Tancredo for President -- Official Blog

Des Moines at Sunset

I snapped this pic of downtown when I walked out of the Embassy Suites.

Coffee with Supporters at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines

After the presidential forum at Hy-vee Hall -- and a quick bite to eat, I headed over with The Tanc to the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines. Supporters showed up for some casual chatting and coffee with Tancredo.

ICA - ITR Presidential Forum at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines

Around 3:45 PM CST, Congressman Tancredo addressed a huge crowd of supporters and potential supporters with "five other Republican candidates at a forum sponsored by two of the most important forces in Iowa Republican politics — the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief."

Tancredo pounded his speech and held the crowd. The entire room cheered him on as he hit his key platform on immigration and other conservative social issues. In fact, the article I just quoted includes:

The loudest cheers went to conservative Representative Tom Tancredo, who spoke out against illegal immigration. "If you want to call me a single-issue candidate, that's fine as long as you know my issue is the survival of this country," he said.

I'll post highlights of Tancredo's speech as I work through the night getting you the latest campaign trail pics and the hottest footage.

The Defining Domestic Issue in the 2008 Presidential Race: Immigration

The "chairman of the Kansas Republican Party predicted Friday that immigration will be the defining domestic issue of the 2008 presidential campaign and said it could hurt early front-runners John McCain and Rudy Giuliani in the Republican primaries.

Des Moines Town Hall Meeting at the Quality Inn & Suites

Last night at 6 PM, The Tanc spoke to a packed room inside the Des Moines Quality Inn. Standing room only. The greatest part: An enthusiastic crowd that lauded Tancredo's message often.

In Des Moines - Live Blogging Now

I made it on standby to Des Moines at around 4:30 PM from Memphis. So I'm here and live blogging resumes!

Tonight at 6 PM, or in about 15 minutes, Congressman Tancredo will give a town hall meeting at the Quality Inn & Suites Events Center in Des Moines (929 - 3rd Street).

Immigration Update: Remember the Embers

An amnesty bill for 12-20 million illegal aliens will be back. But when?

The Seattle Times quotes:

"Immigration is going to have to wait until we get a new president and a new Congress," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said after a 46-53 procedural vote Thursday derailed efforts to move the bill toward final passage.

It's now more likely that if immigration reform is ever passed, it will not be one large, comprehensive bill but a series of small bills dealing with each aspect (border security, guest worker program, etc.).

If immigration reform doesn't happen in the House or the Senate, Americans won't wait on Washington. The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Utah political and community leaders say that the demise of an immigration reform bill in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, a defeat that could push back an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws beyond 2008, could mean one thing: The states will continue to be stuck dealing with immigration woes.

Anyway, if amnesty is as popular as the Senate spins it, check THIS out:

Eleven senators - four Democrats and seven Republicans - who voted in favor of last year's Senate immigration bill, which died in the House, voted against this year's version. All of them are up for re-election in 2008.

Today's IQ: John Ensign

"The intensity level and the passions on this bill, we've never seen anything like it. Not even close."

-- Nevada Senator John Ensign, USA TODAY, 28 June 2007

Stuck in Memphis

No posts today until almost noon! I know what you're thinking. It's because today was made for travel because The Tanc's campaigning in Iowa this weekend. Unfortunately, today's live blogging of Iowa events may be curtailed because this morning my flight was delayed in DC, causing a missed connecting flight in Memphis to Iowa. The Tanc's already in Iowa (we take separate flights). The next flight out of here to my destination leaves around 7 PM CST. Luckily, I can do my job - blogging, updating most of the website, netroots campaigning - from anywhere in the country. So I've set up shop in an airport restaurant.

Tancredo on FOX News Channel's Neil Cavuto Yesterday