“I should have mentioned that,” said Bush in a news conference that aired only moments ago in response to a question as to whether a Democratic Congress will be more sympathetic to comprehensive immigration reform, reform that Bush has long been touting. Yes, maybe it should have been tossed out there, seeing as it was only one of the most heated debates in this country throughout the year, but I can see how it could have slipped his mind. The president was quite busy squirming his way out of lying about Rumsfeld’s resignation and trying to stifle his frustration with the onslaught of questions from the media.
Bush went on to say that, yes, progress on the border was important and would necessitate a “common ground” — two words repeated incessantly throughout the conference — between the Democratics and the White House. He said that a temporary worker provision would likely get his energy because when “someone is not trying to sneak into the country” that relieves pressure from Border Patrol agents who will then be able to focus on “drugs, guns and terrorists.” “I really should have remembered that,” said Bush. Well, I think he will have plenty of reminders. With the Democrats in control of the House and the potential for them to take the Senate as well, immigration will continue to be a hot-button topic and Bush will now have to prove that it was indeed the GOP-controlled Congress that bull-dozed through the bill authorizing 700-miles of fencing this October, a bill many Democrats rejected, and that his visions of comprehensive reform are indeed ones he tends to pursue.
