McCain on Univision: He Will Work for Amnesty Starting "The First Day"
09/17/2008
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John McCain was interviewed on Sept. 15 by the Hispanic broadcaster Jorge Ramos, and the Senator let a few cats out of the bag, like his intention of engineering a massive amnesty beginning on the first day of his Presidency. Apparently the idea that he "got" voter objections for rewarding lawbreaking foreigners doesn't translate well into Spanish.

The dialogue below is from page three of the Univision transcript, which begins here, Alone with John McCain.

Senator, the last time we talk, you told us that it would take a year or two to secure the border, and then you said we can address the other part of it. Would that include massive legalization for millions of undocumented immigrants in this country?

I think it means that we go through a step by step process of allowing people to apply and achieve citizenship in this country, of course. But, I want to point out again; it's a little more complicated.

It goes against the platform of your party, by the way, because they are against the legalization of millions of undocumented immigrants.

My position is very clear, and that was part of our proposal, that I took up twice. By the way, Senator Obama tried to kill it, because he proposed an amendment that would have done away with any temporary worker program. So, there is a huge difference there. So, what we need to do is take the two million according to (Michael) Chertoff, that have broken laws in our country, and deport or imprison them. They are law breakers. Other people who have come here and have been here for a period of time and are law abiding citizens and are willing to go through a certain process, of course, there are not twelve million pairs of handcuffs in America.

So, we can together, republicans and democrats, work out this issue, provide a path to citizenship, on the principle that they do not take any priority over anyone who came to this country legally, or waited legally. And, of course they should pay a fine, because they acted illegally. But, our heritage, the heritage of this country, is people who have come to this country for a better life, and as I said at the Convention, these are God's children and it will be done in a humane and compassionate fashion.

Senator Barack Obama told us in an interview that he would present a comprehensive immigration reform to congress during the first year. Could you match that?

Sure, I would do it in the first day, but I was the one who led, I was the one who led with Senator (Ted) Kennedy, a great political risk to myself. Senator Obama tried to kill it, because he was doing what the unions wanted. The unions in America do not want a temporary worker program, so Senator Obama came to the floor and had an amendment that would have basically killed immigration reform, because it was a fragile coalition between republicans and democrats. So, don't let Senator Obama get away with saying that he supports comprehensive reform, when he tried to kill it.

Does McCain think Sarah Palin can shield him from this level of perfidy? I don't think that's going to work.

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