Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21528787/
Russert: Thank you, Brian.
Senator Clinton, Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer has proposed giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. He told the Nashua, New Hampshire, Editorial Board it makes a lot of sense.
Why does it make a lot of sense to give an illegal immigrant a driver's license?
Clinton: Well, what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is fill the vacuum left by the failure of this administration to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally. They are undocumented workers. They are driving on our roads. The possibility of them having an accident that harms themselves or others is just a matter of the odds. It's probability.
So what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is to fill the vacuum. I believe we need to get back to comprehensive immigration reform because no state, no matter how well intentioned, can fill this gap. There needs to be federal action on immigration reform.
Russert: Does anyone here believe an illegal immigrant should not have a driver's license?
(Unknown): Believe what?
Russert: An illegal immigrant should not have a driver's license.
Dodd: This is a privilege. And, look, I'm as forthright and progressive on immigration policy as anyone here. But we're dealing with a serious problem here, we need to have people come forward. The idea that we're going to extend this privilege here of a driver's license I think is troublesome, and I think the American people are reacting to it.
We need to deal with security on our borders. We need to deal with the attraction that draws people here. We need to deal fairly with those who are here.
But this is a privilege. Talk about health care, I have a different opinion. That affects the public health of all of us.
But a license is a privilege, and that ought not to be extended, in my view.
Clinton: Well, I just want to add, I did not say that it should be done, but I certainly recognize why Governor Spitzer is trying to do...
(Unknown): Wait a minute...
Clinton: And we have failed. We have failed.
Dodd: No, no, no. You said -- you said yes...
Clinton: No.
Dodd: ... you thought it made sense to do it.
Clinton: No, I didn't, Chris. But the point is, what are we going to do with all these illegal immigrants who are driving.. Dodd: That's a legitimate issue. But driver's license goes too far, in my view.
Clinton: Well, you may say that, but what is the identification?
If somebody runs into you today who is an undocumented worker..
Dodd: There's ways of dealing with that.
Clinton: Well...
Dodd: This is a privilege, not a right.
Clinton: Well, what Governor Spitzer has agreed to do is to have three different licenses, one that provides identification for actually going onto airplanes and other kinds of security issues, another which is another ordinary driver's license, and then a special card that identifies the people who would be on the road, so
Dodd: That's a bureaucratic nightmare.
Clinton: ... it's not the full privilege.
Russert: Senator Clinton, I just want to make sure of what I heard. Do you, the New York senator, Hillary Clinton, support the New York governor's plan to give illegal immigrants a driver's license?
You told the New Hampshire paper that it made a lot of sense. Do you support his plan?
Clinton: You know, Tim, this is where everybody plays "gotcha." It makes a lot of sense. What is the governor supposed to do? He is dealing with a serious problems. We have failed. And George Bush has failed. Do I think this is the best thing for any governor to do? No. But do I understand the sense of real desperation, trying to get a handle on this? Remember, in New York, we want to know who's in New York. We want people to come out of the shadows. He's making an honest effort to do it. We should have passed immigration reform.
Williams: New subject, Senator Edwards. You have young children. As you know, the Internet can be a bit of a cultural wild west. Assuming a lot of homes don't have parental support, would you be in favor of any government guidelines on Internet content?
Edwards: For children? To try to protect children -- using technology to protect children, I would.
I want to add something that Chris Dodd just said a minute ago, because I don't want it to go unnoticed. Unless I missed something, Senator Clinton said two different things in the course of about two minutes just a few minutes ago. And I think this is a real issue for the country. I mean, America is looking for a president who will say the same thing, who will be consistent, who will be straight with them. Because what we've had for seven years is double-talk from Bush and from Cheney, and I think America deserves us to be straight.
Williams: Senator Obama, why are you nodding your head?
Obama: Well, I was confused on Senator Clinton's answer. I can't tell whether she was for it or against it. And I do think that is important. One of the things that we have to do in this country is to be honest about the challenges that we face. Immigration is a difficult issue. But part of leadership is not just looking backwards and seeing what's popular or trying to gauge popular sentiment. It's about setting a direction for the country. And that's what I intend to do as president.
Russert: Are you for it or against it?
Obama: I think that it is the right idea, and I disagree with Chris because there is a public safety concern. We can make sure that drivers who are illegal come out of the shadows, that they can be tracked, that they are properly trained, and that will make our roads safer.That doesn't negate the need for us to reform illegal immigration.
Now I only saw the last hour of this debate in which the above discussion occurred. While watching, I thought....finally, Hillary's opponents are standing up to her. She totally contradicted herself and couldn't answer 'yes' or 'no' to the question of whether or not she would support the program for illegal immigrants to obtain a license. She or anybody who changes their statement within a two minute time frame should be called out on it. Hillary initially said, "it makes a lot of sense." After Russet proposed the direct question if she supported his plan, Hillary went into defense mode and played it out as a 'gotcha' question.
Throughout the debate, many of the men on the panel took it upon themselves to point out some inaccuracies with what Senator Clinton has said. Additionally, Russert directed some 'tough' questions (not compared questions that are given on debates hosted by the Fox News channel, but the democrats refuse to debate on this network) Was that wrong of them? According to the Clinton Camp, it was.
Hillary strategist Mark Penn joined on a conference call discussing how Hillary was "unfairly targeted" by Tim Russert. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/campaign-call-reveals-clinton-debate-concern-2007-11-01.html. I thought this was a debate and that tough questions should be asked. I guess on one hand we need to believe that Hillary is smart, strong, confident and on the other... she's a lady and we should be more gentle to her feelings. As Rush Limbaugh says, "Hillary puts her pants on one leg at a time just like every other guy." If she can't take the heat during a debate to be THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES how the heck is she going to run our country?
All candidates running should be able to stand firm on their beliefs, their positions and their decisions or at least explain to us why they came to their conclusions. On a side note, the democrats need to realize they are not running against President Bush as you might think they are if you read the entire transcript of this debate. As for Kucinich, well I don't think his true agenda is to become the next President, but rather work towards impeaching our current Commander in Chief. Maybe Kucinich should discuss his issues with his pals flying high in the sky. After all he did have a heartfelt experience when he saw a UFO. He should be able to find some comfort in a galaxy far, far away.
In a final note, I've said it before, but now is the time to really pay attention and understand what the candidates stand for. We shouldn't cast our votes on the sole purpose of a party name, race or gender. And believe it or not, there are Americans out there that will cast their vote based on these things. Here a few key questions that I hope will help you in making your selection. Hopefully you'll take the time to watch the debates, listen to the news and pick up a news paper, turn the TV channel to the news. Granted, most of the media is main stream and will not give you a full story, which is why it is up to you to research for yourself.
**Do you want the leader of our country who desires for a more robust government?
**Do you want a leader that is eager to tax Americans at a higher percent so that the country can indulge in free healthcare?
**Do you want a leader that has a goal to quit the battle on the war on terror?
**Do you want a leader that cares more about the rights of terrorists than the rights of an unborn child?
**Do you want a leader who is weak on illegal immigration?
If you've answered yes to any of these questions, your choices for the next President are:
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