Posted on 12/17/2005 3:57:17 AM PST by YCTHouston
GOP embraces ex-outsider and his hard-line positions Tancredo still relishes defying his party leaders on border issue
By GEBE MARTINEZ Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Tom Tancredo threw his head back and laughed the laughter of sweet vindication.
The Colorado Republican congressman was recalling in a recent interview the 2004 Republican National Convention, when White House political strategist Karl Rove wouldn't tell him where the platform committee had assembled. Rove apparently wanted to prevent Tancredo from embarrassing President Bush by trying to add strong anti-immigration phrases as Bush was wooing Hispanic voters.
Tancredo laughed again as he mimicked the scolding he said he got last year from then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, for setting up a political committee that backed Republican primary candidates, even against GOP incumbents, who shared Tancredo's call for zero tolerance on immigration laws.
But now, the immigration issue has moved to the forefront, Bush has toughened his stance against illegal immigration and the House was expected to pass legislation late Friday that would crack down on illegal immigration.
As one of the major reasons for the action, Tancredo is no longer treated as an outsider in his own party. He is invited to the weekly "unity" dinners sponsored by House GOP leaders, even as he encounters criticism of his legislative proposals from many Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
After arriving in Congress in 1999, Tancredo, the grandson of Italian immigrants, began pushing the immigration issue with a single-mindedness rarely seen on Capitol Hill.
On talk radio and cable television and in nightly speeches in an empty House chamber, he railed against illegal immigration and the increasing number of foreigners granted visas to enter the United States.
Started in the 1970s Tancredo became an immigration foe in the 1970s when, as a junior high school teacher, he saw the start of Colorado's bilingual education programs. During four years as a state lawmaker, starting in 1977, Tancredo attempted unsuccessfully to strike all funding for bilingual education, contending it hurt student test scores.
Tancredo tried to make immigration an issue in his first congressional race.
"Nobody would say I was right; nobody would say anything," he recalled. But he kept talking about it.
"Then 9/11 happened and everything turned topsy-turvy."
When the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Middle Easterners who entered the country with documents that appeared legal, national security concerns entered the immigration debate. And again Tancredo was at the forefront.
The GOP maverick thought no one was listening. But he had underestimated the appeal of his message. The House Immigration Reform Caucus, which began with 16 members, now has five times that number.
Tancredo is even thinking about a presidential bid.
"It was completely serendipitous," Tancredo said, explaining his rise from obscurity. "I certainly never planned to be at odds with the president of my own party and my own leadership."
These days he seems to relish defying party leaders. When Bush recently bowed to criticism by party conservatives and urged stronger border enforcement, Tancredo said: "As with all politicians who change their rhetoric and their policies under political pressure, the public must continue to push the administration to follow up on its words."
Under the banner of compassionate conservatism, Bush has proposed a way for illegal immigrants to get temporary legal status as guest workers.
Tancredo's approach, in his own words: "If you are truly compassionate, what you will do is to construct a [physical] barrier ... so that you will be able to discourage people from trying to come. Because those folks are the ones dying in the desert."
Critics, however, suggest he's using the immigration issue to make a name for himself.
"I know that Mr. Tancredo is sincere, but I don't think he has been constructive," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the cosponsor of an immigration bill in the Senate. "Is a politician making a sincere effort at trying to find a solution to a problem? Or are they using it as a lightening rod to generate political support?"
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez, D-Calif., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the nation needs comprehensive immigration reform, including border security and a way for immigrants to earn legal status.
"His personal vendetta and venomous rhetoric against immigrants does not contribute anything constructive to the immigration debate," she said of Tancredo.
His allies regard him as a political warrior unafraid of bucking establishment opinion.
"He's been a really outstanding voice and has had to arm wrestle with members of the administration who haven't been interested in moving this issue," said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.
Tancredo annoyed some Republicans by aggressively campaigning in a California special House election against the GOP nominee and in favor of Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minuteman Project of armed citizen border patrols.
Gilchrist ran as an American Independent Party candidate with an anti-immigration agenda and came in third. He lost the conservative Orange County seat to Republican state Sen. John Campbell. Democrat Steve Young finished second.
15 interviews a week Tancredo now does about 15 radio and TV immigration-related interviews a week. He concedes his argument benefits from some people not distinguishing between legal and illegal immigrants.
"They go into the hospitals, they go into the emergency rooms and they see people who they believe to be illegal immigrants. They read that people are coming across the border to get benefits," Tancredo said.
"You cannot tell a person's immigration status by looking at them," countered Lisa Navarette of the National Council of La Raza.
But after years of being on what he called the defensive on the issue, Tancredo brags that momentum is now on his side: "It's happening, and it's the number one topic."
gebe.martinez@chron.com
Press 1 for English................................
"Every "Hispanic" illegal changes this country, dilutes my vote, sucks up my tax money, increases the workload on emergency rooms, increases the competition for university seats and scholarships and on and on and on."
Where's your compassion you racist, xenophobe? :)
Absolutely. The reason Dems tolerate the wacko left is to move the center in that direction, allowing Hillary to remake herself as a mainstream "centrist."
Tancredo, and a few others, are our anchors on the right, shifting the center until "extremist" ideas like controlling the freakin' borders become part of the center, and thus realistic policy options.
Tancredo deserves special credit on this issue, and it's time for some of ours to stop shooting at him.
<"You cannot tell a person's immigration status by looking at them," countered Lisa Navarette of the National Council of The Race.
You can if they are walking through a South Texas ranch, at night, with no flashlight, Lisa.>
Thanks for that line. I'm going to use it.
Even the Chronicle, through a series or articles - not just this one - has demonstrated it's realization that immigration reform is a serious issue supported by a strong, mainstream majority. Now if the rest of the Republicans and Freepers could do the same, we might make some progress.
ping
Press 2 to be deported....
"Comprehensive" (immigration reform) is the new buzzword for amnesty.
Sounds like a little envy there on Cornyn's part since most support Tancredo's approach to the illegal alien crisis instead of his.
" PC is for the fashionably young"
HA! I like to ask pro-immigration folks who accuse me of being a racist "just exactly what race are Hispanics?". I've never gotten an answer.
I'm not sure my junior senator is either sincere or constructive on this issue.
As are very many of them in the Senate. In the GOP there's one from Alabama and one from Oklahoma on our side, the rest appear to be drinking the "comprehensive reform" kool aid.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
Our Border Patrol agents are able to make very educated guesses. Papers please Jose!
The racists are the pale white Spanish ruling oligarchy of Mexico. That drive their Indians and Mestizos into the United States. The rulers of Mexico laugh at the stupid gringos tolerating this invasion
These days he seems to relish defying party leaders. When Bush recently bowed to criticism by party conservatives and urged stronger border enforcement, Tancredo said: "As with all politicians who change their rhetoric and their policies under political pressure, the public must continue to push the administration to follow up on its words."
BumPing!
DL had a good point on another Tom T. thread - about the quiet of the FROBLers today. Their little bot heads must be spinning out of control as their anti-Christ/Hitler/Stalin/Pol Pot figure has done nothing but shine and be a hero in defending our nation.
Good for Tom. No wonder the quislings hate him.
I understand they've been delayed. Today's LaRaza meeting is running late...
Tom Tancredo has been speaking the truth, regardless of who it is that doesn't like it. It's called standing on principles and not being a sell out....something foreign to quislings.
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