Party and voters peppering Mr. Giuliani on the campaign trail with questions about his current thinking. Perhaps more than any other candidate, Mr. Giuliani has a record on immigration with the potential to complicate his bid for the nomination.

In contrast to his years as mayor, when he fought federal efforts to curtail public hospital or educational services to illegal immigrants, he now talks of penalties for people here illegally and requirements for them to wait at the back of the line. And while he once pushed policies like providing schooling for the children of illegal immigrants by saying, “The reality is that they are here, and they’re going to remain here,” now he emphasizes denying amnesty.

(snip)

Mr. Giuliani’s approach is similar to the one proposed by President Bush, advocating an orderly flow of immigrants by providing a clear path to citizenship and thereby easing the pressure at the border.

Like Mr. Bush, Mr. Giuliani emphasizes the need for tough border controls. He said he wanted to help those who are already in America become citizens, but he is quick to highlight that he is not in favor of amnesty, which leading Republican candidates dare not endorse.

[conserv8ive1]

If he’s thinking like Bush on immigration.....that’s all I need to know.

[Petronski]

Flippity flop flop, flippity flop flop, Rudy’s on his way....

[NeoCaveman]

First abortion, then (some) guns, now immigration, by December he might have his impersonation of a conservative down pat.

[NeoCaveman]

And to think some people gave Romney hell for “flip flopping”

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Will he go goose hunting?

[Petronski]

“How do I get me one of them there huntin’ licenses?”

[devane617]

“Will the real Rudy please stand up.”

[NapkinUser]

On President Bill Clinton: Shortly before his last-minute endorsement of Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, Giuliani told the Post's Jack Newfield that "most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." -Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

The Real Rudy Giuliani:

From Human Events:

Pro-Illegal Immigration

As Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics has pointed out, Rudy is an adherent of the same approach to illegal immigration that John McCain, Ted Kennedy, George Bush, and Harry Reid have championed:

"While McCain has taken heat for his support of comprehensive immigration reform, Rudy is every bit as pro-immigration as McCain - if not more so. On the O'Reilly Factor last week Giuliani argued for a "practical approach" to immigration and cited his efforts as Mayor of New York City to "regularize" illegal immigrants by providing them with access to city services like public education to "make their lives reasonable." Giuliani did say that "a tremendous amount of money should be put into the physical security" needed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming across the border, but his overall position on immigration is essentially indistinguishable from McCain's."

That's bad enough. But, as Michelle Malkin has revealed, under Giuliani, New York was an illegal alien sanctuary and "America's Mayor" actually sued the federal government in an effort to keep New York City employees from having to cooperate with the INS:

"When Congress enacted immigration reform laws that forbade local governments from barring employees from cooperating with the INS, Mayor Rudy Giuliani filed suit against the feds in 1997. He was rebuffed by two lower courts, which ruled that the sanctuary order amounted to special treatment for illegal aliens and were nothing more than an unlawful effort to flaunt federal enforcement efforts against illegal aliens. In January 2000, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, but Giuliani vowed to ignore the law."

If you agree with the way that Nancy Pelosi and Company deal with illegal immigration, then you'll find the way that Rudy Giuliani tackles the issue to be right down your alley.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF GIULIANI'S LEFT-WING POLITICAL POSITIONS

[dc-zoo]

I dare say you won’t get any better than that on immigration from any other Republican that has a chance to win the nomination.

[Obadiah]

And if he were to get elected president I would bet my last dollar that he would snub conservatives and go right back to his pro-immigration NY City policy. Guaranteed.

[TomGuy]

Like Mr. Bush, Mr. Giuliani emphasizes the need for tough border controls

[snicker]

[WalterSkinner]

[upsdriver]

” Mr. Giuliani emphasizes the need for tough border controls. He said he wanted to help those who are already in America become citizens, but he is quick to highlight that he is not in favor of amnesty.”

That is such twisted logic, help them become citizens but not offer amnesty! How is that possible?

The only thing I want to see them do is show those who are here illegally the border gates with a swift kick in their @sses on the way out!!

[upsdriver]

LOL!!!

[TomGuy]

Links to a couple of Youtube vidoes of Rudyette.

Rudy Giuliani in Drag Smooching Donald Trump

RUDY GIULIANI, IN DRAG: HE'S DA MAN!

If elected, which gown will Rudy wear to his Inauguration Ball?

[Rudy in dresses and Edwards primping. Is this the best we can find?]

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

As Mayor, Rudy blurred the distinction between legal and illegal aliens. No one is denying the fact that NYC has a rich history of immigrants, who came here on their own, through legal channels, who had to learn the American way of life, to pursue the American dream. These immigrants of yesteryear are far different than the border crossers and visa overstayers we have now.

[cripplecreek]

And that’s why he will lose

[EagleUSA]

Like Mr. Bush, Mr. Giuliani emphasizes the need for tough border controls.

---

When do we start laughing? Yeah, they see such a strong need for border control, that is why NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OF ANY SUBSTANCE, in fact they work to PREVENT suppression of illegal flow. Hypocrites and liars.

[upsdriver]

“I dare say you won’t get any better than that on immigration from any other Republican that has a chance to win the nomination”

Well, then, by all means, let’s nominate the worst of the lot!!