In an editorial that raises arguments we will probably continue to see a lot of over the next few weeks, the Editors at National Review discuss what McCain can do to reach out to those to whom McCain owes nothing: the very conservative pundits and voters who have fought tooth and nail against McCain.
Among other arguments presented, the Editors argue that the Republican Party has clearly rejected McCain's immigration proposal: "Actually, the anti-amnesty candidates--including Mike Huckabee, who has been running as a deportationist--have gotten majorities in most states. Even in Florida, where strong Hispanic support gave McCain a decisive win, the anti-amnesty candidates got nearly half the vote. This isn't the Huckabee I remember from the campaign. To be sure, Huckabee does technically support deportation, proposing a plan that requires everyone to return to their home country and go to the back of the line. But when asked about the fact that it would take years for them to immigrate legally, Huckabee revealed the true scope of his plan:
No, I don't agree. Look, if we can get a credit card application done within hours, it shouldn't take years to get a work permit to come here and pick lettuce. So part of my plan is that we seal the borders. You don't have amnesty and sanctuary cities. You do have a pathway to get back here legally that would take days, maybe weeks, not years. (Fox News Sunday, December 9, 2007).
So, in a very real sense, Huckabee's view on immigration is even more liberal than McCain's in some respects, since it appears to completely eliminate all numerical restrictions on immigration; though in other respects more conservative as there is no automatic path to citizenship. In any case, Huckabee is not a hard line deportationist like Romney/Tancredo, as his position along the lines of those that favor the guest worker programs.
|
State |
Deport |
Work |
Citizen |
|
Arizona |
44% |
29% |
24% |
|
California |
38% |
34% |
27% |
|
Connecticut |
35% |
32% |
32% |
|
Florida |
40% |
29% |
29% |
|
New
York |
35% |
31% |
33% |
|
Oklahoma |
41% |
28% |
31% |
|
Utah |
35% |
31% |
32% |
Exit polls in closed primaries reflect these 3 views on immigration in the Republican party. A clear (usually) plurality favor deportation, but nearly a third favor a guest worker program, with nearly another third (myself included) support a path to eventual citizenship.
While those favoring deportation may make up the loudest minority of the GOP, the majority of Republicans in every single closed primary* favor allowing illegal immigrants to be able to stay in the U.S. So why will McCain not make any promises on immigration? Because the "spin" coming from his campaign is accurate: the voters have rejected deportation and accepted that the 12 million illegal immigrants should be brought out of the shadows.
*No exit poll data available for Delaware.