President Reagan believed any immigration "solution" had to put the rule of law first-- it simply didn't work out that way. Any attempt to deal with the problem that does not is not establishing a long term path to establishing a shining city on hill; just the opposite.
I at NO time accused Mary Cheney, George P. Bush, George W. Bush or anyone else of having "ulterior motives" if by that you mean some sort of dishonesty. Mary Cheney is a very admirable individual who has put the nations's security ahead of an issue very near and dear to her heart, and in my opinion all of us, including President Bush, should follow her noble example... Because no matter you stand on the Borders issue, it is not as important as the issue of the WOT. Many take this to mean border control advocates must not throw overboard this great president, and I agree... But it also goes the other way-- he must not throw over the base because his presidency is too important in the WOT to so much as weaken it just so we can get a guest worker's program, even assuming for the purpose of discussion such a program would be a boon to the nation on its own terms.
That does not mean that need agree with her or Vice President Cheney, who I also admire very much, on every issue. Many conservatives have trouble understanding President Bush's refusal to compromise on this issue as he did on others such as the Education bill. I was simply speculating as to why he might feel so strongly about it that he (apparently)refuses to negotiate with the House members of his own party.
I think the base is so fractured that it will need to be rebuilt. I don't see any way around it.
As far as Bush compromising, he has voiced this idea since his Governor days in Texas. He does not need to compromise. This is not a court nominee issue like Harriet Miers where he can simply allow the nominee to withdraw. He must lead with the strength of his convictions, and the only compromise will to to sign or to not sign the Bill when it arrives at his desk.