McCain on immigration, social issues

Posted: Friday, June 08, 2007 5:08 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Republicans

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
In Pella, Iowa today, McCain gave some straight talk about his stance on issues varying from immigration and Iraq to abortion and same-sex marriage. On immigration, McCain was not happy. "We rejected the proposal for immigration reform. Of course, as you know, as one of the supporters of reform, I was disappointed that that happened. But I respect the process and and I respect the views of those who disagree." He continued, "Americans are very frustrated at our lack of enforcing our borders. It's a national security requirement... We failed yesterday to move forward." McCain said, as an Arizona senator, he is personally touched by the issue and hoped the senate would reconsider comprehensive immigration reform soon, even though he recognized that might not happen.

There were several veterans in the front row, as well as throughout the audience of the town hall. And the veterans expressed their support for McCain's position on the war, applauding him loudly. "You don't defeat insurgencies by going in, killing people and leaving. You defeat insurgencies by going in, defeating the bad people and staying and providing an environment of security."

A woman in the audience pressured McCain for his stance on abortion and same-sex marriage -- the woman staunchly opposes both. On abortion, McCain's response satisfied the woman. "I have a consistent 24 year record of pro-life, voting record. If you look at my voting record and that's more important than my rhetoric, I have always respected and done everything I can to preserve the innocent life of the unborn." But on same-sex marriage, she continued to pressure him, asking him if he will totter on the issue. "I very seldom totter, maybe dodder, I hope not. I have done everything that I can to preserve the unique status of marriage between man and woman." But, he defended his decision to not vote for an amendment to the constitution. "If you want to make it happen, you would have to change the constitution of the United States, which would require a constitutional amendment. I don't like to do that; I'm a federalist. I like for the states to make decisions on matters within their own states."

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Comments

I just realized I'm checking FirstRead more and more and every time I do, there's something informative to read. Keep up the great posts...

Joe Justice (Sent Friday, June 08, 2007 6:55 PM)

Mccain: Same as Bush only older and no wiser.

R.Merrell, Vietnam Vet (Sent Friday, June 08, 2007 8:10 PM)

Speaking of changing the Constitution, we need an ammendment that states only citizens will be counted in the census. This way, only citizens will be reperesented in the House of Representatives.

Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent Friday, June 08, 2007 10:43 PM)

Hey Lady. How many abortions do same-sex couples have?

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Friday, June 08, 2007 10:53 PM)

Great for McCain. He is a straight talking independent who puts what is best for the country over what is best for him or a few in his party. You are not going to find a candidate that meets all of the requirements of everyone ... or even most of the people. That is why a very large amount of people do NOT vote and over 50% of the people voting end up voting for the least unimpressive candidate. We need to give more power to our local representatives to make decisions where it matters and where we reside. Why give so much power to 1 person who lives in a big white house? That will only work if you are the 24% who like Bush or 33% who like Hillary, etc.

Morgan, Bellevue, WA (Sent Saturday, June 09, 2007 1:39 PM)

American Idiot indeed. What a bunch of freaking busybodies. Don't these people have anything better to do than obsess about other people's sex lives and what they do with their bodies? We have an eroding middle class, a shrinking job base, college costs out of control and no jobs for kids after they get out, a war in Iraq that is completely FUBAR, corporate CEOs making 179 times what the average worker makes, and we are in debt up to our eyeballs -- the kind of debt it's impossible to get out of -- and all people like this woman worry about is that women should be forced to bear the punishment for their unchastity and that gay people who love each other should be banned from the same ability to marry that straight people have? Maybe this woman and others like her should get her mind out of other people's bedrooms and look at what's going on around her -- or maybe get some herself so she doesn't have to spend all her time thinking about what other people are doing.

JJ in NJ (Sent Sunday, June 10, 2007 9:13 AM)

"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"-movie

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Sunday, June 10, 2007 1:36 PM)

Jane and JJ - Well said! I am totally opposed to abortion and do consider it murder. However, I am even MORE opposed to bringing innocent little babies into this world by dope heads, abusers, losers, etc. who totally neglect the needs of these little ones causing a slow, painful death or else they abuse them and cause a long, painful life. I have a precious 2 yr old grandson whom I would die for today - BUT - given the choice of him never being born or being born into a life of hell - I would prefer he not be born and never have to endure such pain - suffering little ones have no say in. The point I am trying to make is - those who wave their banners and are so holier than thou re abortion - where the hell are THEY when these babies they saved are starving, being abused, self aborted and thrown in the garbage? What is the alternative these anti abortionists provide for the little ones who are born? Do they offer FREE birth control and education to young women? Do they offer sterilization of dope head, unwed, uneducated and sorry mothers who never should have been pregnant to begin with? Are they there with formula, diapers, loving arms to sooth when the little ones are ill or just plain neglected? Yes, they yell abstention - they probably still believe in the tooth fairy. That is a personal matter and a fact of life. It is disgusting to me that so many people base who they vote for on this one issue without questioning the anti abortionists on what they are doing for the little ones born into a life of hell. All liberals or Democrats do not personally support abortion - most people abhor it. However, the right to choose to murder your baby before it is born or kill and abuse it after it is born is in the hands of the mother whether any of us agree, disagree or loathe either decision. Look at the child welfare depts. - take children out of abusive situations only to put them right back there until they are dead or somebody intervenes again and then they go to foster homes where many are mistreated and abused there. That is a BETTER option than abortion? Each person has to decide for themselves but we shouldn't base a person's abilities to lead our government on that one issue alone and so many people blindly do so. McCain is as sorry excuse for a leader as Bush. Both of them get behind their podiums and advocate that illegal aliens should be put ahead of the rights and birthrights of American citizens and LEGAL invited, immigrants. That is big business at it's best - Both D and R. We, the people, are supposed to sit back again silently while our nation is invaded by our southern neighbor, destroying our language, our culture, our way of life, our standard of living. People who have no intention of learning and speaking English, no intention of assimilating into American culture. They have NO rights in this nation as illegal aliens yet they are allowed to freely march in our streets mocking our laws and all this nation stands for - carrying OUR flag upside down, walking on it, wearing shirts that say "f--- America". THESE are the people Bush, the Democrats and McKennedy want to give away our nation to. For those of you who do not advocate nationalized health care because you don't want your taxes to pay for it -- just WHO do you think is paying NOW for all these illegal aliens everytime they go to hospital and spit out a baby every year, who is paying for that mother and that kid's medical care, who is subsidizing their rent, who is paying for their food stamps - the tooth fairy? It is you and me, friend if you are a working, productive, tax paying American citizen or legal immigrant. Who has to keep up the clinics and ER's for them AND for our people who have lost jobs due to the cheap labor of illegals - thereby losing their health insurance, homes, etc.? Is the light going on? Each illegal alien - EACH - costs the American taxpayer a MINIMUM of $10,000 per year - and even at that they are bankrupting our clinics, our ER's, our schools. But ---- Dubya, Reid, McKennedy, Clinton, Obama, Rudy, Edwards - you name 'em they are for giving the illegals everything and spitting in our faces. If you want to take back America and keep America - people had better quit worrying about what goes on in other people's bedrooms and start to worry about what is happening to our COUNTRY! If you are gay and I am not - you are taking nothing from me and mine - if you are an illegal alien on my soil - you are depressing my wages, taking my culture, my language, and the birthright of my grandchildren and their grandchildren. For those who equate illegals with Rosa Parks - get real - Ms. Parks was an American CITIZEN fighting for the rights our constitution gave her. The sorry excuse we are a nation of immigrants is digusting. We WERE a nation of immigrants who were PROUD to be Americans, who learned English, who assimilated and became part of our fabric. This bunch of illegals we have now - have no respect for our nation, for our laws, for our language, our culture - they are not here to give - they are here to TAKE and to TAKE OVER. It is happening faster than most people realize. Please google your state and find your senators and congressmen and call, email, fax, write, visit their local offices - whatever you can do - do now or we will have allowed our nation to be GIVEN away so the big business and politicians can get richer and richer as our middle class is totally wiped out. Gee, I just can't wait to be a country like Mexico - handful of rich and the rest trying to get out to somewhere else to find work. They will not bring themselves up - they will bring America down. Various organizations are working to stop this giveaway of our land. All you need to do is a little online research to find them. If I give names of them, then my comment will not be printed. The media seems to be on the side of illegal aliens as well - but then, who pays for the media? Big business.

jjGA (Sent Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:28 PM)

to the nunnery with her -- shakespeare

Russell in Maryland (Sent Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:34 PM)

McCain is totally befuddled. Sometimes it appears he is having troubles walking.

F StLouis (Sent Monday, June 11, 2007 7:56 AM)

mccain is too old and his straighttalk express left the station with Bush sitting in the controls.Add lieberman to that dustheap too.Bush has used these guys to their detriment-------

HMT (Sent Monday, June 11, 2007 12:52 PM)

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