McCain meets the media in Derry, NH (GG photo)
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When word got around that I will be voting for John McCain in Tuesday’s primary here in New Hampshire, a small number of folks suggested I am making a mistake due to his stance on illegal immigration. As I said in my endorsement post, on immigration,
I am confident that McCain “gets it” when it comes to this one. At a town hall meeting in Wolfeboro just after the defeat of the so-called “comprehensive” immigration bill, he duly noted that Americans had spoken and want the borders verifiably sealed before anything else gets done in this area. It is the rare politician that acknowledges being wrong on a matter, and recognizes the collective voice of regular people.
As luck would have it, I attended a town hall event in Derry last evening where Senator McCain was asked about his position on the matter, and we caught it on video. You’ll see that he answers in a fair amount of detail, explaining himself and the thought process that goes into formulating his position. Additionally, Joe Lieberman, also appearing in support of McCain, rather plainly states that the notion of McCain supporting amnesty for illegal aliens is a lie. The clip runs slightly over three and a half minutes…
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"But what about those still here?" you ask. "What about the 12 million?" Again, lets go straight to the source. Today I participated in yet another "blogger conference call" with the Senator, and I asked him just that. As he noted in the video above, in his administration, the estimated 2 million illegals that have commited crimes will be "rounded up and deported." He also reiterated his commitment to verifiably sealing the borders and unambiguosly stated that there would be NO reward for illegal behavior. He favors a "touchback" provision that involves paying a fine and passing the naturalization process with its English requirements– AND waiting in line behind those already pursuing the legal steps.
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I followed up by asking how he views a "get-tough on the employers" plan that will force numbers of illegals out through osmosis. He replied that he favors the concept of a tamper-proof ID card coupled with an Employer ID system that verifies the process– "any employer that doesn’t follow the rules of the system will be prosecuted." This sounds remarkably similar to that which is being offered by several of his fellow candidates. He emphasised that all of this will be dealt with and "handled in a humane and compassionate fashion."
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I trust that he is being truthful when he speaks. I was in Wolfeboro after the collapse of his frontrunner status following the defeat of the "comprehensive" immigration bill he championed, when he addressed the issue. I have heard him address it several times in public forums since, including last night in Derry, and engaged in a detailed conversation with him about the topic in today’s conference call. I take him at his word that he will close our borders before any other steps are taken– none of which includes amnesty or other rewards for illegal behavior. Heck, he sounds MORE committed at this point than some of his opponents that claim this as their signature issue…
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