McCain Emphasizes Border Security
Written by Sam on November 4th, 2007
John McCain spent months earlier this year arguing that the United States must combine border security efforts with a temporary worker program and an eventual path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants.
Now, the Republican presidential candidate emphasizes securing the borders first. The rest, he says, is still needed but will have to come later.
I understand why you would call it a, quote, shift,” McCain told reporters Saturday after voters questioned him on his position during back-to-back appearances in this early voting state.
“I say it is a lesson learned about what the American people’s priorities are. And their priority is to secure the borders.”
I have been a big criticizer of John McCain for a long time, but I do give him credit for not being someone that tends to beat a dead horse. I saw him on TV not that long ago and someone asked him about this immigration “switch” and his answer was honest. He was like look, I still think we need to have a path to citizenship for these people at some point down the road, but the American people aren’t ready for that yet, so I will not pursue any further. I thought that was a reasonable explanation.
Strangely, I have been warming up to McCain over the last month or so. Very strange indeed.
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McCain won’t pursue it any further *while he still has a chance of becoming president.* But after he’s elected? Forget it. McCain is going to be, what, 73 when January 2009 rolls around? He wants amnesty, we all know that–if he gets elected president, then as soon as he becomes president he’s going to push for amnesty. There’s no reason to believe that he wants amnesty but is willing to let some future president accomplish it.
Don’t make the Faustian bargain of voting for McCain. He’s been spitting in our faces for years; he’s only stopped doing it lately because he’s finally realized that he won’t get our support if he keeps it up. But if we vote for him, then after that he can go back to being regular John McCain. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself: why should you think that this recent transformation is a permanent one, especially after he’s been so self-righteous and smug, with an attitude of “I’m right, you’re a moron” for all the prior years he’s been in office?
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What exactly does his age have to do with his policies, Alan?
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I think it’ll make him want to push his agenda as fast as he can. He’ll want to be the one who gets his policies put in place. And he knows he doesn’t have forever.
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But it’s not primarily about age, and mea culpa if I suggested that it is. It’s primarily about the fact that he’s deeply set in his ways. He’s got that “anyone who doesn’t like it can go to Hell” mentality. He’s not going to repay the favor of conservatives’ nominating him. It would run counter to the persona he’s put forth all his public life.
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Surely you’re not suggesting that our current President does NOT have this mentality of “I know what’s right and anyone who disagrees with me can go to hell”…
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McCain is worse. Even Bush gave up on amnesty after four tries (2004, 2006, 2007, 2007). McCain never will. And Bush isn’t as much of a jerk about it as McCain is.
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Alan, I’m not talking about just this issue- President Bush has this attitude with everything.
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I was just using that as an example. Bush gave up on Social Security (alas), Harriet Miers (tbank goodness), and other issues I’m too tired to remember.