Viva Las Vegas? Republican President Candidates Spar on Immigration in Debate in the Desert
The Republican Presidential candidates duked it out in a debate in Las Vegas last night. NYC immigration attorney Merrill Clark reports on the debate from an immigration perspective:
“Attached are the full transcript (Download Republican party transcript 10182011) and the immigration portion (Download Immigration Portion of 100182011 debate) of the October 18, 20111 Republican Debate. In the immigration portion, I have added the full name and position or former position of each person the first time the person spoke. While the previous debate had no immigration discussion, immigration provided the fireworks in this debate between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Perry accused Romney of hiring “illegals.” The word “illegal” was used 36 times (the same number of “9”s in the previous debate), while the word “undocumented” was not used (and probably not understood in Republican circles). Romney replied that he fired his landscaping company for employing “illegals.” And Romney replied that Texas was a magnet for “illegals.” Michelle Bachmann, looking for more inverted 999s stooped to a new low, indicating that President Obama’s uncle and aunt are illegal aliens. Not true. President Obama’s aunt is now an ayslee. Rick Santorum, who in a previous debate “oops” Latinos as illegals, went out of his way to say that Latinos are good family people with strong values. Romney had a nice line about how we all favor legal (not illegal) immigration.”
For the CNN fact check of Gov. Perry’s accusation that Romney kept the “illegals” working at his home even after informed of their status, click here.
As Merrill Clark mentioned above, Rep. Bachmann had the immigration jab of the night directed at President Obama:
“MICHELLE BACHMANN, MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN: Well, I think the person who really has a problem with illegal immigration in the country is President Obama. It’s his uncle and his aunt who are illegal aliens…
(APPLAUSE)
… who’ve been allowed to stay in this country, despite the fact that they’re illegal.”
I am not sure what bothers me more, the parallel between Bachmann’s accusations and the old claim that a politician has a “n—-r in the woodpile” or the fact that there was applause to Bachmann’s statement.
KJ