Monday, December 10, 2007
Republicans Talk Immigration at Spanish Language Debate
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Republican presidential hopeful John McCain told a Spanish language television audience that harsh immigration rhetoric voiced by some Republicans have driven Hispanics away from the party at a primary debate Sunday.
McCain has stood apart from most of his Republican rivals because he supported changing immigration laws and creating a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants.
''I think some of the rhetoric that many Hispanics hear about illegal immigration makes some of them believe that we are not in favor of or seek the support of Hispanic citizens in this country,'' he said after the moderator noted that the percentage of the Hispanic vote for the GOP has dropped from President Bush's win in 2004 to last year's congressional elections.
McCain's remark occurred in an unusual Spanish language debate aimed at an increasingly significant Hispanic voting bloc. But with less than four weeks before the Iowa caucuses, the candidates also knew they were speaking to a broader audience whose views may not always overlap with those of their immediate television audience.
Even McCain, however, joined his rivals in calling for strong border security before attempting to overhaul immigration laws.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he would impose a real and a virtual, technical fence at the U.S.-Mexican border using a ''tamper proof'' identity card.
That prompted a retort from Ron Paul, who said that would lead to a national identification card for all Americans ''which I absolutely oppose.''
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said some anger aimed at immigrants is fueled by the influx of illegal immigrants.
''When we make the border secure, a lot of the sentiment goes away. It's a terrible thing when a person who is here legally, but speaks with an accent, is racially profiled by the public,'' he said.
The debate unfolded with immigration high on the minds of Republican voters and with the race in a topsy-turvy state. Polls show Huckabee bolting from the back of the pack into a lead in Iowa.
Univision, the Spanish language television network, and the University of Miami hosted the debate. The questions were posed in Spanish by Univision anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas and simultaneously translated into English for the candidates. Their responses were then simultaneously translated into Spanish for broadcast.
Initially scheduled for September, the debate had to be rescheduled because only Sen. John McCain had agreed to appear. This time, the only candidate who refused to attend was Tom Tancredo, a long-shot candidate who has made a tough immigration stance the centerpiece of his campaign.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Republican presidential hopeful John McCain told a Spanish language television audience that harsh immigration rhetoric voiced by some Republicans have driven Hispanics away from the party at a primary debate Sunday.
McCain has stood apart from most of his Republican rivals because he supported changing immigration laws and creating a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants.
''I think some of the rhetoric that many Hispanics hear about illegal immigration makes some of them believe that we are not in favor of or seek the support of Hispanic citizens in this country,'' he said after the moderator noted that the percentage of the Hispanic vote for the GOP has dropped from President Bush's win in 2004 to last year's congressional elections.
McCain's remark occurred in an unusual Spanish language debate aimed at an increasingly significant Hispanic voting bloc. But with less than four weeks before the Iowa caucuses, the candidates also knew they were speaking to a broader audience whose views may not always overlap with those of their immediate television audience.
Even McCain, however, joined his rivals in calling for strong border security before attempting to overhaul immigration laws.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he would impose a real and a virtual, technical fence at the U.S.-Mexican border using a ''tamper proof'' identity card.
That prompted a retort from Ron Paul, who said that would lead to a national identification card for all Americans ''which I absolutely oppose.''
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said some anger aimed at immigrants is fueled by the influx of illegal immigrants.
''When we make the border secure, a lot of the sentiment goes away. It's a terrible thing when a person who is here legally, but speaks with an accent, is racially profiled by the public,'' he said.
The debate unfolded with immigration high on the minds of Republican voters and with the race in a topsy-turvy state. Polls show Huckabee bolting from the back of the pack into a lead in Iowa.
Univision, the Spanish language television network, and the University of Miami hosted the debate. The questions were posed in Spanish by Univision anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas and simultaneously translated into English for the candidates. Their responses were then simultaneously translated into Spanish for broadcast.
Initially scheduled for September, the debate had to be rescheduled because only Sen. John McCain had agreed to appear. This time, the only candidate who refused to attend was Tom Tancredo, a long-shot candidate who has made a tough immigration stance the centerpiece of his campaign.
