Mike Huckabee is so early December. Suddenly John McCain is surging again and is moving back up in the polls and picking up some key newspaper endorsements. But wasn't McCain written off a few months back for not hating immigrants enough? While he has backed off his plan to simultaneously pursue an enforcement policy and a legalization program (he now says he would focus first on border security and then move to legalization in a second stage), he has still largely stuck to his guns on immigration (and is still taking heat). Kudos to McCain for figuring out that the anti-immigrants in the GOP and the nation as a whole are simply very loud and they do not represent most Republican.
In the mean time, Mike Huckabee, previously considered a moderate on immigration issues in his time as Governor of Arkansas, has completely flip-flopped on immigration and is spending his time trying to sell himself as anti-immigration hardliner.
McCain's nomination would be devastating to the anti-immigrants. In one week, Iowans will go to the caucuses and cast the first votes in the presidential nomination cycle. Let's hope they prove once and for all that nativism is a loser strategy for the GOP.
McCain would be the better choice for Republicans in many fronts but he keeps defending the IRAQ invasion. realistically neither the republicans or dems have a good IRAQ strategy he is at least tell it straight he has not backed off his immigration stance he has just adjusted it to the primary process to get the nomination. I will not vote republican but he is the least of all evils on that side of the isle.
Posted by: Another Voice | December 28, 2007 at 05:50 PM
Only a Republican can take an event like the Bhutto assasination and bring it to the immigration debate. It was expected from a Republican, but I was surprised that this came from Huckabee. As a Pakistani this is personally very insulting...
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/28/537063.aspx
Posted by: TX | December 28, 2007 at 04:30 PM
All the dems are good for illegal immigrants.
Posted by: A | December 28, 2007 at 10:54 AM
"Guiliani is a realist by all means, but having lived in NY briefly during his days, I do remember his arrogant, dominating and divisive side."
He is very mean and ruthless too.
Posted by: A | December 28, 2007 at 10:53 AM
I don't agree with everything McCain says.
I do however admire a man who sticks to his principals and yet, will cross the floor to negotiate pragmatically. Both principals and Realism must come together in an effective leader. Bush has some principals apparently (although the whole thing is suspect) but he has no ability to create space for any movement, nor any will to accommodate different views. That is the difference between those two men. Guiliani is a realist by all means, but having lived in NY briefly during his days, I do remember his arrogant, dominating and divisive side.
Strictly on immigration, I like McCain's pragmatism. That of course though, cannot be the sole reason to elect a president...imho.
Hopefully those that can vote, will do so wisely and elect a pragmatist not a radical.
Posted by: legal-forever-waiting-forever | December 28, 2007 at 10:28 AM
I am not Greg but I like McCain. I don't agree with his stay the course policy for Iraq. He seems to stand up for what he believes in and I respect that.
Posted by: USC | December 28, 2007 at 08:19 AM
For Republican voters, I'd say he is the best choice on the immigration issue. I'd put Guiliani at number two.
The Democratic frontrunners all would be fine on immigration in my opinion.
Posted by: Greg Siskind | December 28, 2007 at 06:10 AM
So do you endorse McCain for President?
Posted by: Jack | December 28, 2007 at 03:33 AM