The Spitzer Specter May Haunt More Than Clinton

Another day removed from Tuesday night's debate, and Hillary Clinton is still the focus of fallout because of her response to the issue of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's drivers' license plan, and the issue of illegal immigration in general. Peep the relevant heds: the Wall Street Journal riffs on "Clintonesque" "doublespeak" in an article titled, "Hilliam Clinton." Newsweek describes Clinton as leaving "A Drop of Blood in the Water." Politico notes her competitors attacking a "crack in the armor."

But what of the other Democratic candidates and their position on Spitzer? Adam Nagourney noted yesterday that "among those opposing it were Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut; Senator Barack Obama of Illinois supported it." But, in the context of the debate, there was no "among" -- Dodd was the only candidate that specifically came out against Spitzer's plan. Obama was the only one who specifically supported it (and his more succinctly stated version of Clinton's own position went unchallenged). John Edwards weighed in on the quality of Clinton's response, but was allowed to escape without advancing his own position Tuesday night.

So though Clinton finds herself facing the fusillade, it's worth asking: is this matter a looming issue for the Democratic field as a whole? The American Prospect's Garance Franke-Ruta thinks so, saying, "Perhaps I am not giving my fellow Americans enough credit, however, it seems to me that the Democratic presidential field last night just committed suicide en masse, with Hillary Clinton the last to swallow the poison by holding out until this afternoon to endorse New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposal."

GFR cites a noteworthy study taken by Democracy Corps, which "finds that the issue of unprotected borders/illegal immigration is the No. 1 issue cited by independents." The big pull: "Voters want control of the borders and workplace and recreating an immigration system that works and oppose driver's licenses for illegal immigrants - positions supported by about two-thirds of the country. For them, that is the starting point, the common sense of the issue. If political leaders do not start there, they are not likely to be heard on other steps."

But can a case be made for the Spitzer plan on the merits? Some have tried to make it, most notably former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke, who offered the following endorsement:

The United States needs a reliable and secure personal identification system, with appropriate civil liberties protections, to insure that we know who it is that is being allowed in to sensitive facilities and who is engaging in other controlled activities. Such a system will also reduce the billions of dollars of loss annually in identity theft and related fraud. The Real ID Act passed by Congress, if implemented, will form a basis for such a system based on drivers' licenses.

However, the federal government has not yet issued guidelines to states on how to implement that law. Even when the guidelines are issued, states will have many years to implement them. Some states have already announced their intention to ignore the law because it is an unfunded federal mandate, forcing significant new expenditures on the states. Thus, the fate of the Real ID Act is uncertain.

In the interim, states should act to register immigrants, legal and illegal, who use our roadways as New York is doing. From a law enforcement and security perspective, it is far preferable for the state to know who is living in it and driving on its roads, and to have their photograph and their address on file than to have large numbers of people living in our cities whose identity is totally unknown to the government.

Also backing Spitzer's plan was 9-11 Commissioner Slade Gorton, who called the Spitzer plan "secure and sensible," and former New York City police commissioner (and current LAPD Chief) William J. Bratton.

Comments

[godlessclif]

Spitzer has come up with the solution. He will have three ID card. One is a regular drivers license, the second is a citizens ID, and the third is an illegal alien I.D.

I suggest a fourth I.D. for religions with a yellow Star of David, or Christians a cross on their license. This will be helpful to police officers who want to profile religion.

[RedRooster]

It's funny, I don't see this as an "immigration" issue, I see it as a "documentation" and an "insurance" issue.

If we were serious about immigration, we'd simply adequately defend our borders, quickly deport the illegals as we find them and aggressively prosecute the employers who illegally hire them...but we aren't.

But even if we did, NONE OF THAT would prevent the existing uninsured and undocumented drivers from killing people, destroying property or from contributing to ever-rising insurance rates.

P.S.
Sometimes, the answer really is,
"yes" to part 1 of a question and "no" to part 2.

[RuthieM]

The problem on this issue with Hillary Clinton was not the answer it was the answer, there was no answer and there still is no solid answer. Obama gave a solid answer but she continues to parse and spit and blink and dodge and all things Hillary Clinton. This is the reason I stopped backing Hillary Clinton. It was after I discovered she did this way back after her Senate race in NY. I was absolutely shocked to find that she straddled the fence, weaved and avoided answering questions like she did and does. It's just awful, and then on top of it, she doesn't even want to be responsible for owning her own nonanswers but wants to blame everyone in the whole world besides herself. I really think she is psychotic because then she goes through hell and high water to discredit everyone else. That's one scary potential president.­..

[chonus]

Let 'em drive....i­f they take driver's ed and pass the driving test.

Also, if you haven't seen it, check out: A Day without a Mexican.

Really good stuff.

[Countess]

All of the democratic candidates except Dodd are completely disconnected from reality on this issue. No candidate that embraces Spitzer's folly will be elected president. This is one of the major reasons there is such a big jump in people registering as independents this year.

[Obamanon]

I simply can't believe that immigration is the number one issue of voters. Doesn't seem plausible. Don't know a single perosn who considers that their number one issue.

[Stretchumall]

Clinton could not answer because she was not told how to answer.

Got Rope?

[beckylu]

I just caught Spitzer on Hardball, and his explaination makes a lot of sense, like it or not.....Bu­t the fact that Hillary didn't give a yes or no answer just proves to me that she can see six (6) sides to the problem, as any good lawyer should be able to do. She's a dimensonal thinker. Give it a try, there's NO simple answer to this large problem. I live in Florida and I think ALL drivers (foreign or domestic) should have a license saying that they are legal to operate a motor vehicle on our roads. As to identification it should not be the end all for everything. My 88 yr old mom doesn't drive anymore but has a specific ID for identification purposes only, as do under driving age. teens.

[BeyondKen]

>John Russell: duh.. all the "illegal aliens, the undocumenteds" will just race to the local DMV and line up to errrr DECLARE themselves so they can get a ... drivers license? What planet are ANY of these people on?

The planet whose Republican Supreme Court ruled in 1981 that states must provide free public education for illegal alien children.

[poopdeck]

Senator Clinton tried to answer a trick question from gutter journalist Russert. Senators Dodd, Edwards, and Obama did not tell me what they would do on this issue if they were the Governor of New York. So, who evaded the issue?

[Blutus]

Please remember
that state DMVs
have been popped
over and over for issuing
illegal IDs

legally.

What's Spitzer's solution?

[John Russell FL 5]

So... Spitzer and errr Clinton think... duh.. that all the "illegal aliens, the undocumenteds" will just race to the local DMV and line up to errrr DECLARE themselves so they can get a ... drivers license?

What planet are ANY of these people on?

Abba Dibble Hillary! J R

[longislandlol]

Identifying bad people who may cause harm to our national security is a good thing---- if Spitzer has to do it using the means of a license-- so be it-- chill independents! I am one of these independent women-- I'm for Spitzer's plan... and so are all my many, New York friends... Hillary has nothing to lose-- she's won N.Y.-- Florida-- and all the other States-- she needs Ohio-- she'll get it by picking Bayh as v.p.

[NABNYC]

It's astonishing to me that any intelligent person could get up in front of the American public and support a proposal to give citizenship rights, and jobs, to illegal immigrants from other countries. Are the politicians really that stupid? No. It's an issue of (1) giving businesses the right to hire illegal immigrants to do their trucking for $5/hour without fear of having their insurance cancelled because their drivers are uninsured; and (2) some bizarre concern about 20 years from now, how will Hispanic Americans vote.

What about the rest of us? What about the working people of the U.S.? This is a real slap in their faces.

The argument is made that the illegal immigrants will drive anyway, to get to work. The counter is that they are not legally allowed to work. Instead of helping them in taking American's jobs, why not direct the police and highway patrol to deport any illegal immigrant caught driving in the U.S.? There's an idea.

Times are tough. Economic downturn, frozen wages, inflation, oil through the roof. American working people are being squeezed, and none of the candidates are offering any relief except John Edwards. He's the only one who gets it.

By supporting illegal immigrants the Democrats may well give this election to the Republicans. Four more years of fascist dictatorship because the Democrats are so corrupt that they refuse to stand up on behalf of the people they were elected to represent: the citizens, taxpayers, and working people of the U.S.

I don't think there has been a government since the Vichy government that has so betrayed its own people as our Democratic Congress. What a bunch of corrupt incompetent crooks and liars. And they keep asking me for more money. Not in this century.

[Blutus]

What system will be used
to verify the papers
used to obtain a license?

How will it aid national security
to add millions of phoney IDs
to the already magnificent pile?

This is not about security.
It's about the special interests
backing Spitzer and all the pro-immigrant
forces in America: agriculture, hospitality,
meat packing and, the most powerful,

every drug cartel between Nogales
and Tierre del Fuego.

But I hope Spitzer does it.
Maybe a lot will leave Arizona.