I watched President Bush’s final news conference this morning and he sent a message about the GOP rhetoric on immigration that was very perceptive and right on target.
In other words, he agreed with what I have been saying about how the issue is playing out politically.
Despite the distinction that many GOP leaders try to make about the difference between illegal and legal immigrants, the President noted that the message people are hearing is that “Republicans don’t like immigrants.” And he went on to say that when you hear that a party does not like certain people, you begin to wonder if they dislike you as well. The President maintained that the perception that the Republican Party is exclusive and not inclusive has become a major political hurdle for the GOP.
If you want some evidence of this, just look at what is happening to the GOP vote in NOVA, the multicultural capital of Virginia.
The situation is the reverse of the one we saw in the 1990’s when the Democrats gleefully bashed the “Religious Right” at every opportunity and managed to have individuals of all faith perspectives wonder if they just hated religion in general.
It is especially troubling for the GOP today because the Republican trinity of family values, faith, and small business growth have traditionally been potent messages with new communities arriving in America.
As Bob McDonnell thinks about how to appeal to voters in NOVA this November, I would not be surprised if he takes the outgoing President’s advice to heart.
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