Free Republic

For the connoisseur of political hypocrisy, the shifting immigration stands of three GOP candidates are a veritable banquet. Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney have started doing passable impressions of Lou Dobbs. But can you trust a candidate whose record contradicts his campaign rhetoric? (That was a rhetorical question.) The CNN/YouTube debate was a hoot. Romney and Rudy squared off on what’s shaping up to be the defining issue of Campaign 2008 -- with the dignity of a couple of rabid mongooses. Rudy – who wants to “secure the border” (is there anyone, including Hillary, who says they don’t?)...

Democrats won both houses of Congress in the 2006 elections in part by arguing that Republicans were incompetent to govern. On immigration, they enjoyed a comparatively united party and cooperation from a Republican White House. More than any other factor, heat from the right killed the bill. But voters elect congressional majorities to solve problems, and Democratic incumbents can expect to pay some price every time they fail. But that fallout almost certainly will pale alongside the damage to future Republican presidential candidates. Hispanics represent the fastest-growing chunk of the U.S. electorate. Their choices help drive the rising swing states...