AP, Bloomberg ignored McCain's reversal on immigration reform
SUMMARY: The AP reported that Sen. John McCain "won admiration from Hispanics -- for co-sponsoring an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship" while a Bloomberg article reported that McCain "bucked his party by pushing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants." However, neither article noted that McCain reversed himself on border security and said he would no longer support the bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Edward Kennedy if it came up for a vote in the Senate.
In an October 21 article, The Associated Press reported that Sen. John McCain "won admiration from Hispanics -- for co-sponsoring an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship." The AP added: "But he lost some of that support in speaking more forcefully about border security after the bill was twice defeated." But contrary to the AP report, McCain did not merely "speak[] more forcefully about border security"; he actually reversed himself on a key issue in the comprehensive immigration reform debate. McCain now says that "we've got to secure the borders first" [emphasis added] -- a position at odds with his prior assertion that border security could not be disaggregated from other aspects of comprehensive immigration reform without being rendered ineffective.
Also, in an October 21 article, Bloomberg reported that McCain "bucked his party by pushing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, has impressed many Florida Hispanics" and uncritically quoted the McCain campaign's national Hispanic media spokeswoman Hessy Fernandez stating: "John McCain at great political risk tried to achieve comprehensive immigration reform." Bloomberg did not note McCain's reversal on border security, nor did they note that at a January 30 Republican presidential debate, McCain said that he would no longer support the comprehensive reform bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) if it came up for a vote in the Senate.
Media Matters for America has documented numerous instances of the AP ignoring McCain's reversal on comprehensive immigration reform.
From the AP article:
The Rev. Mark Gonzales of Dallas, chairman of the McCain campaign's national Hispanic advisory council for Hispanic evangelicals, believes abortion and gay marriage remain the most important values issues for Hispanics. He, and others, say it's unfair to tie McCain to the GOP's harsher anti-immigration voices.
McCain defied Republican hard-liners -- and won admiration from Hispanics -- for co-sponsoring an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship. But he lost some of that support in speaking more forcefully about border security after the bill was twice defeated.
"The party has a major job to do in terms of repairing the damage with the Latino community," said Gonzales, who is also heading a first-of-its-kind, nonpartisan voter registration drive at Hispanic evangelical churches. "Hispanics are very loyal. It's a legacy, being Democratic in the Hispanic community. There is still a learning curve."
From the Bloomberg article:
Arizona Senator McCain, who bucked his party by pushing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, has impressed many Florida Hispanics. In June, he visited Colombia and Mexico to show his support for free trade and cooperation against drug trafficking. Obama, 47, hasn't visited Latin America since becoming a politician.
"John McCain at great political risk tried to achieve comprehensive immigration reform,'' said Hessy Fernandez, McCain's national Hispanic media spokeswoman. "Where was Barack Obama?'"
Among elderly Cuban exiles, the group that most strongly supports McCain, 72, there is palpable vitriol against Obama.
The AP reported that Sen. John McCain "won admiration from Hispanics -- for co-sponsoring an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship"...
...and then he threw the Hispanics under the bus to appease his right-wing wacko base.
OBAMA '08
I don't even know what McCain's current position on immigration reform is. He keeps trying to win over Hispanics so does that mean he's for immigration reform again?
The Cuban community is very conservative but the Hispanic community in general has no clear affiliation. Surprising considering all the hatered thrown at them in the last few years.
...by the right.
I doubt that McCAIN knows his position on immigration after changing it so often.
Here's one thing you can be sure of concerning McCain and illegal immigration reform.
If elected, he will support the democrats in pushing through amnesty for illegal aliens...book it Danno.
Yeah. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Just because McCain was right (before the flip-flop) on immigration, doesn't mean he's still not a horrible pick for president.
you are correct on that, wesley. of course, there will be all the usual huffing and puffing about how amnesty will be combined with "strict" border control. but it will be the usual shell game, vote for new agents and border enforcement but don't provide the actual money, as has happened so many times before. and all the same people and groups who promised that the amnesty of 1986 would be a "one time" event will make the same promises and then go back on them again.
No worries. If our economy continues to tank, it will be us trying to get into Mexico like that scene in The Day After Tomorrow.
i doubt that. but thanks for not addressing the point.
-- all the usual huffing and puffing about how amnesty will be combined with "strict" border control -- mefirst
Exactamundo!!
Despite the silly reporting by mmfa that McCain has flip-flopped...nothing is further from the truth. After getting his "you know what" kicked when he and Kennedy floated the legislation concerning illegal immigration and their path to citizenship...he has just layed in the weeds and pandered for votes.
He was...is...and will be supportive of legislation to grant amnesty to illegal aliens. This leopard has not changed his spots...he's just waiting for the right moment.
One has only to follow his trail to see that his "border security first" blather doesn't change the fact that he supports amnesty.
i don't think it's unfair to say that he did change his emphasis. but i agree that ultimately he has not changed his mind.