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LeMars — More than 120 northwest Iowans Saturday morning filled a modern banquet hall attached to a LeMars golf course clubhouse to hear U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., make the case that the Republican Party has lost its way on fiscal discipline and go toe to toe with audience members who believe his support of an immigration compromise amounts to a wink at amnesty for criminals.McCain, a leading GOP candidate for president, said he would slash pork barrel spending as president and use the bully pulpit to seek to embarrass members of Congress and the U.S. Senate who insert wildly expensive and questionable projects and programs into massive spending bills.
“I’ll make the people famous that put those in there,” McCain said.
He singled out a $3 million program for bear DNA testing in Montana as an example — to the laughter and applause of the audience, which was all white, with the exception of the news media, and heavily senior citizen.
Saying he wanted to give the voters of Iowa some “straight talk,” McCain said today’s workers aren’t going to receive the same beneifts from Social Security as current retirees unless Congress and a presidential administration develop the courage to tackle the issue.
“It’s not going to happen,” McCain said. “The money isn’t there.”
McCain then moved to immigration. He is the only GOP candidate for the presidency who supports a compromise plan on illegal immigration now on the table.
Attacked in recent months by opponents,pundits and many in his own party for seeming to retreat from his maverick ways and look to appease for poll points, McCain stood in the center of the audience and conducted an impromptu debate with audience members who were critical of McCain’s approach.
McCain said the notion of arresting up to 12 million illegal immigrants and busing them to Central America and Mexico is just not workable. “How would you do it? Why would you do it?” he asked.
“I don’t know how you round up 12 million people,” McCain said.
The senator said accepting the illegal immigration status quo amounts to an endorsement of “amnesty.”
He supports a proposal that would focus more resources on the southern border and allow a long legal path to citizenship for those illegal immigrants who pay back taxes, accept fines and stay out of trouble with law enforcement.
The reality, McCain suggests, is that the nation’s economy depends on immigrant labor.
“There are some jobs in America that are not being done by Americans, and we know it,” McCain said.
He added, “I promise you, I have thought this thing through for years.”
One member of the audience challenged McCain, suggesting that in France, authorities had sought to deport illegals.
McCain said that ethnic tensions and immigration issues in France have exploded into violent confrontations, with multiple car burnings in areas where immigrants have been segregated.
“I don’t want that to happen in the United States,” McCain said.
He added. “The next time you make your argument I wouldn’t use France.”
McCain said his positions on spending and immigration show that he will not be a pandering president.
“I want to be the president to do the hard things,” McCain said.
Moving the war in Iraq, McCain said the U.S. effort has been mismanaged. He also said he understands the frustration of the public.
“The patience of the American people has worn thin and, in some cases, worn out,” McCain said.
McCain said he would be honest with his assessment of progress in Iraq.
“I’m not telling you ‘last throes’ or ‘mission accomplished’ or ‘dead-enders,” McCain said, dismissing some now-famous Bush Administration spin.
But McCain did embrace the Bush Administration’s long-held contention that if the United States pulls out of Iraq now, it could mean more terrorism on American soil.
“They want to follow us home,” McCain said.
In a growing trend at presidential campaign events in Iowa, McCain fielded two questions from emotional parents with children who have autism. Democratic candidate Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor, dealt with autism during an event in Denison just weeks ago.
In Le Mars, a community north of Sioux City, McCain collected information from the families and said he had a health-care staffer working diligently on the matter. He also listened for more than five minutes to their stories.
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