In a speech in El Paso, TX, today, Barack Obama presented his case for making comprehensive immigration reform a priority. In the course of his presentation he shined a spotlight on a prominent immigration activist with whom he has little else in common.
Obama: Already, there is a growing coalition of leaders across America who don’t always see eye-to-eye, but who are coming together on this issue. They see the harmful consequences of this broken system for their businesses and communities. They understand why we need to act.
There are Democrats and Republicans, including former-Republican Senator Mel Martinez and former-Bush administration Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; leaders like Mayor Michael Bloomberg; evangelical ministers like Leith Anderson and Bill Hybels; police chiefs from across the nation; educators and advocates; labor unions and chambers of commerce; small business owners and Fortune 500 CEOs. One CEO had this to say about reform. “American ingenuity is a product of the openness and diversity of this society… Immigrants have made America great as the world leader in business, science, higher education and innovation.” That’s Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, and an immigrant himself. I don’t know if you’re familiar with his views, but let’s just say he doesn’t have an Obama bumper sticker on his car.
Brilliant move. By roping Murdoch into the discussion, opponents of reform will be put in the position of disparaging their media patron if they criticize the policy of which Murdoch has been a vocal proponent. It makes things particularly touchy for Fox News anchors and contributors who will be challenged to advance their racist agenda without offending their boss. Not that they wouldn’t try to separate themselves from Papa Murdoch. They have in the past been notoriously disobedient with regard to Climate Change, which Murdoch regards as a serious problem, but Fox News regards as a hoax. But every time they wander off in this manner they widen the hypocrisy gap a little further.
That’s if he takes the bait, or if any one of his pundit employees takes the bait that is.
It won’t make any difference to Fox not News. Were not dealing with people who think logically. It is obvious by what they put out on a daily basis. I think it was very smart to bring Murdoch’s history into the debate but he is a powerful, wealthy media mogul not some poor mexican kid trying to eke out an existence. Right wingers care about one but not the other and we know which one that is.