At a private White House meeting this weekend, a group of Democratic governors expressed "deep anxiety" about the Obama administration's lawsuit against Arizona's new immigration law and its effects on the November election. "It is such a toxic subject," Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen tells The New York Times. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, however, says the suit "makes sense" policy-wise, and will help Democrats win over Latino voters. With a majority of Americans in support of the Arizona law, should the Obama administration have waited until after November to put forth a challenge? (Watch a Fox discussion about Arizona and the 2010 elections)
Obama has dropped the ball on this one: "The White House is clearly on the wrong side of this issue," says Doug Mataconis in Outside the Beltway. While the Arizona law "may very well be unconstitutional," polls have repeatedly shown that "a large majority of Americans" support it. Obama has treated the issue "as an academic debate without political consequence," whilst failing to put forward "any real immigration policy" of his own. Sorry, Mr. President, but "that strategy isn't going to work."
"Democratic governors warn White House on immigration"
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Shouldn't he be focused on creating jobs? Obviously, the administration "is working on its own agenda," says Clifton B in Another Black Conservative. And that agenda "has nothing to do with what is actually going on with the nation." Jobs, the economy, the ballooning national debt — all these issues "are crying out for attention." But Obama insists "on creating everlasting leftwing change," even if it hurts his own party. Goodbye, Democrats.
"Democratic governors find the administration's immigration lawsuit 'toxic'"
Far-sighted: "In the long run," says Seyward Darby in The New Republic, "Democrats could stand to gain from the immigration issue." Latinos are becoming "an ever larger share of the electorate," and solidifying their support for the Democrats is important. But for now, with the midterm election right around the corner, the "governors are right to be worried."
"Why Democratic governors are (rightly) scared of Obama's stance on immigration"
