Romney’s Tough Immigration Stance Excludes Cubans: ‘The More The Merrier’
Romney’s Tough Immigration Stance Excludes Cubans: ‘The More The Merrier’
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has tried to portray himself as a hard-liner on immigration. During last night’s debate, Romney aggressively went after former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani for presiding over such a “sanctuary city.” “[W]e should say if you’re here illegally, you should not be here,” he said.
In a recent campaign ad, Romney also promised that if elected president, he would “oppose amnesty,” “cut funding for sanctuary cities,” and “secure our borders.” Watch it:
Yet in an interview on Tuesday with the Tampa Tribune editorial board, Romney undermined all his tough talk by revealing that he actually wants America’s borders loosened for one constituency: Cubans. From the interview:
“I can tell you my inclination would be to say as many Cubans as want to come here should come in,” Romney said in an interview Tuesday with The Tampa Tribune editorial board. […]
Romney replied that Cuban Americans are exemplary citizens who have brought “great vitality, skills and energy to the American experience.”
“In my opinion, the more the merrier,” he said.
Romney’s embrace of all Cubans seems to be a pander to Florida’s strong Cuban-American community, “a coveted voting bloc in past presidential elections.” In 2000, President Bush “won Florida by a mere 537 votes, but his advantage among Cubans was about 4-to-1.” In a poll right before the 2004 election, Bush drew 81 percent of the Cuban vote.
Romney added that on matters dealing with Cuba, he “depends on advice from prominent members of Florida’s Cuban American community, such as U.S. Reps. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart.” Time’s Ana Marie Cox spoke with Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Barlar, both supporters of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who denied that they have ever advised Romney.
Unclear if Romney’s open arms would welcome Fidel Castro as well.
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42 Responses to “Romney’s Tough Immigration Stance Excludes Cubans: ‘The More The Merrier’”
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Republican-voting Cubans always come legally.
November 29th, 2007 at 12:55 pmAlso - George W. Bush didn’t win the 2000 Cuban vote - John F. Kennedy lost it.
November 29th, 2007 at 12:58 pmRepublican-voting Cubans always come legally.
Comment by toasterhead
November 29th, 2007 at 12:59 pmUnless they’re in the last stall to the left in the Minnieapolis Airport.
What about a Cuban Muslim? Would Mitt welcome one them?
November 29th, 2007 at 1:01 pmScrew the Cuban problem. What are we going to do about the Mormon problem?
November 29th, 2007 at 1:02 pmWhat about a Cuban Muslim? Would Mitt welcome one them?
Comment by Dumb_Fox — November 29, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
We must try and find one - the cognitive dissonance just might make Romney spontaneously combust.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:03 pmSo do you think he’s this sympathetic to all refugees and asylum-seekers? Cause there are quite a few in Iraq waiting to come over here.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:06 pmThis guy is such a frickin’ Pander Bear, they should call him Ling-Ling.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:06 pmPandering to Cubans? Say it isn’t so Mitt.
How’s those “Golden Plates” and that extra “Special Underwear” hold up for ya Mitt?
I think I’ll take a walk in the woods today and make up my own special Religion that is based on old pop cans that an angel will show me, and I will be the only one that can read the scriptures on them. I can call it, “Canomism” and all the true followers will know it is the truth.
Buck Fush
November 29th, 2007 at 1:08 pmHey Mittuns,
Instead of doubling the size of Gitmo, why not make Florida a part of Cuba and double the size of Cuba?
No immigration problems, no long lines, no night boats cruising to shore,
and no Florida votes screwing up our country. You ‘da Kitten, Mitten!
November 29th, 2007 at 1:08 pmWe must try and find one - the cognitive dissonance just might make Romney spontaneously combust.
Comment by toasterhead — November 29, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
I give you Islam in Cuba, courtesy of wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Cuba
Now to contact Team Romney…
November 29th, 2007 at 1:13 pmGeesh. These people are such colossal hypocrites. It’s disgusting.
I guess it must have been Cubans who were cutting Pretty Mitty’s grass and trimming his hedges.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:16 pmI give you Islam in Cuba, courtesy of wikipedia.
Comment by Dumb_Fox — November 29, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Whoa.
Also, it is extremely fitting that the Cuban Muslim organization was established by a man named Sheikh Aboudy. :)
November 29th, 2007 at 1:19 pmScientists recently revealed that the increased usage of viagra among Floridian retirees has cause the peninsular state to creep northward several inches over the past few years…
Retirees, cartoon mice, rocket science, crime, and Cubans. What an interesting recipe for cooking an election.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:19 pmUp next, on deck:
Leahy announces Bush had no involvement in the US attorney firings therefore the executive privilege claim is illegal. Rove and Bolton must comply with subpoena’s. Also contempt charges were filed against Meirs and Bolton.
It’s all threats at this point though.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:27 pmThe more the merrier, as long as they come legally.
Comment by cold_hard_left
So I guess that the Cubans scaping in boats reaching Florida shores, they all have their passports checked and not used as propaganda against Castro’s regime, like little Elian some years ago, right? NOoooope.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:30 pmAnd in next debate,when Romney is pinned down on this, he will say:..I was talking about M. Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks.”
November 29th, 2007 at 1:33 pmRomney added that on matters dealing with Cuba, he “depends on advice from prominent members of Florida’s Cuban American community, such as U.S. Reps. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart.â€
Does Romney have the capacity to think for himself? Last night, when asked about torture, he said he would discuss with people who know about it. Previously he said he would check with his lawyer before declaring war.
How can anyone possibly vote for such a dip$hit?
November 29th, 2007 at 1:39 pmSo I guess that the Cubans scaping in boats reaching Florida shores, they all have their passports checked and not used as propaganda against Castro’s regime, like little Elian some years ago, right? NOoooope.
Comment by Juan C. — November 29, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
“Coming legally” for Cuban refugees means getting a few toes on American soil. It’s amazing how welcoming we can be to the politically convenient.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:43 pmWhat about Venezuelans - who the Republicans say are living under a quasi-communist dictatorship? When do they get a “dry foot” policy allowing them to come here freely?
Romney was so awful and patently phony in last night’s debate even the Republican crowd stopped cheering his pandering.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:45 pmThe more the merrier, as long as they come legally.
Comment by cold_hard_left — November 29, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
#
Please explain how “illegal Cuban immigration.”
If they reach American soil, they are allowed in.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:47 pmRomney was so awful and patently phony in last night’s debate even the Republican crowd stopped cheering his pandering.
Comment by gulfwargrunt — November 29, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
#
I live in Utah, and have a number of right-wing friends. Most of them view Romney the way the left views Hillary.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:48 pmCubans came here to get away from a Communist/Socialist regime. It is no wonder that they vote heavily for republicans since they aren’t interested in socialism unlike the Dem party.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:51 pmI say we round up all the right-wing terrorist Cubans in Florida, put them on boats, send them back to Cuba without visas, let Fidel handle the illegal immigration problem there and we would solve two problems at once.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:53 pmRogerX2
You use the “socialism” term so frequently and yet you have not defined what you think the term means, even though I have asked you before. Care to respond now?
November 29th, 2007 at 2:00 pmCubans came here to get away from a Communist/Socialist regime. It is no wonder that they vote heavily for republicans since they aren’t interested in socialism unlike the Dem party.
Comment by Roger_Roger — November 29, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
And like typical Republicans, instead of fighting their own battles at home they come here and let others fight for them. If they’re so industrious and successful at Mitt suggests, why couldn’t they fix their own country?
November 29th, 2007 at 2:02 pmYou use the “socialism†term so frequently and yet you have not defined what you think the term means, even though I have asked you before. Care to respond now?
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian — November 29, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
I think he means use of government to do anything other than fight wars with abstract concepts.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:11 pmIf anyone attempted to use the same immigration policy with Mexico that we do with Cuba, the right-wing would go absolutely nuts.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:14 pmYeah, they toss that term around as often as they call us Nazis.
*BAER* (Big Ass Eye Roll)
November 29th, 2007 at 2:15 pm“If America is so bad and evil and socialism is as good as “progressives†would have us beleive ”
Not America, I love this country. That’s why I proudly spent three years (10 if you include the Active Reserves) defending it.
It’s the current administration that I have problems with.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:26 pmComment by cold_hard_left — November 29, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Is it remotely possible for you to frame an argument without resorting to the use of false either-or choices? Cuba has much that is desireable (I tend to like their cigars) but that doesn’t mean that the whole political system is admirable and conducive to the freedom that people crave. And since you are so enamored with the Bush foreign policy doctrine, tell me why we haven’t invaded Cuba in order to bring about regime change in a country that is so close to ours and has been a brutal dictatorship?
November 29th, 2007 at 2:29 pmwhy are so many Cubans risking their lives to try to reach the United States?
Comment by cold_hard_left — November 29, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Because they live in a dictatorship, not a socialist country.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:29 pmIf they reach American soil, they are allowed in.
Comment by Chris L — November 29, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Does this mean that if Mexicans were smart, they’d quit crossing the Rio Grande, build a boat, sail to the tip of Florida, and then claim they came from Havana?
/sarc off
This whole subject is so stupid on so many levels. We can argue legal vs. illegal, Mexicans=bad and Cubans=good, etc. But the heart of the matter is that Cuban Americans can swing the vote in an important swing state.
All the more reason to dump the Electoral College when a small minority of Americans have that much power.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:52 pmRepublican always seem to include a racist point of view, whether intentionally or not. It just rolls off their tongues with such ease.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:55 pmIf RogerRoger is for immigration from countries that are communist/socalist, does that mean he’s for socialized immigration? You have to wonder why he likes those dirty commies so much. Doesn’t he know that Cubans are brown, speak funny words and smell?
November 29th, 2007 at 3:47 pmIf we can’t secure Iraq’s borders, how can we possibly secure our own?
November 29th, 2007 at 4:16 pmI wonder if part of it is also the upper class mentality - I helped put together a panel discussion on the medical needs for those americans with ties to spanish-speaking areas. I was somewhat surprised / floored when the Cuban American went on a long speech about how the Cubans who came to America were professional class while the Mexican Americans were of the lower class and proceeded to pull in many of the negative stereotypes about lower class people.
November 29th, 2007 at 5:44 pmwhy are so many Cubans risking their lives to try to reach the United States?
Comment by cold_hard_left — November 29, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
The question is, why are there so few?
November 29th, 2007 at 7:49 pmI thought the Cubans who came here did so because the Dictator they supported, Puppet Trujillo, lost to a new dictator, Castro, who was not our puppet (Puppet being defined as someone who believes Cuba exists to enrich American corporations, so long as something is in it for him).
Since when do we not do business with Dictators anyways?. Our President said in December 2000 after the Supreme Court gave him the election he did not win, that he wished he could be a Dictator since it would make his new job as President a whole lot easier.
The Cold War is over. Wasn’t the main threat was that Cuba was an agent of the Soviets, thanks to us, and they no longer exist?
Then there are those who believe Castro killed JFK. That would be a good reason, but it is not true. But if our government says it is true, it must be true, look at 9/11 and Iraq. They never lie to us critters.
November 30th, 2007 at 3:15 am#43 just a point of fact, Trujillo was our puppet in the Dominican Republic. Batista was our puppet in Cuba. Trujillo at least went down fighting it out in a blaze of gunfire. Batista fled in the middle of the night like the coward he was.
November 30th, 2007 at 8:54 amThis is the biggest load of crap. Google for ‘Mia Zapata’ and you’ll see why we shouldn’t let the Cubans empty their jails into our country.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:44 am#44 Der, because it is BS?
December 1st, 2007 at 1:31 am