Slapping Romney, DNC stands up for Gingrich immigration stand

WASHINGTON–At the CNN GOP presidential debate on Tuesday, current front-runner Newt Gingrich called for a “humane” immigration policy and said he was “prepared to take the heat” for his stand, which he got from his rivals. On Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee sort of stood up for Gingrich, using him as a foil to target Mitt Romney, who the Obama team believes will eventually get the nomination.

The DNC, looking ahead to an Obama–Romney matchup next year, said in a statement, “During last night’s debate, Mitt Romney’s extreme anti-immigrant views were on clear display. Romney once again went to the right of every other Republican presidential candidate, refusing to agree with others on the stage that tearing apart families is wrong or that we shouldn’t implement an extreme and inhumane immigration policy. This kind of attitude is harmful to our country, our nation’s families, and our standing in the world. It certainly runs counter to what we stand for and doesn’t reflect our values as Americans.”

Romney, the one-time governor of liberal Massachusetts, has moved to right, where he must play if he is to be viable in a GOP primary. Look no further than the lonely single digit moderate Republican 2012 contender Jon Huntsman registers in every poll.

Today’s touch of political irony: While Republicans who oppose any notion of amnesty are slamming Gingrich for his proposal to let long-term illegal immigrants stay in the U.S., the DNC applauds the Gingrich position.

My post on immigration and Gingrich at the CNN debate is HERE.

Below, from the Democratic National Committee…..

During last night’s debate, Mitt Romney’s extreme anti-immigrant views were on

clear display. Romney once again went to the right of every other Republican

presidential candidate, refusing to agree with others on the stage that tearing

apart families is wrong or that we shouldn’t implement an extreme and inhumane

immigration policy. This kind of attitude is harmful to our country, our

nation’s families, and our standing in the world. It certainly runs counter to

what we stand for and doesn’t reflect our values as Americans.

What makes matters even worse is – as is as typical of Mitt Romney – he refuses

to level with the American people and won’t say what he would actually do with

the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country today. It’s just another

dishonest attempt to play politics on an issue to further his political

ambitions rather than leveling with the American people about the real

challenges we face in addressing this issue. Romney’s immigration stance

coupled with a string of dishonest and deceitful statements and campaign tactics

just goes to show Mitt Romney will say or do anything – no matter how extreme or

outrageous – to get elected. After all, he’s running for office, for Pete’s

sake.

View the video here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vrNm4DJoI“>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vrNm4DJoI

Script: Mitt Romney on Immigration. Dishonest. To the Extreme.

Democratic National Committee

Text on screen: On immigration, who is being honest about the challenges we

face?

ROMNEY:

“…we have had in the past programs that said people who come here illegally will

get to stay illegally for the rest of their life, that will only encourage more

people to come here illegally.”

“…to say that we’re going to say to the people that came here illegally that now

you’re all going to get to stay or some large number are going to get to stay

and become permanent residents of the united states, that will only encourage

more people to do the same thing.”

GINGRICH:

I do not believe that the people of the united states are going to take people

who have been here a quarter century, who have children and grandchildren, who

are members of the community, who may have done something 25 years ago, separate

them from their families and expel them.

The party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an

immigration policy which destroys families who have been here a quarter century.

I’m prepared to take the heat for saying, let’s be humane in enforcing the law

without giving them citizenship but by finding a way to create legality so that

they are not separated from their families.

Text on Screen:

If Mitt Romney can’t level with Americans…

…how can he lead America?