This is a delaying action until the American people get tired of repeating themselves and drink the "at least we're better than the DemcRATs" kool-aid. /cynicism
"So why is he 5 years late in starting to talk about a fence?"
Obviously, this is political posturing to drive to tamp down the conservative anger over the CIRA bill.
"Where were the National Guard 5 years ago."
It was certainly a missed opportunity NOT to secure the borders post 9/11.
"Why now is he talking about a 'path to citizenship'."
Because he never ever intended to deport them, as that would be too cruel, and the original idea of them being 'guest workers' seemed to not get enough oomph.
La Raza and the libs demand amnesty/legalization-to-citizenship as the price of support of something, so Bush went Liberal on us to craft a RINO-Democrat bill. This is why Bush met with Reid and McCain but *not* Sen Cornyn, the conservative point-man in the Judiciary committee who is on top of most of these issues, and has his own, more conservative approach with Sen Kyl.
Bush should have pushed on Cornyn-Kyl or HR4437.
There is not really a middle. There is the very liberal CIRA bill (calling it a 'compromise' is pathetic joke). and there is the House HR4437. Secure the borders.
The middle ground would be a non-amnesty bill that gave us enforcement and a new visa for temp. workers.
"And most of all: What benefit to conservatives to have 12 million new Democrat voters?"
We get to write them off as 'dependents' on our taxes? :-/