Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo at a press conference in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday afternoon where he announced that he is withdrawing from the Presidential race. (Photo courtesy of CNN)
The man credited with bringing illegal immigration to the front of the 2008 Presidential campaign is no longer in the race himself.
Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, a statesman who has made a name for himself in the past five years on the issue of illegals, left the 2008 campaign with an announcement at the Des Moines, Iowa, Marriott Thursday afternoon.
Tancredo, who said himself that he had no serious shot at the White House, said his mission in the Presidential bid had been achieved. "I am ecstatic about the fact that we can say we have made remarkable progress along those lines," Tancredo said during the announcement. "According to Newsweek, the Tancredo campaign has already won." His aim in running was to bring illegal immigration to the front of the national debate and to pressure the frontrunners into staking out similar positions to him on the issue.
As expected, Tancredo took the moment to endorse a candidate. Not suprisingly, that candidate was the one he expects to carry on his torch to get the job done on securing the borders and on national security. That candidate he chose to endorse is former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Some are showing suprise to Tanc's decision on Romney. They shouldn't when they look behind the logic of his decision. Tanc is trying to do what he can to ensure that Mayor Giuliani, Governor Huckabee, and Senator McCain do not win the nomination. He appears concerned at the rise of Huckabee, and timed his decision to try to support the candidate best primed to ward off a amnesty-supporting candidate. Many, including myself, expected Tom to either endorse fellow Congressman Duncan Hunter from California, or former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson (more likely the latter).
Also possibly factoring into the timing of Tanc's announcement was Monday's decision by Iowa Congressman Steve King, a strong friend and anti-illegal immigration ally of Tanc's, to endorse Fred Thompson. Tanc is believed to have looked upon that choice as the nails on the coffin on his already longshot bid. That choice was also a major reason many expected Tanc to endorse Fred.
The Tancredo08 campaign will be remembered for its strong no-amnesty, pro-border security stand, as well as a campaign in opposition to political correctness and in favor of Western Civilization. Former GOP Presidential contender Pat Buchanan's sister Bay was the campaign manager. Pat shares similar no-amnesty, pro-Western Civilization, courageous, statesman-like stands on the issues.
The Tancredo08 campaign will also be remembered for some controversial moments. Some controversial comments made by Tanc before the campaign resurfaced over the last year. In 2005, Tanc said when we are attacked by radical Muslims again, we should bomb Mecca. In November 2006, Tanc drew fire when he compared Miami to a "Third world country". That statement drew the ire of then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who called Tanc a "nut". Last month, the campaign released a TV ad that depicted a hooded terrorist entering a shopping mall and detonating his backpack. The ad was meant to show the darker side of an open borders policy. The ad finished with a voiceover that said, "There are consequences to open borders beyond the 20 million aliens who have come to take our jobs ... the price we pay for spineless politicians who refuse to defend our borders against those who come to kill."
The lasting legacy of the Tancredo08 campaign will likely be found in it's original aim, making illegal immigration a forefront issue of the 2008 election cycle. The fact that all the frontrunners are trying hard to form a strong border security platform, regardless of past records and statements, only serves to prove that. Tanc said himself at the CNN/YouTube GOP Debate last month that the other candidates were "trying to out-Tancredo Tancredo" by arguing for stronger border security and enforcement on immigration laws and penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants. On that, CNN's Bill Schneider said, "That is exactly right: The other Republican candidates adopted Tancredo's tough line on illegal immigration. What happens when you out-Tancredo Tancredo? You don't need Tancredo any more."
In October, Tanc announced he would also not run again for his seat in Congress next year. Since 1998, he has served the 6th District of Colorado, which is based in Littleton and serves most of the southern suburbs of Denver, among other places. Today, he announced he would not be too far from the cause of fighting illegal immigration and the attacks on Western Civilization. In a statement, he said that "there are many more battles in our future and you can count on me to stay in this fight with you. We must continue to build the unquestioned momentum that is fueling our movement today. In the weeks ahead, I will write to you again to share with you my plans for the future, and for the immigration reform movement that is transforming American politics."
He has commented on the possibility of opposing first-term Democratic Colorado Senator Ken Salazar in 2010. He said it is something he is considering, and that he intends "to stay in public policy as much as possible".
As I wrote in a previous post, Tanc was the original candidate I endorsed for the 2008 race. I found out about him in the fall of 2005, and shortly afterward began trying to drum up support for him. My support grew to the point that I even had a local shop in my hometown of Cookeville, Tennessee, put a hat together in support of Tanc. When Fred Thompson came on the scene this spring, however, I saw the wisdom in jumping ship to a candidate in better position to actually win the thing. Until this day, I still have great respect and appreciation to Tanc for being willing to enter the fire and stand strong on principle while putting himself into the public eye. He is mostly right on the issues, isn't afraid to make his stand, and will put his all into achieving good for America. He understands how grave the dangers of illegal immigration, attacks on Western Civilization, over-globalization and the decay of traditional family values pose to the futher existence of our great American republic. Not only does he just understand it, however, he is willing to sacrifice comfort and fight these threats head-on, becoming a lightning rod in the process.
God bless ya, Tom, and please keep up the fight. Please come back as a candidate to public office soon!
"If you want to call me a single-issue candidate, that's fine, just so long as you know that my single issue is the survival and the success of the conservative movement in America." - Tom Tancredo to the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2007.
Tanc's statement on the closing of the campaign
GoogleNews list of stories relating to Tanc's pull out
Slate: Tancredo Defeats Thompson
Tancredo says, "You could take Romney off, put Tancredo on, you'd never know."
Rolling Stone: "Mission Accomplished"
California Rep. Bilbray: Romney "picked a big plum"
Romney choice a "anti-Giuliani reaction"
Tanc won't run for U.S. Senate in 2008, maybe 2010; Huckabee influenced decision to withdraw
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