Lindsey Graham trashing Dems for pushing 'phony' immigration law changes

[babylonsister]

Graham calls Democrats immigration push 'phony'

By James Rosen | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON _ South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham lashed out at President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Saturday for putting what he called "phony" immigration law changes ahead of a major climate change bill that Graham and other senators were about to introduce.

Graham, Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut had scheduled a Capitol Hill news conference Monday to unveil energy legislation they’ve been developing for months.

Reid, who's facing a tough re-election fight in Nevada, and Obama have indicated that dealing with the nation’s nearly 7 million illegal aliens would be next on the Senate’s agenda after its current bid to tighten regulation of banks and investment firms.

Obama Friday criticized a new Arizona law authorizing a crackdown on undocumented workers, saying it shows why Congress must act soon to overhaul immigration law.

Graham, however, charged that "raw, political calculations" underlie the Democrats' sudden push for new immigration legislation _ which he said has no chance of passing this year.


more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/04/24/92811/graham-accuses-obama-and-reid.html

[BunkerHill24]

1. Lindsey is trashing the Democrats? I thought he got trashed by his own SC Rethug party?

That Lindsey is full of Sh*t.

[WCGreen]

2. he has to prove himself to the good old boys back home...

[BunkerHill24]

7. I gather that's what he's got going on......but will he succeed?

[WCGreen]

8. I thought he was just re-elected....

[BunkerHill24]

10. I'm not sure! But if he's already re-selected, we'll have to work with him.

[WCGreen]

13. 2008....

won't be up until 2014...

[Mass]

3. I want to thrash the Dems today too. They cant get a caucus which cares about

climate change enough to pass a bill without looking for bipartisanship, and when they finally have a bill (as weak as it is), they decide something else is more important even if they dont have a bill to push. If they cared about immigration for another reason than hoping to gain some more votes, there would be a bill ready to pass and Graham would not have any basis for his charge.

When will the Democrats care about the environment, except the dozen of them who always cared and have to wait until Reid and co are ready.

[babylonsister]

5. While I agree with you, this new 'law' in Arizona is the start of a

powder keg waiting to explode, sooner rather than later I'm thinking. I don't think this admin ignoring it will make it go away. I know it's been acknowledged Dems can walk and chew gum, but these are two major issues.

I don't have an answer.

[beachmom]

4. He has a point. Immigration reform hasn't even gone through committee.

Climate change has gone through several committees and has been worked on for months.

I am very angry with Reid tonight. He blew it.

Now the unveiling of the climate bill has been postponed.

[The Northerner]

6. Climate change might come first

Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/94145-reid-climate-bill-could-come-before-immigration

[babylonsister]

9. UPDATE: Graham Pulls Support for Major Senate Climate Bill

Maybe this was just a really conveniently-timed excuse for Graham? Would he have found another reason to pull his support? And didn't he threaten to do this if HCR was passed?


Graham Pulls Support for Major Senate Climate Bill
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: April 24, 2010


WASHINGTON — In a move that may derail a comprehensive climate change and energy bill in the Senate, one of the measure’s central architects, Senator Lindsey Graham, has issued an angry protest over what he says are Democratic plans to give priority to a debate over immigration policy.

Mr. Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said in a sharply-worded letter on Saturday that he would no longer participate in negotiations on the energy bill, throwing its already cloudy prospects deeper into doubt. He had been working for months with Senators John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, on the a legislation, which they were scheduled to announce with considerable fanfare on Monday morning. That announcement has been indefinitely postponed.

In his letter to his two colleagues, Mr. Graham said that he was troubled by reports that the Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and the White House were planning to take up an immigration measure before the energy bill. Mr. Graham has worked with Democrats in the past on immigration matters and was expected to be an important bridge to Republicans on that issue, as well as on energy.

Mr. Graham said that any Senate debate on the highly charged subject of illegal immigration would make it impossible to deal with the difficult issues involved in national energy and global warming policy.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/us/politics/25graham.html

[Mass]

11. Yes, Kerry has announced the bill was postponed a little earlier this evening.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/kerry-on-climate-change-hiccup----were-pressing-forward.php

Full statement here.

This said, it probably did not sadden Reid who did all he could to maintain the ambiguity and refuse to say whether the climate bill will be first even as they knew there were no immigration bill ready. Enough leaks had gone around these last few days saying the immigration bill would be first, barely contradicted by anybody.

[DrToast]

12. It is political, but so what

If we lose the House, Obamas agenda is toast for at least two years.

[babylonsister]

14. Reason? Anti-Immigration Group Tries To Out Lindsey Graham

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/42228

[Mass]

15. delete

[karynnj]

18. I think his reason is what he says it is

The fact is announcing you will out someone is in fact, outing them.

[beachmom]

19. I doubt it. Or put it to you this way. Dem Leadership helped Graham along

in his decision to bail.

[Gman2]

16. WE not only are for Hispanic rights, gays too, you might need us.

[karynnj]

17. His comments do not come close to trashing anyone

He was blindsided three days before he was to introduce legislation he has worked on for months that he was repeatedly assured was on track to go next -- as he was in the fall, when instead, financial reform went next. Worst, it was on another bill that he has been involved with and which he says is not written.