December 20, 2007
Tancredo Drops Out: The Exit Interview
UPDATED.
Neither FOX nor MSNBC bothered to cover Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo's announcement earlier today that he was dropping out of the race for the White House. CNN went to it at first, then cut away so the anchor could discuss the pronunciation of the congressman's surname. This, despite the pivotal role he has played in this cycle's Republican nomination battle.
Reached by phone at his Des Moines hotel room, Tancredo sounded relaxed and content with his decision to close shop. His candidacy, after all, was from the beginning about holding the big-name guys to account on illegal immigration.
"I have dedicated 10 years of my public life to warning the nation of the perilous consequences of massive, uncontrolled illegal immigration," Tancredo told supporters at a press conference this afternoon. "This message unfortunately has fallen on deaf ears in the highest office in the land. Without a president who is committed to securing the nation, we will always remain in jeopardy."
Tancredo's announcement had been expected since yesterday. He said the urgency he felt on illegal immigration compelled him to launch his bid despite what "we knew at the time were incredibly long odds." A nationally obscure figure best known among anti-immigration hardliners, Tancredo said in April that he was entering the race because of "the field, the field."
More on what he told us about Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson after the jump.
We were somewhat surprised that Tancredo endorsed Romney for president. The former Massachusetts governor has been portrayed as inconsistent on the issue, and New Hampshire voters have been telling NJ reporters on the ground that he may lose their support because of it.
"There were a series of criteria that I established," Tancredo told us. "The person had to be in support of securing that border, had to be in support of going after the employers that comprise the magnet that pulls people into the country, had to be opposed to amnesty, [agrees that] people who are here illegally have to go home, then can get in line and come back in with everyone else."
Romney's record as governor and his current platform fit the bill more than any of the other viable candidates, Tancredo said, also adding that "from a geopolitical standpoint we are in accord with how we feel about radical Islam."
While Romney took strong measures against illegals as governor, such as opposing in-state tuition for children of undocumented immigrants and denying them driver's licenses, Mike Huckabee had not, Tancredo said. And "Giuliani's record is I think just horrible," he added.
As for Thompson? "He's not really, I don't think, a contender."
Tancredo said he had "a long conversation" with Romney earlier today, and that the two campaign staffs were working out stumping arrangements.
Despite negligible polling and fundraising, Tancredo managed to force the more moderate GOP front-runners toward harsher positions on border and immigration law enforcement. Immigration is poised to be a decisive factor in the nominating process, alongside other pressing issues such as the Iraq war and a bubbling economic crisis.
Tancredo confirmed that he is not running for re-election next year, and said he was enthusiastically backing former Rep. Bob Schaffer in the race for retiring Sen. Wayne Allard's seat. He did, however, hint that he might challenge Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar in 2010. "There's a U.S. senator going up in two years. There's a guy that I'd really like to take out," Tancredo said coyly.
Asked what he would do with himself until then, Tancredo said with a laugh, "I've got grandkids. Football games. I don't know."
Posted at 6:10 PM
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Campaigns, Congress, Fred Thompson, House, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Republicans, Rudy Giuliani, Senate, Tom Tancredo, WH 2008
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