Six days ago, President Obama unveiled a new immigration policy, which included using the executive branch’s prosecutorial discretion to implement many of the goals of the DREAM Act. Since then, Mitt Romney has been pressed repeatedly for his position on the new policy.
Apparently, the Republican presidential hopeful is feeling a little shy.
Over the weekend, Romney dodged the issue in a CBS interview. The candidate has also dodged reporters’ questions all week. On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he intends to take his cues from Romney, but Romney still wouldn’t say anything. Yesterday, the Romney campaign cut short a press teleconference, rather than trying to deal with the question they didn’t want to answer.
Today, Romney scheduled a big speech on immigration policy, finally giving him the chance to make his position clear. Unfortunately, the Republican still won’t give a straight answer.
In remarks he delivered in Florida before Latino political leaders, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney once again declined to answer if he would overturn President Obama’s executive action to no longer deport qualified young illegal immigrants.
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Instead, Romney explained that he would work to craft a long-term solution dealing with illegal immigration.
“Some people have asked if I will let stand the president’s executive action,” Romney said at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials’ conference. “The answer is that I will put in place my own long-term solution that will replace and supersede the president’s temporary measure.”
You’ve heard of a non-apology apology? This is a non-policy policy. What’s Romney’s position? It’s to come up with some other position that will “replace and supersede” Obama’s policy. Does Romney agree with Obama’s policy? He won’t say. What will the new “long-term solution” include? He won’t say that, either.
Just about everyone — congressional Republicans, voters, reporters, et al — are waiting for Romney to step up and show some leadership. The GOP candidate isn’t quite up to the task.
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