Republican presidential candidates did not bother waiting for Tuesday’s televised debate to begin arguing over the volatile issue of whether to grant legal status to illegal immigrants. Sen. John McCain, who supports such a move as part of a comprehensive immigration bill, warned rivals Monday not to demagogue the issue for cheap political points.
“The choice is between doing something, imperfect but effective and achievable, and doing nothing,” the Arizona Republican told an audience in Miami. “I would hope that any candidate for president would not suggest doing nothing. And I would hope they wouldn’t play politics for their own interests if the cost of their ambition was to make this problem even harder to solve.
To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country’s problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot. But it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership.”
Rival Mitt Romney, who opposes the immigration bill, responded by reminding fellow Republicans that McCain and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. co-sponsored the legislation.
“The immigration approach proposed by Sens. McCain and Kennedy falls short of a workable solution,” the former Massachusetts governor said. “I respect Sen. McCain, but my opposition to his bill is a matter of principled disagreement about policies.”
Romney was widely viewed as the winner of the first debate between Republican presidential candidates, while former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was said to have won the second.
Thus, some pundits believe the onus is on McCain to win the third debate, which will be held Tuesday in New Hampshire.
“I would note that most pundits thought Giuliani lost the first one and Romney lost the second,” McCain spokesman Matt David told The Examiner.
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden suggested his boss’ strong performance in the first debate more than compensated for any deficiencies in the second.
“The cumulative result of the last two debates was that Governor Romney stood out as a strong leader,” he told The Examiner.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee turned in the two most consistently solid debate performances, according to many observers. Huckabee spokeswoman Alice Stewart told The Examiner those performances “showed that he not only deserves to be in the top tier, but should be the party’s nominee. We are confident the momentum will continue in New Hampshire.”
