Playing It Safe- Obama

Both Barack Obama and John McCain spoke, separately, on Saturday, June 28, 2008 to approximately 700 people attending the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

Obama assured the assemblage "It(i.e., "comprehensive immigration reform") will be one of my priorities on my first day because this is an issue that we have demagogued. There's been a lot of politics around it, but we haven't been serious about solving the problem. And I want to solve the problem."

I'm glad that Senator Obama wants to "solve the problem"of immigration/illegal immigration- as do the National Council of La Raza and Patrick J. Buchanan. And no one can argue that it "is an issue that we have demogogued"- the only "issue" being as to whom the demagogues have been. La Raza's Janet Murguia and Buchanan might differ on that one.

But not to worry. Senator Obama declared also "We can't vacillate. We can't shift." And in the very same speech proclaimed "we must assert our values and reconcile our principles as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. That is a priority I will pursue from my very first day." A nation of immigrants and of laws? Boldly, a forthcoming Obama statement on abortion: "We must assert our values as a people committed to the rights of women and the sanctity of life."