There has been speculation that Rudy Giuliani is playing very carefully on the immigration issue because he wants Schwarzenegger’s endorsement.
I have a related theory. Is Mitt Romney hurting himself with Jeb Bush because of his flip-flopping pander on immigration?
Several points as you think about this. First Jeb Bush has spoken out strongly on immigration. From an LA Times article (reprinted by this pro-immigration group):
Accusing politicians of "pounding their chests" on immigration for short-term political gain, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that the tone of the debate had been "hurtful" to him and his Mexican-born wife, Columba.
Not only is Jeb pro-amnesty, he takes this issue personally.
Second, immigration would be the legacy of George W. Bush’s 2nd term. Let’s make the implication clear. Mitt Romney is demagoguing ("pounding his chest") on an issue that is central to George Bush’s legacy. How is his brother going to feel about that, especially when the demagoguing is "hurtful" to his family?
Third, the Bush family is deeply committed to this issue. Jeb Bush, his son George P. Bush, or both will run for national office some day. They understand the problems that the party will face if it goes the way of Pete Wilson. Both Texas and Florida have significant Hispanic populations. Both state parties have significant Hispanic components which will be increasingly important as the demographics becomes destiny. To be successful, long term, the GOP will need to be successful in this area of the country…
Just a thought
2 Comments
eyeon08.com » Romney’s immigration position slammed in Florida · May 23, 2007 at 10:30 PM
[…] Yesteday, I wrote about the possibility of Mitt Romney facing political problems in Florida because of his pandering flip-flop on immigration. ABC picked up on the issue, and pointed out that Jeb Bush was "disappointed." […]
eyeon08.com » Pandering and the movement · June 27, 2007 at 7:49 AM
[…] On immigration it is clear to me that all of our top-tier candidates with the exception, possibly but probably not, of Thompson would sign a bill different only in mostly insignificant minutaea from the one that the Senate is debating now. Rudy would add a totally unworkable exit surveillance program that would fail. Romney’s position seems to be to oppose the bill in name, but support it in substance, and just play politics. But they would sign it. So, for me, these people are playing politics, quoting Jeb Bush, "pounding their chests," on the 2nd most important moral issue that will be faced in the 110th Congress. (I find blather about amnesty to be deeply, deeply un-American and un-Christian. And, like Huckabee once said, I see more than a little racism in it. But that’s a digression, and I just had to get it off my chest.) […]
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