Report: Romney nudging Graham to strike immigration deal before election? (Grahmnesty and Mitt)

Hotair ^ | July 30, 2010 | Allahpundit

[GOPGuide]

A tantalizing bit of 2012 gossip dropped way, way down in an otherwise fun piece about amnesty shills boo-hooing over having (temporarily) lost McCain. Note to Politico: This is what’s called “burying the lede.”

Their hope now is that Republican presidential candidates and former operatives under Bush, a reform proponent, can convince GOP congressional leaders that the issue needs to be dealt with before 2012 — or that they could risk alienating the burgeoning Hispanic vote in the crucial swing states of New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a front-runner for the nomination, has signaled quietly to Graham that Republicans must address immigration before the campaign heats up, according to several sources familiar with the conversation.

Graham’s push against birthright citizenship prompted this response on POLITICO’s Arena from Cesar Conda, a former domestic policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney: “If the Republican Party embraces ending birthright citizenship, then it will be assured losing Latino and ethnic voters — and presidential elections for the foreseeable future.”

Now I’m more confused than ever about why Graham’s pushing the birthright citizenship amendment. If he really is thinking about trying to settle the immigration issue before 2012 — which may be do-able, given the electoral pressure from Latinos that the GOP leadership will be feeling — what does he gain by staking out a position further to the right than he’s ever gone before? I have to assume that it’s precisely because he thinks a deal is likely that he wants to stockpile conservative demands now so that he can give up on them early in the interests of “compromise.” If he sacrifices birthright citizenship in the interests of “being reasonable” but stands firm on securing the border first, it’ll give the Dems some cover on agreeing to the latter. In fact, Politico notes that his comprehensive bill co-written with Schumer already would have made amnesty contingent on first reaching certain benchmarks vis-a-vis border security; Graham’s now insisting that that’s no longer enough, that he wants a separate “borders only” bill before amnesty comes back on the table, but I’ve got a crazy hunch that he’s just staking out a bargaining position there too.

As for Mitt’s role in this, it’s not like he’s nudging Graham to strike a deal on his behalf. Getting immigration off the table would, in theory, benefit whoever the eventual nominee is. But suspicions about him among the righty base plus the fact that it’s Grahamnesty, of all people, that he’s coordinating with here instead of, say, Jim DeMint isn’t going to win him any new fans. Exit question: Any fallout over this for him, or no biggie?

[Waryone]

Two years ago it was the RINO troika Rudy Mc Romney. We got rid of Rudy and Gingrich takes his place. Election year muzzles Mc Nut and Graham rises up in his place. We annihilate Sphincter and Romney’s underhanded deceitfulness just increases.

No matter what we do there seems to be another RINO head to take the place of the one we cut off.

I’m so tired of these RINOs I could puke. I will be praying daily for their end and that the eyes of those easily deceived by them will be opened.

[cookcounty]

Where in heck does Romney thinks he’s going???

His relationship with the Republican base is already slim and thin......good night. And to think in 2008 I was trying to decide between Thompson and Romney.

Forget all the 2008 candidates..a crop without any cream.

[Darkwolf377]

Now I’m more confused than ever about why Graham’s pushing the birthright citizenship amendment.

He probably believes it will hurt the Republican party, that's why he's for it.

[PaleoBob]

A bunch of straw man arguments that begin with Romney being a “front-runner” (huh?) and Grahamnesty having some sort of way of passing amnesty through the Senate—what?

But if you accept this set of arguments and you are a Dem wouldn’t you be better off not really addressing amnesty straight up but continually flogging the Repukes for holding it up—??

[EternalVigilance]

If there’s anyone left that says they trust Republican leadership, they’re either dangerously naive or out-and-out liars.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[grey_whiskers]

Cheers!

[Man50D]

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a front-runner for the nomination

Who voted Romney the front runner? It certainly wasn't the people! This is another example of the media trying to manipulate a Presidential election outcome.

[chilltherats]

It’s a biggie in the long term for America but it’s not a biggie in the short term because no conservative in his ir her right mind would support Romney in ‘12 or any other timr anyway.

[xzins]

I do not believe that all Hispanics believe open amnesty is a great idea for our nation.

One of conservatism’s better courses would be to thoroughly understand and report on these contradictions to the media-run propaganda that there is unanimity among Hispanics on this subject.

[wiggen]

Romney represents Romney and nobody else.

[wiggen]

Graham’s push against birthright citizenship prompted this response on POLITICO’s Arena from Cesar Conda, a former domestic policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney: “If the Republican Party embraces ending birthright citizenship, then it will be assured losing Latino and ethnic voters — and presidential elections for the foreseeable future.
How about combing ending birthright with mass deportations of illegals? Think that might upset your conclusion Cesar?

[raybbr]

I don’t think amnesty will ‘finish’ the Country.

Your ignorance is astounding. Along with amnesty comes chain migration. As for the Catholic part of your equation...

Tucson bishop: Illegal immigrants should learn English, ‘get in the back of the line’

Don't be fooled by the headline.

Full text of Bishop Kicanas' testimony can be found at http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/documents/kicanastest.pdf. His statement to the House could be right out of
La Raza or any other open borders crowd.

[Diogenesis]

These are things Mitt Romney supports.

* 83% of warrants for murder in Phoenix are for illegal aliens.
* 86% of warrants for murder in Albuquerque are for illegal aliens.
* 75% of those on the most wanted list in Los Angeles , Phoenix and Albuquerque are illegal aliens.
* 24.9% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals
* 40.1% of all inmates in Arizona detention centers are Mexican nationals
* 48.2% of all inmates in New Mexico detention centers are Mexican nationals
* 53% plus of all investigated burglaries reported in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas are perpetrated by illegal aliens.
* 71% plus of all apprehended cars stolen in 2005 in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California were stolen by Illegal aliens or "transport coyotes".
* 47% of cited/stopped drivers in California have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 47%, 92% are illegal aliens.

---

Open Borders Creates Severe Health Concerns: Illegal Immigration Brings Diseases to US
While political and verbal posturing shamelessly continues by Mr. Obama and associates
in the border saga, an on-going border “war” rages. Not only are brave law
enforcement professionals at risk by standing in the gap between illegal aliens, drug
thugs, escaped and released criminals, terrorists, mentally ill, and America’s well-being,
but an insidious health crisis is also flowing across the southern border of America.

Hospital Emergency Departments in border cities are having to battle with new strains of
antibiotic resistant infections, and diseases America basically eradicated many years ago;
diseases like: tuberculosis, pneumonias, staph, parasitic Chagas disease, and leprosy.
Some American cities have prided themselves in becoming “sanctuary cities” opening
their communities to any and all illegal aliens.

Chagas: A devastating parasite that was primarily relegated to Latin America; now prevalent in Los Angeles, California and spreading.

Cysticercosis: Latin America brainworm, and as The Wall Street Journal reported, “In recent years, as the immigration population has spread…
cysticercosis has cropped up in states that have never had to deal with it before, including Iowa, Ohio, Missouri and Oregon.”

Necrotizing fasciitis: Basically a flesh-eating bacterium.

Leprosy: Difficult to believe, but health officials in Maryland, Florida, California,
Louisiana, Texas, New York City, Hawaii are having to battle this heinous disease.

Bedbugs: New strains which are resistant to fumigation.
The New York Times reported, “…bedbugs are spreading throughout New York City like a swarm of locusts…even in top addresses on Park Avenue, Riverside Drive and Helmsley Park Lane.”
These bugs are terrible, they hurt, they suck your blood, and they leave discoloration and soreness. They are spreading into hospitals!

Toxocara roundworm parasite: Can cause blindness and epilepsy.
This parasite is on a dramatic increase, and is being found in many playgrounds.
Multiple hospitals in Los Angeles are reporting rapid increases of seizures and other neurological events caused by tapeworms and related parasites.

[Vaquero]

it is all clear now.... a Romney-Graham RINOFEST ticket 2012

[b4its2late]

Like Romney has a clue. No more RINOs and go climb into some hole somewhere.

[Tennessee Nana]

Wouldnt be surprised...

Nothing RINO Rom,ney does surprises me...

Hes a liberal so he libs..

[Tennessee Nana]

PING

[Cboldt]

Haley Barbour comes to mind.

I don't pay it much mind, as the selection is not affected in the least by my thoughts and actions.

[pghoilman]

Darkhorses: Thune, Daniels