cherokeered
11-28-2007, 11:21 PM
Wow...they can't even get along with themselves......
Fireworks break out at Republican debate
Republican presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney clashed over whether they have been tough enough on illegal immigration on Wednesday as fireworks quickly erupted at a debate.
Giuliani was immediately put on the defensive at a CNN/YouTube debate when Ernie Nardi of Brooklyn Heights, New York, asked in a videotaped question whether Giuliani had turned a blind eye to illegal immigration when he was mayor of New York.
Illegal immigration is a key concern for Republican voters with many wanting stronger enforcement of immigration laws and better control of the U.S. border with Mexico.
The debate took place at a tense time for the Republican candidates, with Giuliani leading national polls for his party's nomination but Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, leading in the two early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Giuliani insisted he did not preside over a "sanctuary city" in New York. He said he had reported thousands of illegal immigrants accused of committing crimes to federal authorities.
But he did say he allowed children of illegal immigrants to go to school because otherwise, the city "would've had 70,000 children on the streets at a time when New York City was going through a massive crime wave."
Romney scoffed at Giuliani's answer, saying Giuliani had "absolutely" failed to move against illegal immigrants in his city.
That prompted Giuliani to shoot back that Romney had employed illegal immigrants at the governor's mansion in Massachusetts and accused him of having a "holier than thou" attitude on the issue.
"You did, you did have illegal immigrants working at your mansion, didn't you?" Giuliani asked in a tense exchange with Romney standing at a podium next to his.
"No, I did not," Romney responded, saying any illegals would have been working for a company hired for upkeep at the mansion.
"If you hear someone with a funny accent, you as a homeowner are supposed to go out there and say let me see your papers? Is that what you're asking?" he asked.
When Giuliani pressed the issue, some boos were heard in the crowd at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg
Fireworks break out at Republican debate
Republican presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney clashed over whether they have been tough enough on illegal immigration on Wednesday as fireworks quickly erupted at a debate.
Giuliani was immediately put on the defensive at a CNN/YouTube debate when Ernie Nardi of Brooklyn Heights, New York, asked in a videotaped question whether Giuliani had turned a blind eye to illegal immigration when he was mayor of New York.
Illegal immigration is a key concern for Republican voters with many wanting stronger enforcement of immigration laws and better control of the U.S. border with Mexico.
The debate took place at a tense time for the Republican candidates, with Giuliani leading national polls for his party's nomination but Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, leading in the two early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Giuliani insisted he did not preside over a "sanctuary city" in New York. He said he had reported thousands of illegal immigrants accused of committing crimes to federal authorities.
But he did say he allowed children of illegal immigrants to go to school because otherwise, the city "would've had 70,000 children on the streets at a time when New York City was going through a massive crime wave."
Romney scoffed at Giuliani's answer, saying Giuliani had "absolutely" failed to move against illegal immigrants in his city.
That prompted Giuliani to shoot back that Romney had employed illegal immigrants at the governor's mansion in Massachusetts and accused him of having a "holier than thou" attitude on the issue.
"You did, you did have illegal immigrants working at your mansion, didn't you?" Giuliani asked in a tense exchange with Romney standing at a podium next to his.
"No, I did not," Romney responded, saying any illegals would have been working for a company hired for upkeep at the mansion.
"If you hear someone with a funny accent, you as a homeowner are supposed to go out there and say let me see your papers? Is that what you're asking?" he asked.
When Giuliani pressed the issue, some boos were heard in the crowd at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg