WASHINGTON –A new Spanish-language John McCain television commercial airing in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico attacks Barack Obama for not doing enough to support the so-called "comprehensive immigration reform" legislation backed by President Bush and Sen. Ted Kennedy that was defeated last year after a national uprising in which it was characterized as a massive "amnesty" scheme.

The ad claims Obama deliberately backed "poison pill" amendments meant to undermine the compromise hammered out by McCain, Kennedy and others.

The ad can be seen here:

The English-language translation of the 30-second commercial, "Which Side Are They On?" says:

Announcer: Obama and his congressional allies say they are on the side of immigrants. But are they?

The press reports that their efforts were "poison pills" that made immigration reform fail.

The result:

No guest worker program.

No path to citizenship.

No secure borders.

No reform.

Is that being on our side?

Obama and his congressional allies ready to block immigration reform, but not ready to lead.

McCain: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

Announcer: Paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee. Approved by McCain-Palin 2008.

(Story continues below)

Supporting its claims in the commercial, the McCain campaign cited a Christian Science Monitor column of April 17 by Ariel Sabar that said: "Obama was part of the bipartisan group of senators who began meeting in 2005 on comprehensive immigration reform. But last summer, with the presidential nominating race well under way, Obama backed 11th-hour amendments – supported by labor, immigrant rights, and clergy groups – that Republicans saw as imperiling the fragile compromise. None of those measures passed. But Obama was part of a 49-to-48 majority that voted to end after five years a temporary worker program that had been a cornerstone of the immigration deal. The vote, backed by labor, was seen as a major setback to bipartisan negotiations."

The campaign also cited a June 17, 2007, column in Roll Call by Morton Kondracke that said Obama voted for a labor-backed amendment "designed to insert a deadly 'poison pill' into the bipartisan 'grand bargain' on immigration reform."

An Associated Press story dated June 7, 2007, was also included in the McCain camp's justifications for the spot. It suggested three amendments were offered to the legislation that would have killed it – one of which was sponsored by Obama. According to the report, it "would have ended a new point system for those seeking permanent resident 'green cards' after five years rather than 14 years. All three amendments were seen as potentially fatal blows to the fragile coalition backing the bill, which remains under attack from the right and left."

The McCain campaign included an excerpt from a David Ignatius commentary of March 2 in the Washington Post that said: "He [Obama] did support the bipartisan effort to get an immigration bill last year, winning a plaudit from McCain. But he didn't work closely with the White House, as did Sen. Edward Kennedy."

A week ago, speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala, Obama blasted McCain for not including comprehensive immigration reform in his party's platform.

"And when it came time to write his party's platform, comprehensive reform never made it in," he said. "So, you've got to ask yourself: if Sen. McCain won't stand up to opponents of reform at his own convention, how can you trust him to stand up for change in Washington?"

Obama said he admired McCain for bucking his party on immigration reform in the past but contended that was a stance he walked away from when running for president.

"When he was running for his party's nomination, he abandoned his stance, and said he wouldn't even support his own legislation if it came up for a vote," Obama said. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think it's time for a president who won't walk away from comprehensive immigration reform when it becomes politically unpopular."

 

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