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Gore challenges Bush on immigration |
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July 30, 2000
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, North Carolina (AP) - Vice President Al Gore, courting Hispanic voters, challenged rival George W. Bush to join him in backing a Democratic proposal to expand immigration rights for hundreds of thousands of Central Americans. Bush spokesman Scott McClellan replied that the Republican candidate "does not support a complete amnesty at this time" and pointed to Bush's own suggestion that the Immigration and Naturalization Service be revamped. Meanwhile, a Time magazine poll released Friday indicated Bush has widened his lead over Gore to 16 percentage points. Bush and running mate Dick Cheney led Democrat Gore, 52 percent to 36 percent, in a four-way matchup with the Green Party's Ralph Nader, who was at 5 percent, and Reform Party hopeful Pat Buchanan, at 4 percent. The poll shows Bush's lead increasing by 10 percentage points since mid-June, when he led 48 percent to 42 percent in a similar survey. Nader was at 4 percent and Buchanan at 3 percent. The Time poll of 684 likely voters was conducted Wednesday and Thursday, after Cheney joined Bush's ticket. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Gore is pushing legislation that would broaden the rights of some Central Americans and longtime illegal aliens to obtain citizenship, a hot issue among Hispanics. Currently, people fleeing strife in Cuba and Nicaragua can obtain citizenship; the new measure in Congress, a Democratic amendment, would expand the list to include Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans and Haitians. By some estimates, 500,000 people could be affected by the changes. The measure has strong backing by Hispanic members of Congress. The same measure also would make it easier for those living in the United States since 1986 to obtain citizenship and allow some families to remain while applications are being processed. Hispanics are a major voting bloc nationally, and even more important in some big states like California, Texas and Florida. It's been a largely Democratic leaning group, but Bush has worked hard to make inroads. Gore's office also announced plans for an Aug. 24 meeting with Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox where the two "will discuss issues of mutual interest." Meanwhile, Republicans preparing for next week's party convention in Philadelphia to nominate Bush bickered over proposed changes in the platform, but were met at every turn by Bush strategists who don't want the convention hijacked by controversy. "If we're not talking about Bush's message, we shouldn't be talking," said Charlie Black, a Republican strategist who helped lobby delegates for Bush. Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson - Bush's hand-picked chairman of the platform committee - tried to keep the spotlight off abortion, the party's most divisive issue, by wrapping up work on the platform early. A platform subcommittee obediently turned away attempts to moderate anti-abortion language. Not wanting to anger the religious right, Bush promised during the Iowa caucuses to leave alone the plank that calls for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, even in cases of rape, incest and when a woman's life is at stake. Asked if the skids were greased, Thompson broke into a grin. "Greased is such an ugly word," he said. "I prefer `massaged."' "I'm impressed by their political tactics," said conservative activist Connie Mackey. "It appears they're going to do exactly what they promised to do, which will get the party's foot-soldiers marching on behalf of Bush." Bush's team wants smooth-sailing, an upbeat convention that focuses on the freshly minted Republican presidential ticket and the candidate's "compassionate conservative" message. |