Throwing "Benedict Tom" Out of Lincoln's Cabin

Chuck Muth

Boy, oh boy, are the long knives ever out for Congressman Tom. His enemies want his political scalp. They want to shut him up. He’s been too darned effective in communicating his message. He loves to stir the pot. And he doesn’t scurry away from a fight with his tail between his legs. It’s so bad, even some fellow Republicans want to run him out of the GOP.

No, not Tom DeLay. Tom Tancredo.

A few years back, Rep. Tancredo, Colorado Republican, became the most outspoken member of Congress in opposition to President Bush’s amnesty proposal for millions of illegal aliens currently residing illegally in the United States. (The key word here, by the way, is “illegal.”) For his trouble, Tancredo says he was called a “traitor” by Bush adviser Karl Rove, and was warned to never again “darken the doorstep of the White House.''

Not that they ever actually had the ol’ “Welcome” mat out for him in the first place, but still. Tancredo is a reliable and consistent conservative Republican. His lifetime ACU Conservative Rating over six years in office is an astounding 98. A Republican like that isn’t welcome in a Republican White House? But a liberal Republican like Sen. Lincoln Chafee is? What’s wrong with this picture?

Then there’s Chris Cannon. Rep. Cannon, Utah Republican, is the darling of the “open borders” set. Indeed, he’s been the White House’s point man on amnesty for illegal aliens and is the go-to guy in Congress for radical Hispanic groups such as La Raza and MALDEF. They give him awards and honor him at dinners on a regular basis. Indeed, many have questioned whether Cannon actually represents Provo, Utah...or Tijuana, Mexico. And their tongues aren’t always planted firmly in cheek when they do.

Anyway, at a Latino Coalition event last spring, Cannon questioned whether “there is a place in the Republican Party” for people such as Tancredo who want to clamp down on illegal immigration. “I think he ought to consider his views and decide whether they're consistent with the Republican Party,” said Cannon, saying it was time for Tancredo to leave the party of Lincoln.

Anyone who knows Chris Cannon well (and, unfortunately, I do) knows the guy is more than a little squirrelly, completely untrustworthy and a huckster who is never without a little snake oil for sale at a cheap price. And THIS guy wants to toss TANCREDO out of the party?

Which brings me to Darrell Issa. Rep. Issa (R) represents a district in southern California not too far from the 48th congressional district. The 48th has been represented by Rep. Chris Cox (R) for many years. But Cox resigned over the summer to take over the Securities & Exchange Commission. So there will be a special election primary on Tuesday to select his replacement.

Now, in addition to a number of Republicans vying for the seat, Jim Gilchrist, founder of the volunteer border-monitoring Minuteman Project, is running as the American Independent Party candidate. Gilchrist was a Republican until 1996 when, he told me in August, he left the party because the GOP was ignoring the illegal immigration problem. He flirted with joining the Libertarian Party back then - because at heart, he really is a limited government kinda guy. But the LP is primarily an open borders organization, so that wasn’t an option. Rather than be politically “homeless,” Gilchrist decided to register as a member of the conservative AIP.

Since that time, Republicans in Congress such as Tom Tancredo have given Gilchrist hope that there may be hope for the GOP on the illegal immigration issue after all. And he’d like to go to Congress and be another conservative foot-soldier in the battle to tighten our borders (and our government spending). Alas, a California state law prohibited Gilchrist from re-registering and running as a Republican in this special election. He has, however, sent a letter to House Speaker Denny Hastert informing Hastert that, if elected, he will most assuredly caucus with and vote for continued Republican leadership in the House (if that’s not too much of an oxymoron these days).

On the other hand, the leading Republican candidate in the race is a state legislator who is comparatively weak on the illegal immigration issue. One of state Sen. John Campbell’s first votes in office was in favor of a bill granting illegal aliens cheaper college tuition. As Homer Simpson would say, “D’oh!”

Bearing all of the above in mind, Congressman Tancredo formally endorsed Jim Gilchrist a few days ago. And boy, did that ever get Darrell Issa’s tights in a twist! According to the National Journal in Washington, “Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said he would urge that Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., be thrown out of the Republican Party if he continues backing a third-party candidate in the special election for California's 48th District. ‘I would ask the state of Colorado to strip him of his party membership,’ Issa said in an interview.”

For endorsing a conservative candidate who wants to tighten border security and enforce the law? Go figure.

Here’s something for Rove, Cannon and Issa to think about: If you bounce all the “Tancredo Republicans” from the Republican Party, the Republican Party would go the way of the Whigs overnight.

Hmmmm. Considering how Bush Republicans are spending our country into oblivion these days, that might not be such a bad idea.

A number of years ago, a reporter asked another California Republican congressman to talk about illegal immigration. “What’s to talk about?” replied Rep. Sonny Bono, “It’s illegal.” Sadly, such a level-headed, common-sense response today would mean there’d be no place for Sonny Bono in a Tancredo-free GOP. I’m starting to think there isn’t a place for me here, either. How about you?

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Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.

chuckmuth@earthlink.net