Posted on 05/05/2010 12:16:22 PM PDT by day21221
The White House is set to step up pressure on some key Republicans in hopes of winning support for comprehensive immigration reform.
But it’s shaping up to be a struggle, based on interviews with the senators President Barack Obama has approached on the issue.
The administration is starting with a pool of 11 Republicans who voted for immigration reform in 2006. Subtract a few who are dead-ends — such as John McCain, who faces a tough primary in Arizona — and that leaves the White House zeroing in on several others, including Dick Lugar, Judd Gregg and Lisa Murkowski and a couple of newcomers: Scott Brown and George LeMieux.
Each got a call from President Barack Obama from Air Force One two weeks ago. And last Wednesday, Obama stressed that without Republican support immigration reform is a nonstarter.
Next up, White House staff will reach out to the senators’ staffs to test out an outline of a Democratic proposal on immigration. Senate Democrats also have approached the White House about hosting an immigration summit to elevate the issue, an idea that came up during a meeting with immigration groups last Thursday, a person familiar with the meeting said.
Six other Republican senators voted for immigration reform four years ago — Bob Bennett, Sam Brownback, Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Olympia Snowe and George Voinovich — but here are the Top 5 the White House is focused on now:
George LeMieux of Florida
Open to talking, wants to see Obama out front
He’s seen as open to supporting reform because he’s a seat warmer who will be out of the Senate next year, after taking the seat that opened up when Mel Martinez retired.
LeMieux is considered a possible challenger to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, but voting for immigration reform isn’t seen as harmful to that effort because Florida’s Latino voters are a powerful voting bloc.
When asked whether he would consider supporting an immigration bill, LeMieux said he has not seen the Democrats’ proposal but is more than willing to meet with them to review it. But, he said, reform is going to require a hands-on approach from Obama.
“Immigration is obviously a big issue for Florida. It’s a big issue for this country,” LeMieux said. “It’s going to take a lot of leadership from the president — we’re going to need to see the president get out behind a proposal.”
Dick Lugar of Indiana
Friendship with Obama doesn’t extend to backing reform
Lugar voted for immigration reform in 2006 and is one of Obama’s closest friends in the Senate.
But he said the White House is wasting its time on him and “can cross me off” the shortlist of potential Republican supporters.
“I’m not planning to support an immigration bill or co-sponsor one this year,” Lugar said. “I reserve the right to vote for or against one if one occurs. It appears to me, given the schedule of the Senate, it’s not going to happen.” Scott Brown of Massachusetts
41st Republican wants a focus on jobs instead
Brown is an obvious target for Democrats on immigration reform. He’s new, represents a liberal state and has promised to work across the aisle, which he has in voting with Democrats on a jobs bill and unemployment benefits. He also replaced the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Democrat who, along with McCain, co-sponsored the 2006 immigration bill.
Brown didn’t want to talk immigration reform, though. When asked what it would take to win him over, he said, “I’d have to see what they’re proposing.”
“We’re working on financial reform. The president called me, but that’s it,” he added. “I think we should be focusing on jobs instead of all this other stuff.” He said he doesn’t think immigration reform is related to jobs concerns.
Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
Wants to strengthen border security first
He’s been one of the Obama administration’s toughest critics on budget and deficit issues, but Gregg voted for immigration reform in 2006 and has preconditions for supporting it again.
Before he’ll even discuss a comprehensive immigration bill, he said, his precondition is that the administration must take immediate and separate action on securing the border. Even legislation that secures the border first, as Democrats propose, is not enough.
“Right now, the administration is in hiding on the issue of enforcing security at the border. They’ve got the resources, they’ve got the authorization, and they just need to do it,” said Gregg, suggesting the National Guard be posted along the border within months. “The American people are not going to agree to immigration reform until they see the border secured.”
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Reform prospects not “favorable”
Murkowski voted for immigration reform in 2006. As vice chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference, she said her office has been meeting with Latino leaders to discuss immigration.
But she told Obama in their phone call that “the likelihood of something happening this year is pretty slim until the situation down on the border in Arizona is resolved.”
When asked if she would rule out taking up reform this year, Murkowski said: “I do not believe that the prospects are favorable at all, and I’m certainly not working to help accelerate it.”
Manu Raju contributed to this report.
Why won’t the Pubs just tell BO, BORDER SECURITY FIRST. No reform without it.
Dobson: GOP misled me on Rand Paul’s
Christian conservative leader James Dobson withdrew his endorsement of Kentucky Senate candidate Trey Grayson Monday, switching his support to Rand Paul’s campaign and accusing “senior members of the GOP” of misleading him about Paul’s record on abortion.
Dobson said in an audio recording that he made an “embarrassing mistake” as a result of misunderstanding Paul’s position on abortion.
“I was given misleading information about the candidacy of Dr. Rand Paul, who is running in the Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate. Senior members of the GOP told me Dr. Paul is pro-choice and that he opposes many conservative perspectives, so I endorsed his opponent,” Dobson explained. “But now I’ve received further information from OB/GYNs in Kentucky whom I trust, and from interviewing the candidate himself.”
Dobson’s reversal is an embarrassment for Grayson’s campaign, which touted the religious leader’s support last week and had planned to highlight an endorsement from Republican Rep. Hal Rogers Monday. Grayson, who serves as Kentucky’s secretary of state, has struggled in the polls against Paul, an ophthalmologist, with the primary just weeks away.
Now, Paul’s campaign is featuring Dobson’s support in a wave of radio ads across the state, on news and Christian radio stations. The campaign is also planning to put up a television spot with Dobson’s endorsement starting Tuesday.
Paul spokesman David Adams said that Dobson’s change of heart came after the insurgent conservative’s campaign introduced him to social conservatives who had rallied behind Paul.
“We have made a lot of friends over the course of the campaign who know Rand,” Adams said. “We were able to, when the initial statement came out from Dr. Dobson, get those friends to him and help him understand what the truth was, that he was being misled.”
Kentucky Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion organization, has endorsed Grayson in the primary
Immigration reform can’t be accomplished in any reasonable fashion until the close the border. If they don’t do that, reform will be reformed and reformed and reformed. It will remain a game and the American people will loose, gangs will take over more of our cities and more people will die. Again, the start to immigration must start with the border and stop the illegal immigration. Illegals know that the larger their numbers grow, the harder it will be to do anything about it.
HILARIOUS! Who is that?!?
Senator Lindsey “Lohan” Graham.
Bye Bye RINO basturds!
I’m not so sure he likes girls.
A USA Today/Gallup poll conducted May 1-2 shows that 9 out of 10 Americans say it is moderately to extremely important to them for the federal government to take steps this year to secure the border against illegal immigration.
Similarly, 61 percent of Americans say they are very concerned that illegal immigrants are putting an unfair burden on U.S. schools, hospitals, and government services.
Gallup asked respondents whether it was extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important to them that the U.S. government take steps this year to control the border to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the country. Only 10 percent said it was not that important. Eighty-nine percent said it was moderately to extremely important, with 42 percent saying it was extremely important, 26 percent saying it was very important, and 21 percent saying it was moderately important.
They should laugh at him for even trying something so stupid as he is in office because of that very thing.
It’s not “reform” at all.
It’s called the Latino vote.
Republicans Relent, Allow Debate On Financial Overhaul To Begin
Sic Sempter Tyrannis
May 4, 2010
After voting for three consecutive days to block financial reform legislation from reaching the floor, Senate Republicans finally relented last week and agreed to allow floor deliberations to begin.
GOP leaders decided to move forward with debate after Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the top Republican on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, said he received assurances from Democrats that they were willing to adjust the bill to alleviate concerns that it perpetuates bailouts, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
However, some political pundits believe the decision was made in response to the mounting political pressure applied by Democrats, who have cast Republicans as uncooperative and obstructive.
“It’s very difficult for me to comprehend senators, Republican senators, coming to the floor and nitpicking this bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “All the talk of the Republicans, about wanting to do something about this bill before it gets on the floor, is really anti-Senate, and anti-American.”
While Republicans disagree with several aspects of the bill, they seem most perturbed with its aggressive and strict consumer protection language. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), who authored the legislation, indicated his willingness to adjust the bill, but said he will not “weaken consumer protections given the enormous abuses we have seen.(MUST GO Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), tea party run)
Isn't wooing just an polite attempt to get them to remove their pants to [impolite term for sex] them. Don't worry, Obama will call the next day.
Sen. Jim DeMint has endorsed Rand Paul in Kentucky’s Senate GOP primary race, putting him at odds with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
DeMint (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday he would support Paul, an eye surgeon who is the son of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), through his Senate Conservatives Fund, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservative candidate Marco Rubio in Florida.
DeMint’s move will be seen by some Senate Republicans as a breach of protocol because he is stepping onto McConnell’s home turf to support a candidate McConnell does not.
McConnell on Tuesday formally endorsed Paul’s opponent, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson.
“I rarely endorse in primaries, but these are critical times,” McConnell said in a television ad for Grayson.
DeMint said in a statement that he’s not trying to undermine McConnell.
“Senator McConnell and I are on different sides in this race, but I support him as our leader,” DeMint said.
DeMint touted Paul as a strong advocate for balanced budgets, an opponent of Washington’s culture of spending earmarks and a supporter of term limits.
“I’m endorsing Rand Paul because he’s a true conservative who will stand up to the Washington establishment,” DeMint said. “Rand has been running on the issues that matter since the beginning of this campaign.
“He’s not a career politician, and he’s got the guts to stand up to the massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are being forced on us in Washington,” DeMint added.conservative
(All of the senior GOP Senators leaders must go) they have stop the conservative movement for years
NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!
(All of the senior GOP Senators leaders must go) they have stop the conservative movement for years
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