McCain Blames Conservatives for Immigration Bill's Failure [McLame Sucks Alert]

NY Sun ^ | June 10, 2007 | Russel Berman

[conservativecorner]

WASHINGTON — While the White House is blaming the Democratic leadership for the collapse of the immigration bill, Senator McCain is directing his ire at members of his own party.

The Arizona senator, asked yesterday to explain the bill's failure last week, cited the work of "the more conservative, anti-immigrant, anti-legislation group" of lawmakers who defeated the proposal in Congress.

"I think the Senate works in a way where relatively small numbers can block legislation, but I also think the more conservative, anti-immigrant, anti-legislation group were very well backed up by a very vocal group of people who were supporting them," Mr. McCain said on ABC's "This Week."

The senator had been a chief proponent of the immigration bill, a compromise that would have tightened border security and established a temporary "guest worker" program while offering legal status and a chance for citizenship to many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country. Many conservatives have strongly opposed the bill, deriding it as "amnesty," and the issue has dogged Mr. McCain's bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, pulled the bill from the Senate floor last week after it failed a second test vote to limit debate. Mr. McCain's reaction has differed from that of the White House, which has expressed disappointment in Mr. Reid for not allowing a longer period of debate on the bill.

[jonrick46]

"I still think Arizona needs to be punished for him.

I think Arizona Republican Party has woke up to the true nature of McInsaine. Now they have to wait until 2010 when his senate seat is up for reelection.

[penowa]

Quinn (of Quinn & Rose in the morning) has been saying that if the Republicans were not the STUPID party, their theme would be “WE CLAIM THE BLAME!”

[John D]

McCrazy may blame conservatives, I give them credit.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[airborne]

It’s failure is America’s success!

[stephenjohnbanker]

We must continue the calls and faxes until this bill is defeated!!

[conservativecorner]

Amen airborne! :>)!!

[Spiff]

First, the Arizona Republican Party as well as the Maricopa County Republican Party (the largest county GOP organization in the state) both passed resolutions opposing legislation like this latest amnesty plan. This is not a case of extremist conservatives opposing the plan. This is a case of the grassroots of his own state party opposing the plan.

Second, polls taken in Arizona show that the majority of Arizona citizens oppose the plan - not just a vocal minority of "anti-immigrant" yahoos, as McCain falsely states. In a recent Rasmussen poll, only 24% of Arizona voters favored the Senate amnesty plan.

It is clear that it is John McCain who is part of a vocal minority of pro-open borders, anti-sovereignty, anti-law enforcement extremists who are supporting the latest amnesty plan in the Senate.

[Colorado Doug]

Everyone in the media reports this thing as a compromise. What was the compromise and with whom? It had nothing for conservatives in it at all. Nothing believable anyway.

[eeevil conservative]

HONORED TO TAKE THE BLAME!

nice work there John....

trash your base....hug the Libs....that’ll work...

[Babu]

I have never understood McCain’s popularity in AZ.

He's not really popular. Here is the problem: Not one Republican bothers to run against him in the Primary, and no Democrat even runs against him in the General Election. I usually write in somebody, 'cause I would never ever vote for McWhacked. It's a real problem for the voters of this state ...

[SUSSA]

The following quote from a great American is the best comment I’ve seen on McCain’s run. It pretty well sums up the situation as I see it.

“John McCain, you treasonous bastard, …How dare you even think that you are qualified to sit in the oval office! Ronald Reagan’s office! President? Hah! You miserable excuse for a two-bit political hack, you’re not even qualified to shine Ronald Reagan’s boots. If you do run, I’m afraid you’re gonna be at least one vote short. It’ll be a cold day in hell before a traitor like you ever receives my vote. And that’s a campaign promise you can take to the bank.”

[CPT Clay]

McCain blames consevatives for resounding defeat in the Primaries.

[CPT Clay]

think Arizona Republican Party has woke up to the true nature of McInsaine. Now they have to wait until 2010 when his senate seat is up for reelection

Better elect a Republican Governor.

[borntoraisehogs]

Vets see through this guy just like we saw through Kerry.

[goldstategop]

We admit we killed it. And McNuts thinks the best chance of winning over the conservative base is to attack them for killing a bad bill? Yeah, right. ROFL!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[CPT Clay]

Spiff;

Any chance this could snowball into defeating Gifford?

[jonrick46]

The Arizona Republican Party will have to do better than their last nominee for governor. When Len Munsil ran against Janet Napolitano, the incumbent Democrat governor in 2006, he lost by 27.2%. The Arizona Republicans will have to get their act together before the 2010 elections, when both McInsaine and Napolitano are up for reelection.