Fox calls Bush "Jorge" (my title)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mexican President Vicente Fox (news - web sites), the first state visitor of the Bush presidency, challenged the United States on Wednesday to strike an agreement on immigration by year's end. President Bush (news - web sites) said ``there is no more important relationship'' than with Mexico but did not embrace Fox's ambitious deadline.

The public challenge stunned U.S. officials who have been trying to lower expectations for a deal on the complex and politically risky issue that could legalize millions of undocumented Mexicans. Even some Mexican officials said they had no notice that Fox would push for quick action.

The two-day state visit, an important political event to both Bush and Fox, began promptly at 9:30 a.m. EDT when a military band struck up a Sousa march and the two presidents strolled shoulder to shoulder onto the White House back lawn. Military honor guards stood stone-faced as their battle ribbons, jostled atop flag poles by a cool wind, whipped at their faces.

Bush, hoping to court Hispanic voters for his 2004 re-election bid, said Wednesday's formal welcoming ceremony, one-on-one Oval Office session, rare joint Cabinet meeting and state dinner - along with his and Fox's joint trip Thursday to Ohio - amounted to a ``recognition that the United States has no more important relationship in the world.''

With all the pageantry a president can muster, Bush welcomed Fox to what he called the ``Casa Blanca'' and said, ``We understand that our two nations must work together in a spirit of respect and common purpose to seize opportunities and tackle challenges on the issues that affect the lives of our citizens, including migration, the environment, drugs, crime, corruption and education.''

That included just a glancing reference to the issue that dominates U.S.-Mexican relations: What should be done with the 3 million or so illegal Mexican immigrants who want legal status in America, and millions more in Mexico who want to cross the 2,000-mile border? The president wants an undetermined number of illegal immigrants to become legal.

A joint statement being released Thursday as Bush and Fox tour a Hispanic community center in Toledo, Ohio, commits the pair to forging a ``realistic approach to migration'' that respects ``the human dignity of all migrants, regardless of their (legal) status.''

With a dozen anti-immigration protesters outside the White House gates, Bush and first lady Laura Bush threw Fox an intimate state dinner with an extraordinary finale of fireworks on the South Lawn.

Raising a glass of 7-Up, the teetotaling Bush toasted Fox ``friend to friend, partner to partner, neighbor to neighbor.'' Fox returned the compliment, calling Bush ``Jorge'' and someone he trusts to take action on the immigration problem.

Bush's trip to Mexico in February raised hopes in both countries that an agreement would come quickly, but the leaders have sounded more cautious in recent weeks as congressional conservatives raised objections.

On the eve of their meetings, Bush said the complexity of the issue bars a quick deal and acknowledged that he has ``a lot more selling to do'' in Congress. Fox said Sunday it would take four to six years to complete a comprehensive U.S.-Mexican immigration overhaul.

Flanked by Bush in front of the Truman Balcony, Fox seemed to set a more aggressive timetable.

``We must and we can reach an agreement on migration before the end of this very year which will allow us, before the end of our respective terms, to make sure that there are no Mexicans who have not entered this country legally in the United States and that those Mexicans who have come into the country do so with the proper documents,'' said Fox. His term ends in 2006.

Fox appeared to be calling for an agreement that would be ready for consideration by the respective legislatures of the two countries before the end of the year. But U.S. officials have said that details such as timetables and the numbers of Mexicans who would be eligible have not yet been broached.

Fox believes Mexicans in the United States are not being treated fairly. He says U.S laws should be amended so that migrants receive health, education and labor rights and can work without fear of deportation.

Several administration officials said afterward they would have preferred to avoid the added pressure of a public deadline. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it is impossible to predict whether a comprehensive agreement can be reached this year, given the unease in Congress and fluidity of the talks.

Bush, asked whether he thought Fox's timetable was too ambitious, pretended not to understand the question and joked in Spanish, ``I can't hear.''

His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), said it would be nice to reach an agreement by year's end, but cautioned, ``The president shares the desire to do it quickly, but to get it right.'' Bush and Fox will release broad outlines of their immigration goals while touring a Hispanic community center in Toledo on Thursday.

Prodding Bush, House Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he hopes to pass a bill during Fox's visit that would extend by a year the deadline for illegal immigrants to apply for visas.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., chairman of the congressional immigration reform caucus, said the prospects are not good for congressional approval of legislation that would legalize undocumented Mexican aliens.

People should not be rewarded who ``forget about American law, sneak into the country and avoid detection,'' he said.

Bush has acknowledged such concerns, but nonetheless says it would be in the nation's interest to match hardworking Mexicans with American employers.

Fox's remarks reflected the political pressures he faces at home to strike an agreement with Bush. He hopes to quiet critics in Mexico who say he promised much during his landmark election campaign and has delivered little.

Hey, hey, now Rosie. We're all just practicing our Bush-bashing technique. It's a favorite pasttime here on FR because no one really wants to waste time getting the facts, questioning what they see in the media, or coming up with an original thought. It's so much easier to be negative and disparaging. Watch me!

Yep - it's all a massive gov't conspiracy. And while we're at it - let's just say that W. is an evil man bent on corrupting all of society. He bows to Satan and is a closet beast with his dog Spot. His wife is the whore of Babylon and we're all gonna be thrown in concentration camps next month. But only after he asks the U.N. to set up a D.C. office in the White House.

How's that? Hey, I think I'll send this script over to Michael Savage or Alan Keyes. I'm sure they can work it in....

GOOD GOSH PEOPLE...GET A GRIP!!

Many dittos! Good post!

I'd walk 500 miles across a desert, cross a border, take any job I could find in order to feed my hungry family, as well. Who here would not?

Thanks for the common sense - with the American Spirit popping out all over it - reminder of what our President is doing. Like President Bush said today in Ohio, "....only fearful people BUILD WALLS....secure people TEAR THEM DOWN!" Amen to that! We don't need a Berlin Wall between Mexico and America. Ever.

What's the Spanish for "bush"? Spanish for "Jorge" is "putana", I believe. Or is that Italian?

"Bush" in Spanish is Arbusto. Jorge is "George" in Spanish.

BTW, President Bush named his first oil company Arbusto.

Bush has made it VERY CLEAR that those immigrants have to follow INS procedures in order to obtain citizenship.

What procedures, the ones they have already violated? Do you know that according to INS, illegals should be deported and that illegals who have stayed illegally for more than 6 months, I believe, are banned for entering for 10 years?

"Bush" in Spanish is Arbusto. Jorge is "George" in Spanish.

BTW, President Bush named his first oil company Arbusto.

You missed the innuendo, what "bush" is it about, and what "Jorge" (whore-heh, get it?).

Do you really think that the Fox Regime is unaware of their transit?

Fox is their "spokesman", according to Bush:

``I want to accommodate my friend. He's got a very important role to play. And that is, as a spokesman for Mexican nationals living in this country, as someone who's deeply concerned about their future, their lives, and I completely understand that,'' Bush said.

Put away your Bush Jr. kneepads and Put America First!!

Why don't you put away your selfish, narrow, hurtful, bloated comments and try loving your neighbor as much as you apparently love yourself. We can elevate Mexico, helping Presidente Fox bring home his people, as he stated today in Ohio he hoped to do, by opening trade and helping birth a for real middle class in Mexico. That is the RIGHT THING TO DO! If you really love America, then you will look to the future and try putting yourself in other's shoes now and then. That is how GOOD THINGS HAPPEN! You were LUCKY to be born here-as all of us are-and I BET that you would be the FIRST to walk through 500 miles of hot desert, cross a border into a country whose language you do not speak, take ANY job available to FEED your hungry family if your own nation was suffering and had no jobs to offer. Try thinking with your mind AND YOUR HEART use a little empathy, and reflect on what Jesus would do. It helps clarify a lot!

You people -- do -- need to get a grip. Bush made it clear what he's after. There are jobs that Americans think they are too good to do -- there is a need for these jobs -- let the Mexicans do it.

He is of course referring to manual labor, trash men, etc. The jobs that Americans unionize and then continually gripe about. Then the DNC comes over and pats the unions on the back and tell them they'll get everything thing they want -- just vote for me...

Its subtle warfare, doesn't effect ME in the least, and in fact I hope we improve our relations with Mexico through this, its ridiculous for that nation to be considered 3rd world when it borders against the richest nation in the history of the world.

They are 3rd world because of previous Demoncrat type leadership -- I'm hopeing Fox will give the US a plentiful source of GOP voters in the future.

It's social chitchat among neighbors, but the point is the emerging middle class in Mexico is staying there, for instance a union job in the VW factory in Monterey.

Central America apparently is causing Mexican frustration when THEIR illegals cross into Mexico from the south, straggle north, and then get picked up here by INS. "All brown skins look alike". Further chit/chat is the unhappy north Mexico mayors, irked at USA INS who dump a load of Guatamalans into say Mexicali.

I don't really know if we still do that dumping, but..........

Meanwhile, legally red/white/blue brown skins here with a Mexican last name are getting a little touchy about the Mexican bashing, saying rightfully that if INS ever raided the Irish bars in Santa Monica California, raided for Brits/Aussies/Kiwis they could fill a bus. Good point.

I BET that you would be the FIRST to walk through 500 miles of hot desert, cross a border into a country whose language you do not speak, take ANY job available to FEED your hungry family if your own nation was suffering and had no jobs to offer.

You are insulting honest people here by suggesting that they would commit a crime. You are defending criminals who invade this country against the wishes of its population and leech off taxpayers-funded services. You have no shame!

Wait a minute! Re-read my post! I didn't say anything insulting about the Mexican immigrants.

May I remind people that the United States (New England) was a penal colony before independence?

I think you're too late, Republic. After all, some brilliant freeper told me yesterday that W. should not have any more state dinners and should stop speaking to all heads of foreign countries. Obviously, a foreign policy expert lurking around on FR.

The Mexican Border Patrol, particularly south in the jungle, is thinner than Clinton's ethics.

Hitch-hiking in Mexico, if you have brown skin and are poorer than dirt, takes a long time but can be done.

How? If you're destitute, hungry, and have nothing to lose, why not go in the direction of jobs and freedom? Been done before...that's just about how we all got here.

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