[Peace-discuss] Obama channels Bush (again)

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Los Angeles Times - July 3, 2010
	Obama's immigration speech echoes Bush in policy, rhetoric
	Both presidents took a centrist position while calling for more border
	security. They also favored a path to citizenship for immigrants and
	opposed rounding up those who were in the U.S. illegally.
	By Peter Nicholas, Tribune Washington Bureau

Though he is quick to deride former President George W. Bush's performance in 
office, President Obama seems to think his predecessor gives a pretty good 
immigration speech.

Obama's widely publicized speech on the controversial topic Thursday closely 
tracks, in rhetoric and basic policy, a speech Bush gave on the same subject in 
May 2006.

Speaking at American University, Obama delivered an address intended to rally 
the nation behind a plan that would strengthen border security while providing a 
path to legal status for the estimated 12 million people living in the U.S. 
illegally.

Obama's speech was longer than the one Bush delivered four years ago — 4,100 
words compared with 2,600. Bush, speaking from the Oval Office, did not have to 
expend words thanking people. And Obama used the occasion to recap victories on 
healthcare and education.

But in fundamental ways, the speeches carry the same message. The parallels show 
the two presidents — one a Republican, the other a Democrat — have staked out 
basically the same centrist position on immigration.

The speeches also reveal similarities in ways presidents of both parties 
communicate with the public.

After reading a transcript of Obama's immigration address, former Bush 
speechwriter Matt Latimer said in an e-mail that "this speech could almost word 
for word have been delivered by George W. Bush on the exact same subject. Do 
they just copy our old speeches?"

Latimer, who wrote a book called "Speech-Less" that was critical of the Bush 
speechwriting operation, added, "That's not a compliment."

The policy similarities are not that surprising. Bush, even before he ran for 
president, was at odds with many in his party on immigration. As governor of 
Texas, he challenged Republicans — including the California governor at the 
time, Pete Wilson — who took a hard line on immigration and wanted a crackdown 
on illegal immigrants.

Bush's position was ultimately repudiated by his party and he was repeatedly 
rebuffed by Republicans in Congress when he offered proposals for tightening 
borders but also creating a path to citizenship for immigrants.

A White House official said Friday he did not believe that anyone examined 
Bush's old speeches while drafting the Obama address. Rather, the speech was 
written by a member of the president's speechwriting team, with Obama providing 
"a good deal of writing," the official said.

Both speeches talk about immigrants who "live in the shadows." Both mention 
immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of "a better life." Both describe the 
U.S. as "a nation of immigrants" and reject calls to "round up" people who are 
here illegally.

And both use the same language about business. Obama said businesses "must be 
held accountable" for hiring undocumented workers; Bush said, "We need to hold 
employers to account."

Plunging into the body of his speech, Obama discussed how "in recent days the 
issue of immigration has become once more a source of fresh contention in our 
country." That's a reference to the strict new anti-illegal immigration law in 
Arizona, which has touched off protests and lawsuits.

Bush, in his speech, alluded to a wave of street protests in favor of an 
immigration overhaul, saying, "The issue of immigration stirs intense emotions, 
and in recent weeks, Americans have seen those emotions on display."

Neither Bush nor Obama wanted to be seen as neglecting border enforcement. Obama 
said that "government has a threshold responsibility to secure our borders," 
whereas Bush said that securing the border is "a basic responsibility of a 
sovereign state."

Each president laid out steps they'd taken to prevent illegal crossings, using 
the same multipliers. Bush said he "doubled" the size of the Border Patrol; 
Obama said that he "doubled" the personnel assigned to border enforcement 
security "task forces."

Yet neither claimed that the borders are impregnable. Bush said, "We do not yet 
have full control of the border." Obama said that the Mexican border is more 
secure than ever, but acknowledged that "that doesn't mean we don't have more 
work to do."

Both speeches use a device in which they rejected what they portrayed as extreme 
positions — blanket amnesty on the one hand, and deportation of all illegal 
immigrants on the other.

Instead of those extremes, each president said, the country should adopt a more 
moderate alternative in which illegal immigrants could gain legal status by 
meeting tough requirements.

Bush said immigrants must "pay their taxes" and "learn English." Obama used the 
same language — "pay their taxes" and "learn English," among other things.

And at some point in each speech, the president told an inspiring story of an 
immigrant who came to the U.S., joined the military and gained citizenship.

Bush mentioned Guadalupe Denogean from Mexico, who joined the Marines and was 
wounded in Iraq. Obama's example was Perla Ramos, who came to the U.S. from 
Mexico after the Sept. 11 attacks, joined the Navy and became a citizen.

<http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-speech-20100704,0,5267110.story>