Privately, Bush Says He Favors Citizenship (for Illegals)

AP ^ | April 26, 2006 | DAVID ESPO

[West Coast Conservative]

President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.

Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.

Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.

Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

[tabsternager]

Oops. Correct that. Your words were "In the end no one wants a moderate leader."

[onyx]

:)

[Conservative Actuary]

AP gives you unnamed sources "and in the end" you take it.

I don't need unnamed sources to know Bush wants amnesty he's been pushing for it since 2000. I voted for him knowing he was bad on illegals just always hoping and still am that conservatives in the house and senate will block any amnesty bill.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

Yes...odd isn't it that Senators Kyl and Cornyn weren't invited for their input?

[Mo1]

If the Dan Rather National Guard Story came out today, they would probably defend Rather and say Bush was a deserter.

You're right

That's how I can tell the difference between those who want to honestly discuss the issue and those who don't

[Howlin]

We need another graphic; they've passed bashing, and are now into out and out calling him a traitor and calling for him impeachment.

[Mo1]

You are a real piece of work

[Jim_Curtis]

Bush ran on "normalization" with illegal mexicans in 2000. I'm only amazed that his base forgot about it or thought he didn't mean it. Bush never says anything he doesn't mean.

He also ran on "don't profile Arabs at the airport" and "no nation building" but sometimes events and circumstances present themselves and policy changes become necessary.

[rubeng]

I don't think I can take this guy anymore. This issue is one of the main reasons we've supported him through all the bad. Man, has he blown it. Is he really a conservative? I don't know what he is. Maybe Neil Young is on to something.

[COEXERJ145]

The worst are the ones who start screaming "treason" and "quisling" in every freaking thread. (Thankfully the person who called anyone who disagreed with him that was banned.) They sound just like the moonbats over on DU which I suspect a lot of them really are. I also suspect that a lot are the Stormfronters who came over to try and hijack FR.

[Conservative Actuary]

He also ran on "don't profile Arabs at the airport" and "no nation building" but sometimes events and circumstances present themselves and policy changes become necessary.

Since when do we profile Arabs at airports or do you need to see that Norman Mineta interview from after 9/11 again.

[tobyhill]

Did you hear him say he was refusing to seal the border or are you speculating based on the amounts of illegals crossing into the country? If your going to make an assumption based on a condition then you must also believe that every time a crime is committed and the police fail to catch the culprit then the police are guilty of dereliction of duty? Treason is a criminal offense and unless you have proof that our President has committed treason you shouldn't speak such slanderous remarks! You can always go back to Cuba if things are that bad for you.

[CWOJackson]

"We need another graphic; they've passed bashing, and are now into out and out calling him a traitor and calling for him impeachment."

Once in a while you need a break from the constant hysteria...visit DU where the attacks on the President are far less vicious.

[Cacique]

How so? By stating the obvious that any one can see?

[COEXERJ145]

I'll have to fire up Photoshop and create something. I have a good one but I'm sure the mods would delete it for being obscene. Anyone who has ideas, FRMail me.

For now, this will have to do.

[RoseofTexas]

"Of course they did; they were personally selected treasonous scum.:

Let me be the first to say....WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF MEXICO!

[Mo1]

I suspect you are correct

[moehoward]

fantastic post.

[Mo1]

What ever one can see is the hate dripping from your post