Tancredo-wing of GOP Threatens to Sabatoge '08 Race

This post, written by Howie Klien, originally appeared on Down With Tyranny!

As you know, the extreme end of the Republican base-- what the Greed-wing calls the "Know Nothings"-- are having a fit over Bush's immigration bill and, along with Tancredo, are threatening to sabotage the re-election campaigns of any Republican who votes in favor of Bush's bill. Their tactics are beginning to work as former supports have been peeled away one by one from some of the amendments. Saxby Chamberpot (R-GA), who not only has the hard-core right of his party boo-ing and hissing at him at his own state convention, but now has a Democratic opponent to the right of him on several issues, particularly immigration, was the first to abandon the Good Ship McCain/Bush. Judd Gregg (R-NH), who was called out big time last night at the GOP "debate," also ran off with his tail between his legs (taking Sununu with him).

Today there were two votes that the xenophobes were watching closely. One was the Cornyn Amendment, designed to derail the whole project. Most of the Democrats were joined by the few remaining Bush loyalists to defeat Cornyn's bill. These Republicans are all marked for political extermination by the extreme right: Richard Lugar (IN)

Poor crazy old Pete Domenici (NM)

already loathed Chuck Hagel (NE)

lately fallen from grace Jon Kyl (AZ)

never trusted Snarlin' Arlen (PA)

almost as untrusted George Voinovich (OH) closet queen Larry Craig (ID)

closet queen and McCain cabinet hopeful/mini-me Lindsey Graham (SC) Mel Martinez (FL)

John McCain (AZ)

And Coburn didn't vote, which has them pissed off. Those are the ones who they're really going to go after. (I just heard Lou Dobbs running his mouth about it too.) But some of the wingnuts also are calling for jihad against Republicans who voted for a Kennedy amendment that they say gives cover to what they call "amnesty supporters." The Republicans in this crowd include some who are precariously facing their constituents next November and desperately need every wingnut vote they can get. Aside from the ones mentioned above, this batch includes: Norm Coleman (MN)

Susan Collins (ME) Lisa Murkowski (AK)

Olympia Snowe (ME)

Ted Stevens (AK)

John Warner (VA)

Oh, and speaking of Dobbs, he just announced that 97% of the people taking part in his CNN poll today disagreed with senators like McCain who are trying to create conventional wisdom that says "this flawed immigration bill is better than no bill." A more serious poll by Rasmussen is also bad news for Bush and McCain.

Public support for the Senate immigration reform bill has slipped a bit over the past week. A Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Monday and Tuesday night found that just 23% of voters now support the bill while 50% are opposed. Last week, 26% supported the Senate bill while 48% were opposed.

In the face of public opposition, some supporters of the legislation have argued that the compromise may not be perfect but doing something is better than doing nothing. Voters have a different view--a solid plurality believes it would be better for the country to pass no bill at this time rather than letting the Senate compromise become law.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters prefer no bill over the Senate bill. Just 32% prefer the legislative compromise over inaction.

For those in Congress who believe that passing the Senate bill will get the issue behind them, the data suggests otherwise.