Posted on 07/12/2007 2:02:42 PM PDT by SittinYonder
DETROIT -- As Susan Milligan noted in today's Globe, Republican presidential hopefuls have largely shied away from appearing before organizations and groups deemed to have a liberal slant. But don't tell that to US Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, the lone GOP candidate to appear this morning at the NAACP's annual convention in Detroit.
After he came out, Tancredo wandered around the empty stage, not knowing which podium to use. "Oh, right here?" he said when led to the center lectern. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing."
"Do you think we should wait a few minutes to see if these other guys show up?" Tancredo said, drawing a big laugh from the crowd. "Do they know something I don't know, is that it? I think actually I know something that they don't know."
That line drew a loud cheer from the audience, clearly appreciative that Tancredo had bothered to show up. He used his opening remarks to talk about his signature issue, illegal immigration, and how it was hurting American workers, and especially African-American workers. Tancredo said he gets "insulted" every time he hears that illegal immigrants are working jobs American citizens won't take.
"I've done those jobs, you've done those jobs, our kids have done those jobs," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Very sharp my boy! The reason the reporter knew this is because black people are a monolithic group. They couldn't possibly have a real opinion that wasn't spoon fed to them by the DNC or Jesse Jackson. She or he was aware that those reading would be too stupid to know it and feared they might think that the black audience agreed with Tancredo on certain issues like immigration.
WALLACE: You also favor comprehensive immigration reform. I want to...
THOMPSON: No, no, no, no.
WALLACE: Well, let me put up on the screen something that you said last year about illegals, and let's take a look at it. "You're going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship but not make it so easy that it's unfair to the people waiting in line and abiding by the law."
Now, you said, "Look, it's just not realistic that we're going to round up 12 million people and ship them all out of the country."
THOMPSON: Well, that's true, as a general statement. We woke up one day after years of neglect and apparently discovered that we have somewhere between 12 million and 20 million illegal aliens in this country. So it became an impossible situation to deal with.
I mean, there's really no good solution. So what do you do? You have to start over. Well, I'm concerned about the next 12 million or 20 million. So that's why enforcement, and enforcement at the border, has to be primary. I think most people feel disillusioned after 1986 when we had this deal offered to them before, and now we're insisting that, you know, we solve the security problem first, and then we'll talk about what to do with regard to other things — certainly no amnesty or nothing blanket like that.
But figure out some way to make some differentiation between the kind of people that we have here.
You know, if you have the right kind of policies, and you're not encouraging people to come here and encouraging them to stay once they're here, they'll go back, many of them, of their own volition, instead of having to, you know, load up moving vans and rounding people up. That's not going to happen.
----------
Thompson says he's not for amnesty but admits he has no solution for dealing with the 12 million to 20 million law breakers in our country. He offers statements about vague policies, but no solution. He says very clearly that those who go back, under his presidency, will go back because they choose to.
Thompson's statements that Chris Wallace quoted to him are from 2006. This transcript is from March 2007 ... before the heat was really turned up. Read what he says for yourself, but based on what he has said and done in the past, my belief is that Thompson's solution is legalization of illegal aliens.
1. We have to secure the borders immediately..close them off, then we'll see what happens...He's not advocating any one solution..I think he feels that if we severely penalize employers..many will end up going home...
2. He accurately portrayed the disgust of the American people with the pack of lies that we were sold 20 years earlier, in the first bill..
I don't quite see how you therefore deduce that he favors a pathway to citizenship for illegals..
Please see #22...I’m having a very civilized and enjoyable discussion with SittinYonder, but I don’t know enough about Fred’s actual statements to convince him. Can you, or anyone help?..Thanks
Good on him!
we solve the security problem first, and then we'll talk about what to do with regard to other things — certainly no amnesty or nothing blanket like that.
You are being less than honest here...
Are you serious? Look at what he said in 2006 ... before he was running for president, before the American people were hopping mad about amnesty. How is what he said in 2006 and what he said in 2007 any different than Bush pushing amnesty but telling us it's not amnesty?
If you are concerned about the next 12 to 20 million and not the ones who are here, if you are counting on some of them to decide for themselves to leave the country and you're unwilling to force them to leave, then what would you call it?
Whether he grants them amnesty or just - through the ICE as part of the executive branch - ignores their illegal status, it's all the same.
Thompson made it clear a year ago that he is in favor of amnesty. That's what a path to citizenship means.
Now, as a presidential candidate, he's opposed to amnesty but there's nothing you can do about the illegals currently here except hope they'll go away.
pshaw
When you have a flooded basement..the FIRST thing you do is stop anymore water from getting in, once that’s done..then you figure out the best method to get the water out..
"You're going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship but not make it so easy that it's unfair to the people waiting in line and abiding by the law."
Where was Thompson on illegal immigration when he was in the senate? Oh, wait, according to him we just woke up one morning and all these people were here. These folks must've come across the border in the middle of the night after he left the senate.
If you think that could happen please explain how society would function with the widespread rioting and civil unrest that would occur and not just from illegals but people sympathetic to them?
Who's talking about "rounding people up" other than Thompson when he makes excuses about why the government can't deal with this problem?
I’m not talking about basements.
How am I being less than honest when I posted the man's own words?
If you want to be sucked in by another go-along to get-along, establishment republican candidate, like we've had for the last eight years, that's none of my business.
But don't call me a liar because you've been fooled.
I posted the man's own words.
The reporter only had to ask one black person since we know all black people think the same. And, of course, that person would be Jesse.
LOL, good comeback...
Gosh, I’m suprised that the Boston Globe reporter failed to mention
that Tancredo is “racist”.
Or that his audience is “racist”.
Funny how liberal journalists forget that “racist” label they usually
slap on anti-ILLEGAL-immigration advocates...once they are identified
as hitting the right notes with another minority group.
(I am NOT saying Tancredo or the NAACP are “racist”. Just commenting on
what is fairly clear AND selective self-censorship exercised by
weasel journalists)
Here in Montana we all do those jobs, when I moved here I couldn’t get over the fact that white people did landscaper jobs and made up the beds in the local motels
GO TOM, GO!!!
"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
I mean, there's really no good solution. So what do you do? You have to start over. Well, I'm concerned about the next 12 million or 20 million. So that's why enforcement, and enforcement at the border, has to be primary. I think most people feel disillusioned after 1986 when we had this deal offered to them before, and now we're insisting that, you know, we solve the security problem first, and then we'll talk about what to do with regard to other things — certainly no amnesty or nothing blanket like that.
"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
Hmm. I suspect unlike the editorialized statement of the “reporter”, that those members in the audience certainly agreed about illegal immigration. My guess on certain social issues as well. School vouchers too, if tancredo supports that, I don’t know.
I do think the candidates should have handled the because te NAACO is a closeminded liberal group that has no interest in helping republican, let alone conservative Republicans. Most of the candidates cited scheduling conflict. If they had shown up, I suspect most of them would have focused on trying to get along. I don’t want republicans pandering to this group, but I don’t liked they ducked the confrontation either.
Tancredo seems to be the only one that handled this one right, and while I appreciate his focus to amnesty I’m not a big personal fan.
"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
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.