Everything seems to point towards immigration being an idea whose time has come and is one way or the other going to get done. The Wall Street Journal recently had an editorial endorsing it. The major information offensive that Rubio, as well as Paul Ryan and many Republican bigwigs underscores that the party has now bought immigration reform: it''s too late to back out now.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/today-in-immigration-reform-really-happening.html
However, if there is a snag it could be Right wing talk radio. Or so worries Republicans like Frank Luntz. Jonathan Chait, in the above link doesn't seem to think the talk show hosts are really trying to scuttle it, just make the necessary noises to assure the base that they're not selling out.
"Rubio is also relentlessly selling his plan to conservatives through talk radio. For the most part, they're not buying it:
“Here he is, the gang leader of what they call the Gang of Ocho,” says Lars Larson, an Oregon-based commentator, as Rubio takes a seat at his booth. Rubio grimaces slightly. “Oh, that’s a Senate term,” he says reassuringly. “Well, you’ve g ot this thousand-plus-page bill,” Larson continues. “No, it’s 840 pages, but anyway,” Rubio says quickly. Larson shrugs and keeps banging away. Their rapport is friendly, but Larson isn’t looking to be swayed.
"There's something ritualistic about the conservative objections Rubio is getting. It's not a real revolt. They're going through the motions to prove to their audience that they have kept their purity, but conservative talk-show hosts and other activist types are not, for the most part, actually doing what would take to kill the bill."
Luntz apparently thinks it's more than "ritualistic." He thinks they're really knocking Rubio:
"GOP strategist Frank Luntz went off the record before a group of college Republicans earlier this month at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss the negative impact he believes right-walk talk radio has had on the GOP, Mother Jones reported Thursday."
"He's getting destroyed," Luntz said, "by Mark Levin, by Rush Limbaugh, and a few others. He's trying to find a legitimate, long-term effective solution to immigration that isn't the traditional Republican approach, and talk radio is killing him. That's what's causing this thing underneath. And too many politicians in Washington are playing coy."
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/today-in-immigration-reform-really-happening.html
However, if there is a snag it could be Right wing talk radio. Or so worries Republicans like Frank Luntz. Jonathan Chait, in the above link doesn't seem to think the talk show hosts are really trying to scuttle it, just make the necessary noises to assure the base that they're not selling out.
"Rubio is also relentlessly selling his plan to conservatives through talk radio. For the most part, they're not buying it:
“Here he is, the gang leader of what they call the Gang of Ocho,” says Lars Larson, an Oregon-based commentator, as Rubio takes a seat at his booth. Rubio grimaces slightly. “Oh, that’s a Senate term,” he says reassuringly. “Well, you’ve g ot this thousand-plus-page bill,” Larson continues. “No, it’s 840 pages, but anyway,” Rubio says quickly. Larson shrugs and keeps banging away. Their rapport is friendly, but Larson isn’t looking to be swayed.
"There's something ritualistic about the conservative objections Rubio is getting. It's not a real revolt. They're going through the motions to prove to their audience that they have kept their purity, but conservative talk-show hosts and other activist types are not, for the most part, actually doing what would take to kill the bill."
Luntz apparently thinks it's more than "ritualistic." He thinks they're really knocking Rubio:
"GOP strategist Frank Luntz went off the record before a group of college Republicans earlier this month at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss the negative impact he believes right-walk talk radio has had on the GOP, Mother Jones reported Thursday."
"And they get great ratings, and they drive the message, and it's really problematic," Luntz said of right-wing talk-radio programs, according to a recording of the event. Luntz added that talk radio has been especially damaging to Sen. Marco Rubio's immigration reform efforts."
"He's getting destroyed," Luntz said, "by Mark Levin, by Rush Limbaugh, and a few others. He's trying to find a legitimate, long-term effective solution to immigration that isn't the traditional Republican approach, and talk radio is killing him. That's what's causing this thing underneath. And too many politicians in Washington are playing coy."
I'm skeptical right wing radio can kill immigration reform on its own and Chait may be right that they're not trying so hard. Would Luntz prefer a world with no Right wing talk radio I wonder as he knows they "drive the message.
I'm sure Rush himself will love this as it makes him the authentic conservative voice with the Establishment-Luntz, et. al-are trying to silence him.
It does show that the GOP establishment really wants a bill. Immigration is an idea whose time has come
No comments:
Post a Comment