Video: ABC’s Gibson Demands McCain Use His Right-Wing Immigration Talking Point
Video: ABC’s Gibson Demands McCain Use His Right-Wing Immigration Talking Point
In an interview with John McCain yesterday, ABC’s Charles Gibson not only insisted that the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill amounted to “amnesty,” but challenged McCain for using any other phrase to describe it. Even after McCain repeatedly explained why it wasn’t amnesty, Gibson said, “Well, I’ll still argue it with you.”
Referring to the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill as “amnesty” is a favorite tactic of right-wing hardliners.
It’s not true. To earn citizenship under the McCain-Kennedy bill, individuals would not only have to admit their guilt in immigrating illegally and pay a $2,000 fine, but apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay back taxes, consistently obey the law, and learn English. Nor could they “cut in front of the more than 3 million ‘green card’ applicants who have obeyed the law.”
Full transcript below:
GIBSON: Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona is a key sponsor of the bill that came out of committee and he joins us exclusively from Washington. Senator, this bill, since it’s just happened in the last 24 hours, I want to get straight exactly what it does. As I understand it, this bill that came out of the Judiciary Committee effectively does grant amnesty to millions of immigrants who are now here illegally.
MCCAIN: Well, Charlie, that is just absolutely false. It allows them to earn citizenship. What it does, it takes a $2,000 fine. It requires a background check. It requires learning of English. It requires six years of working, and then elligibility for a green card and five years after that. That doesn’t fit any definition of amnesty. In fact, it’s very, very tough and that’s a major provision of it. That’s not amnesty. We tried amnesty in the 1980’s and it didn’t work.
GIBSON: At my peril, I get into an argument with the guy who has fashioned this bill over the definition of amnesty. But I said a moment ago, if they fulfill certain conditions which you outline, but if an illegal immigrant –
MCCAIN: That’s not amnesty. Then it’s not amnesty. Amnesty is forgiveness. This is payment of a fine. This is admission of guilt. This is working for years. This is learning English. This is passing a criminal background check. It’s not amnesty, ok?
GIBSON: If an illegal immigrant holds a job, passes a criminal background check, learns english and works for a certain number of years legally, he doesn’t have to go home, he can get citizenship in this country.
MCCAIN: Yeah, that’s right, and that’s as opposed to sending him or her back, many of whom have been here for 40 or 50 years — 11 million of them. That’s an impossibility, as we know. [...]
GIBSON: Senator, certainly, if you quibble over the word — or, you deny the word “amnesty” –
MCCAIN: I don’t deny it. I know what the definition of the word is. It means forgiveness. This is fine, penalty, working, passing background checks. It’s not amnesty, it’s earned citizenship. That’s what it is.
GIBSON: Alright, it’s earned citizenship, but it allows 11 million people now here illegally to earn it.
MCCAIN: Yes. [...]
GIBSON: How critical is it that the president sign on to this approach of what you call “earning citizenship” for people now here illegally.
MCCAIN: Thank you for the language.
GIBSON: Well, I’ll still argue it with you.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
McCain is not appearing to be the golden haired boy of the right wing anymore. I realize that the fundamentalist right has largly hijacked the republican party, but it seems like their moderates would want to return the party to more middle of the road.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:16 pmJust seal the border. Deal with the other issues later.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:17 pm“I’m a Hindu dimwit,…â€
March 29th, 2006 at 1:19 pmComment by Ryan Neat — March 28, 2006 @ 7:37 pm
I no longer have any respect for McCain, but the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill makes more sense than trying to deport 11 million people. Charlie Gibson is a flaming twit. Argue away…
March 29th, 2006 at 1:21 pmTroll, if you think Bush wants to seal the border, you are acting very niave. Latin American countries rely upon the dollars sent back by illegals here to support their countries. Some industries, primarily agriculture, rely upon cheap workers to keep prices low. I have heard that a good portion of our national debt is owned by Mexico, and the threat is of course that if any serious measures are taken to seal our borders, Mexico will call in its markers.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:22 pmI dont think he does. I think he needs to. We can deal with the consequences.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:28 pmwatched steven camarota, Center for Immigration Studies – on c-span this morning…
March 29th, 2006 at 1:28 pmhe said it amounts to amnesty… just saying…
the biggest problem is the people who hire the illegals…greedy sobs
#6 – We can deal with the consequences.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:32 pmWho you calling “we,” white man?
Krazny,
March 29th, 2006 at 1:35 pmYou’d never let me get away with “I have heard”.
So was Gibson showing true colors or just trying to irritate McCain?
March 29th, 2006 at 1:35 pm#10 – Yes.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:37 pmCharlie Gibson has the imprimatur of Fox Cable News stamped all over him. Drop the pretense on impartiality Charlie, and just make the leap.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:38 pmits that damn liberal media (sic).
March 29th, 2006 at 1:39 pmSeems like these immigration threads are all basic repeats of each other from a day to day basis, the first one or two were interesting and helped build perspective, not so much now.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:40 pmAmnesty – Earned Citizenship – Who gives a shit what you call it.
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet and a turd by any other name would smell just as stanky!
Can we as a nation pull our collective heads out of our collective asses and stop allowing “framing terms” to influence how we feel about policies?
Is it a good plan or is it a bad plan? That is all we need to consider when assess a policy.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:47 pmTroll,
good point. I would like to be able to back up the statement with factual evidence. If I had the time to do a long google search I most likely could. You are correct in that the statemnent about mexico owning us debt is largely heresay. I am not really convinced on way or the other on the immigration debate. I am not an isolationist who believes we need to seal our borders, nor do I think we need to allow in every Juan, Dick and Achmed.
My opinion is, that Bush is a leader largely controlled by our corporate interests. Much of the legislation over the last 5 years has harmed worker rights, damaged environmental laws, and pushed the tax burden from corporations to the whats left of the middle class. All of this has been done to promote the economy. The top down economic model that Bush is trying to sell, did not work in Coolidge’s presidency, or Reagan’s presidency, and isn’t working now.
The larger point being that for a company to make its bottome line, they want to pay empolyees as little as possible. this translates well when hiring illegals. because if they are not payed minimume wage, or are in poor work environments how can they complain? Katy had a good point, and I know that you agree, that we need to crack down on the companies and business who hire illegals. they would not come here if they could not find work.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:51 pmGibson is a two bit hack who makes Katie Couric look like Edward R. Murrow.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:53 pm# 7
Good point. Instead of trying to arrest and deport the millions of workers who are here illegally and cannot easily be tracked or documented, wouldn’t it be easier to make hiring undocumented workers a felony, prosecute those who willingingly endanger the safety of the country by engaging in this practice, throw THEM in jail, and sieze their assets in the name of national security?
THAT would focus the pro-business republican mind rather nicely, no?
The truth is, the hard Right is pushing immigration as the ultimate policy problem for one reason: all of their other issues have blown up in their faces, no longer have traction, or simply because they cannot muscle their drones in the house and senate into lockstep behind them for fear of losing their constituencies, and their jobs.
It is obvious by now that ideologically-driven Messianic Right-Wing Republicans make damn poor representatives.
March 29th, 2006 at 2:01 pmThe thing that makes this bill suspect is that bush supports it. The part I have a problem with is that these immigrants are going to fill jobs that ‘Americans refuse to work’. I have a feeling that soon a lot of jobs will drop their wages so low, that Americans will refuse to work them. Fortunately, this bill will let you bring in an immigrant to do that job, one the employer has dropped the wage 50% and Americans refuse to do it.
March 29th, 2006 at 2:15 pmHow will those requirements be enforced? How much will it cost, and who will do the enforcing? I thought the whole reason illegal immigrants came here in the first place is because they had no money , so fining and requiring back taxes seems impossible, especially considering their wages. How did they calculate back taxes by the way? Who is going to ensure they consistently obey the law, and what happens to them if they don’t? And what if they don’t learn English?
It seems the illegal employer problem still isn’t being addressed.
It seems we have immigration laws already, and they have not been enforced. Will they continue to be not enforced in the future, or is this the new immigration law.
I’ve read that this has become a much bigger problem under Bush. I’m so confused as to what Republicans stand for. They are so gosh darn inconsistent.
March 29th, 2006 at 2:30 pm“Seems like these immigration threads are all basic repeats of each other from a day to day basis, the first one or two were interesting and helped build perspective, not so much now. Comment by squishypoop”
This sounds like a critique of your posts in general… It’s true what they say about the ‘unenlightened’, you can only see yourself, and judge others through your failures.
March 29th, 2006 at 2:48 pmMcCain working with Kennedy and vice versa? Now THAT is a shocker to me.
March 29th, 2006 at 2:52 pmdont trust McCain he co-wrote the torture resolution thing with Bush Knowing that bush would red pen it, making it worthless just like mcCain himself
March 29th, 2006 at 2:58 pmMc Cain is so hungry for the presidency , he’ll straddle any issue faux speak any bill , cow tow and kiss asses to any wing nut in the country to assure him votesThe bushies must be in stiches with the sob.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:09 pmMcCain is brain dead. Why would anyone try to argue anything with him.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:12 pmRyan,
March 29th, 2006 at 3:16 pmLearn to be kind.
“Nor could they “cut in front of the more than 3 million ‘green card’ applicants who have obeyed the law.â€
What? Do you people read what you write before you post it? Newsflash: The line cutting wetbacks are already HERE!!! The green card applicants are still THERE.
Want to stop illegal immigration? Throw the illegals out of school, don’t allow them to clog the welfare lines, emergency rooms and put anyone who hires them IN JAIL. Guess what? Most of them will go home. Secondly…it’s INSANE to offer citizenship to every little bastard born in the country of illegal parents. STOP THAT NOW! Last but not least…..MINE the border, shoot anyone trying to cross anyplace other than a checkpoint and STOP PROSECUTING American citizens for protecting their lives and property from these border bouncing bandits.
That’s how I’d do it anyway. Vote for me in 2008.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:36 pmimmigration divides both the right and the left. recently at huffingtonpost ( a liberal blog), readers posting to a lou dobbs story were about 90 % sympathetic to his views. on this site the comments are about 50/50 pro and anti illegal immigration. While sympathetic to the plight of undocumented workers, I believe the sheer amount that are already here, bring down the wages of working families and strain social services. If Mexico owns part of our debt, they should invest in creating an infrastructure that creates jobs with living wages. NAFTA obviously was not the answer to that problem.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:38 pmMcCain-Kennedy is a much better option than the Tancredo bill. It is highly unrealistic that the government could round-up and deport 11 to 12 million people. It would be a never ending struggle to root out illegals. We would never know if we got all of them. It is ridiculous to even suggest that.
If we give them some options to gain citizenship through restitution, they will come out and show themselves. I would not be surprised if there are more than the 12 million estimate.
I support the McCain-Kennedy legislation. H.R. 4437 must be defeated.
March 29th, 2006 at 4:41 pmMcCain Defends Bill on ABC…
MCCAIN: Well, Charlie, that is just absolutely false. It allows them to earn citizenship. What it does, it takes a $2,000 fine. It requires a background check. It requires learning of English. It requires six years of working, and then elligibility f…..
March 29th, 2006 at 4:54 pm#27, just what we need, advice from Adolph on border patrol. While the europeans do many things better than americans, immigration isn’t one of them. America’s history, attitudes and acceptance of immigrants has produced a legacy and methodology beyond anything other countries have. And what does Adolph want to do, use the european barricade method. Ask the citizens of London how well their immigration policies have worked? Now compare that to america where virtually the entire population has at least one family member that’s arrived in the last 100 years, and it’s a very different picture.
In reality, MizzWrong/Adophia wants us to become more european – how ironic is that?
March 29th, 2006 at 5:13 pmI know naming things is important… Clinton gave us, it depends on the meaning of “is”. The other night someone on the news said they aren’t illegal aliens, they are human beings. Well that is true about a lot of words then. I know the Republicans are very good at framing and getting nouns and verbs to stick (i.e., flip-flopper, war president). We can’t just sit and enjoy anything anymore. We have to analyze each word and motive. Speaking of motive, why is this subject coming up now? Do Democrats or Republicans benefit more? It seems this is a perfect topic to divide both sides into smaller units.
Thom Hartman had an interesting article at Common Dreams.
“Today’s Immigration Battle – Corporatists vs. Racists (and Labor is Left Behind)”
One of the biggest myths is, immigrates will do jobs Americans won’t — or if your Mexico’s president, American blacks won’t. Hartman is right, “Americans will do virtually any job if they’re paid a decent wage.”.
But this brings up some interesting thoughts:
Prisons:
-we have a large portion of our population in jail. Are any of them capable of being rehabilitated, and retrained for these “jobs”.
-better yet, can we get these folks into these jobs, to prevent their imprisonment in the first place.
-sometimes I think the problem is knowing something exists and the path to get there. In other words we aren’t putting people and jobs together, and providing the tools and resources to create long-term success. If there are so many jobs available, why don’t those employers head down to New Orleans and have a dialog with those folks sitting in the trailer parks. Oprah recently had a show on about the poorest cities in American,Inside the Lives of Americas Poor, how do we get those employers with those jobs (remember the ones they say American’s won’t do) connected to these people?
Education:
-Not everyone is cutout for our traditional schools, they may be too smart for the school, or have other skills, gifts, or desires. We definitely need roofers, electricians, roofers, builders, and you don’t need a college education.
CEO:
-It is ironic that the same excuse that is used to justify illegal immigrants is the same excuse used to justify excessive CEO benefits and wages. Ask any director why CEO pay is so excessive, and they’ll say because CEO’s won’t take the job for anything less. So on the low end, businesses use illegal cheap labor, on the high end, they pay astronomical wages and benefits worth 10 life-times.
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/3009568?f=related
http://www.cfo.com/printable/article.cfm/3008442
-I don’t know how other’s feel about workers, but I have great respect for all the jobs people do, because they work hard to make our communities and our countries better. On the other hand, I’m not sure I have the same respect for all CEO’s. Some of them are pretty brain dead, and don’t really contribute to society, communities, or their business in a positive manner. The turnover of CEO’s is pretty high.
http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/
March 29th, 2006 at 5:40 pmI don’t believe that these rules will be enforced, do you? I think many “liberals” are dead wrong on the issues of immigration and trade. That is why I am changing my registration to independent. Dems/Reps both are the cheap labor/corporate love party.
March 29th, 2006 at 5:50 pmI guess it would be too simple to raise the minimum wage, (across the board) and enforce the law, so Americans would be willing to do the jobs that illegal immigrants are now doing. Yeah.. that’s what I thought.
March 30th, 2006 at 12:06 amMcCain does not care about Arizona, because that state has the worst illegal immigration problems! The border there is totally unprotected and wide open for every Drug Lord to get their shipments into the US! McCain is a fraud so he must resign from the Senate ASAP!
March 30th, 2006 at 12:35 am-we have a large portion of our population in jail. Are any of them capable of being rehabilitated, and retrained for these “jobsâ€.
Comment by Jack — March 29, 2006 @ 5:40 pm
Jack,
Interesting idea. I once worked on a prison project (as a junior level architect) in eastern central Georgia. As part of the process, we went to the current overcrowded facility they had for a tour. As part of tour, we went into the control room from where we could look into the dayrooms where hundreds of prisoners were crowded into what were essentially concrete block playpens. Not one single one of those people were doing anything. SOme were talking, others watching television, but most were just sitting there wasting away.
It occured to me, some time later, that why didn’t we design and build prisons that were self-sustaining. Require them to generate their own food in gardens, and those sort of activities that might relate to real world skills. Someone told me that beause they have more attornies than we do, that they aren’t allowed to be treated inhumanely. But, I contend that we all go to work everyday. So should they.
After all, it is cheaper to send a person to Harvard law school that it is to send him or her to prison to rot. I think you’re right that we can come up with a better system that works for everyone. We just won’t.
March 30th, 2006 at 8:37 amI agree that whatever you call it, however much you pay in fines, yadda yadda, it still amounts to amnesty. That may be necessary; whatever ones thinks of immigration (me, I don’t care where they come from, but I wish there were fewer, since I think we have enough people in this country already, unless you can persuade immigrants to settle in the middle instead of the coasts), it’s still going to be next to impossible to deport 11 million, even if there were the will to do so. But unless serious border security (double fences! guard towers! why not?) and employer sanctions (big fines!) and employment checks (check every SSN for validity!) come into being, you’re just going to face another wave of illegal immigrants once the current one is legalized and, in becoming so, become too expensive to hire for the unscrupulous employers who now hire them because they are cheap labor. Those folks will start hiring the new, cheap, illegal aliens…
March 30th, 2006 at 9:37 amI have a unique perspective on this subject, because my Fiancee is an illegal immigrant. we’ve known each other for 4 years and are dead serious about marriage not because of immigration laws and the consequenses therof, but for our feeling toward each other.
8 years ago in egypt, my fiances’ mother left her father because of abuse, divorced him, and got a one year visa to live and work in this country. she sold everything just to make the plane ride over here. After her visa expired, for reasons passing understanding, her mother didn’t apply for a green card and a temporary work visa. chalk it up to bad advice from friends.
my fiancee works 3 jobs, one of which the employer knows that her and her mother are illegal, and she goes to school to become a nurse. she is incredibly bright and talented, and i think that this country needs more people like her that have such a strong work ethic and such…. balls to do what she does. she rarely gets more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep, and she pays for her tuition without any aid. None of the three of them consume social services, and for the last 8 years they have always paid income taxes.
Here’s my question: what american who has citizenship has worked as hard as she has and is more deserving? How many americans who really dont deserve to be citizens of this country due to their lazyness waste it away? she is more american than most of the people i have met here.
March 30th, 2006 at 7:54 pmWell since moving to SoCal a few years ago, I’ve become a one issue voter. I’m disgusted and I do not feel like I live in the United States.
March 30th, 2006 at 8:56 pmWe need to do something. This place is out of control.
Just a reminder for all of you folks that think this is about protecting our country – the 911 hijackers were in the country legally. I don’t recall anyone from Mexico comming here and taking flying lessons saying they don’t want to learn how to land.
March 30th, 2006 at 11:55 pmFor some reason, I think any proposal will be a dismal failure like the 1986 law. We have increased the flood when the old old law was supposed to stem the tide. (The majority of illegals ar hard-working people. But like a measured amount of water, which is life-giving, a flood overwhelms and destroys.)
March 31st, 2006 at 2:17 pmWHAT AMERICAN IS WILLING TO WORK FOR 6-7 DOLLARS AN HOUR TO SUPPORT YOUR FAMILY? IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT HERE TO STEAL YOUR JOB THEY ARE HERE TO WORK FOR THERE FAMILIES BACK HOME. IS A CRIME TO BE POOR AND WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER THEIR CHILD’S LIFE. AND YES THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE A BAD SEED AS AS SOME AMERICANS LIVING OUT THERE. AND NOT ONLY IMMIGRANTS USE WELLFARE SO DOES ALOT OF WHITE TRASH OUT THERE THAT LIVE OFF THE GOVERTMENT WHILE IMMIGRANTS ARE WORKING THEIR JOBS THEY ARENT WILLING TO DO. AND WHO DO YOU THINK WHO ARE THE ONES HELPING THEM CROSS THE BORDER SOME AMERICAN BORDER PATROL THAT SELL THEM SELFS AND THE COUNTRY FOR DRUGS AND MONEY.
March 31st, 2006 at 6:57 pmbrenda song nude
Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts..
March 18th, 2008 at 10:10 pmbasic background checks
I’m with the earlier poster, this seems like a good idea.
March 28th, 2008 at 4:13 amgovernment grants for small business funding
Hows it goin? I just dropped by. I’ve gotta say, you have nice site! Come check out my government grants for woman starting a business website.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:11 pmNude Jenna Jameson Nude Jenna Jameson Nude
I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view
April 1st, 2008 at 4:51 amemployment background checks
I found your post comments while searching Google. Very relevant especially as this is not an issue which a lot of peaople are conversant with.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 amNude Pam Anderson Nude Preteen Nudists
I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view
April 7th, 2008 at 12:34 pmNude Pamela Anderson Nude Nude Boy
I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view
April 14th, 2008 at 1:54 am