On The Hustings
HUCKABEE FLESHES OUT TOUGH IMMIGRATION PLAN
A former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful riding high in Iowa polls, Mike Huckabee, is calling for a crackdown on illegal immigration and greater restrictions on legal immigration as well. The "Secure America Plan" he rolled out yesterday is based largely on proposals from a leading immigration control activist, Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies.
Mr. Huckabee's plan seeks a four-month grace period for illegal immigrants to "register … and leave" America, followed by a crackdown in which those who are caught will be barred from the country for a decade. He wants the Mexican border fence complete by 2010 and an end to immigration preferences for the adult siblings of American citizens.
The ex-governor's proposal for criminal and civil penalties on Americans who hold dual citizenship and vote abroad could prompt a backlash from Americans who vote here and in countries like Israel and Taiwan.
Supporters of rival campaigns say Mr. Huckabee took a far more conciliatory tone toward illegal aliens and their children when he was governor.
BROWNBACK HAS NO REGRETS IN PASSING UP 'HUCKABOOM' FOR McCAIN
Despite Mike Huckabee's surge in the polls, a fellow social conservative, Senator Brownback of Kansas, says he has no regrets about throwing his support behind Senator McCain of Arizona, who has had a rocky relationship with many in the Christian right. "I'm still comfortable with the decision that I made, but I am glad that Mike Huckabee is doing well," he told The New York Sun.
He said his endorsement came down to Messrs. McCain and Huckabee, contrary to reports that he was considering Mayor Giuliani. The Kansas senator said Mr. McCain was the consistent conservative best equipped to defeat Senator Clinton in a general election.
Mr. Brownback quit the Republican presidential field in October after languishing in the polls and sometimes being outshined by Mr. Huckabee. "He's played the game plan that I hoped to play — much better," Mr. Brownback said. "He's moving the ball forward and doing a great job out there."
ASIAN GROUP STEAMED OVER SENATOR CLINTON'S RESPONSE ON JOBS, JUDGES
An Asian-American political action committee, the 80–20 Initiative, is peppering Senator Clinton's presidential campaign with angry faxes after it gave what the group considered a cursory response to a six-query questionnaire about increasing the number of Asians in federal executive jobs and on the bench. The Clinton camp sent a 121-word statement that promised Asians would be "well represented" in her appointments and nomination, but did not give the yes-or-no answers the group sought.
"It is full of sweet words, signifying nothing. Is Sen. Clinton afraid to stand up for America's core value — equal opportunity? Where does her triangulation (fudging) end?" a founder of 80–20 and former Democratic lieutenant governor of Delaware, Shien Biau Woo, wrote in an e-mail to the group's supporters. He noted that only six of about 872 federal judges are Asian despite the fact that there are more licensed Asian attorneys than black and Hispanic lawyers combined.
The president of 80–20, Kathleen To, said her group has been in talks with the Clinton campaign about getting a more specific response after it expressed concerns about the way some questions were framed. "I think within the next day or so there will be some kind of agreement," she said. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign had no comment for this article.
Mr. Woo said three Democrats, Senators Dodd of Connecticut, Biden of Delaware, and a former senator of Alaska, Mike Gravel, agreed to each pledge sought, while the Republican presidential contenders ignored the missive. A former senator of North Carolina, John Edwards, agreed to five of the six pledges and talks with Senator Obama of Illinois have been "slow," Ms. To said.
ENDORSEMENT WATCH
Senator Clinton wins nod of New Hampshire branch of National Education Association … Influential Hampton, N.H., Democratic chairman, Gary Patton, backs Mr. Obama … Fred Thompson is favored by South Carolina Right-to-Life.
LOOKING ACROSS THE PARTISAN DIVIDE
President Clinton tells ABC's Barbara Walters that Senator McCain of Arizona "might be the most electable" in the Republican field, but adds, "I don't know if he can be nominated."
