Amnesty Shmamnesty
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 12:46 AM by Countdown
For anyone who has payed any attention to the President's speeches on Immigration reform, you're familiar with the fact that the President is firmly against "amnesty". He repeatedly says so here, here, here and about a bajillion other places.
His critics, and particularly those on his side of the isle, have decried his immigration bill as amnesty in sheep's clothing. They say he's endorsing amnesty without calling it amnesty.
So, you'll imagine their amazement when in a speech on Tuesday, the President changed his position and said his bill calls for, let's all say it together, AMNESTY.
You know, I've heard all the rhetoric -- you've heard it, too -- about how this is amnesty. Amnesty means that you've got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that.
Oopsie. The White House is now saying the President did not mean to say that, and they've linked to a correction on their whitehouse.gov transcript explaining what the President MEANT to say.
Earlier today, in speaking about comprehensive immigration reform, President Bush misspoke. He told a group, "You know, I've heard all the rhetoric - you've heard it, too - about how this is amnesty. Amnesty means that you've got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that." This has been construed as an assertion that comprehensive immigration reform legislation before the Senate offers amnesty to immigrants who came here illegally. That is the exact opposite of the president's long-held and often-stated position.
We're sure his opponents will resepect the mea culpa and not use this one against him...don't ya think?
