McCain Avoiding Immigration Debate

Michael Shear of the Washington Post writes about how John McCain and other presidential candidates are stearing clear of the immigration debate:

Less than a year ago, Sen. John McCain of Arizona was the most visible Republican in the fight for immigration reform, having joined forces with Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.) in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to clamp down on border security and create a guest-worker program for the nation’s 12 million illegal immigrants.

Now, a renewed effort is underway, but this time without McCain as Kennedy’s co-star. As he stumps in Iowa and New Hampshire, McCain has handed off day-to-day negotiations on immigration to his staff and to fellow Senate Republicans Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.). In his formal presidential announcement speech in New Hampshire last month, he made no mention of the issue. “The fact that he’s not in the room helping to build a bipartisan consensus . . . it’s going to be far more difficult to get a bipartisan bill,” said Frank Sharry, a pro-immigrant lobbyist. “This guy is my hero on this issue. I am heartbroken that he’s not in the room. Heartbroken.”

Senators from both parties and senior White House officials are hurrying to negotiate a deal that would give illegal immigrants a path to legal status after clearing criminal checks and paying fines. The plan would beef up border security and put new emphasis on enforcing workplace rules. Democratic leaders have given them until tomorrow to produce legislation before forcing another vote on the McCain-Kennedy bill that failed last year. Click here for the rest of the story.

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