All Blog Posts from Horserace

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said on Thursday that Barack Obama's campaign is capturing an "anti-American feeling," The Hill reports.

"Well this is why he is a popular candidate in Europe, because there is such an anti-American feeling and he is sort of capturing that," Giuliani said on MSNBC.

Giuliani's comments came in response to Obama's suggestion at a town hall meeting in Georgia that American children should learn how to speak Spanish. The former Republican presidential candidate said that while it is beneficial for English-speaking children to learn a second language, Obama wrongly assumed that immigrant families are learning English.

"The reality is that this is a country that should speak English…and if we can learn an extra language or two that would be terrific," Giuliani said.

It's Cinco de Mayo, and John McCain's campaign has chosen the Mexican holiday to launch a Spanish-language version of its Web site.

The site features a Spanish-language ad for McCain and trumpets the phrase "Estamos Unidos Con McCain" – which translates to "We Are United With McCain."

As USA Today notes, McCain was asked today if Republicans will be damaged in November by the hard line many in the party took on immigration. McCain himself took a more moderate position in line with President Bush.

"The tenor of the debate has harmed our image among Hispanics," McCain acknowledged. The McCain campaign also released a statement today commemorating Cinco de Mayo and stating that "we join together to remember the sacrifice that these Mexican patriots [at the the Battle of Puebla] endured."

In related news, McCain announced today that he will address La Raza, a liberal-leaning Latino group, in July. Politico's Jonathan Martin suggests that McCain is "trying to show that he's not George W. Bush by going into the lion's den and taking hostile, unscripted questions from adversarial groups." The McCain campaign says the candidate is scheduling the stop "as part of his commitment to talking with all Americans."

First Al Gore. Then Mike Bloomberg. And now, well, the URL pretty much says it all: http://www.loudobbsforpresident.org/.

Yes, the Draft Lou Dobbs movement is up and running, thanks to an organization called Americans for Legal Immigration.

"Lou Dobbs is right about the issues concerning illegal immigration, no AMNESTY, and secure borders!," the site proclaims. "Lou Dobbs is right about our deplorable trade agreements and the war on middle class America. Lou Dobbs is right about the rising military threat from communist China!"

Americans for Legal Immigration acknowledges that "Lou Dobbs does not want to run for President and does not consider himself a politician." But they say there are times when "history demands" great men act even when they don't want to. On the site, you can fill out a form if you're interested in contributing to or volunteering in the Draft Dobbs effort.

Dobbs told the Wall Street Journal last Monday that he isn't planning to run for president but "cannot say never."

In an new commentary, the CNN host argues that the "partisan nonsense and predictable platitudes of this presidential campaign does not augur well for the nation." He adds that "none of the candidates of either party is capable of extricating us from the mess their partisan politics have created."

John McCain's campaign has unleashed a direct-mail piece criticizing Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, reports the Nashua Telegraph. The mailing criticizes Romney on illegal immigration, pointing to a news report stating that Romney once supported allowing illegal immigrants to apply for citizenship and notes that a firm re-hired by Romney to work around his home employed illegal workers even after the issue came up previously.

"Like so many times before, Mitt Romney advocated totally inconsistent, policy positions,'' the mailing states. That's why voters don't trust Mitt Romney. No wonder why Mitt Romney is trying to cover up his own mixed-up record by smearing straight-talking John McCain," the mailing says. It also claims Romney has "flip-flopped" on a number of issues, including immigration, taxes and campaign finance reform. Romney New Hampshire director Jim Merrill responded, "Senator McCain's weak approach to illegal immigration should be the last issue he tries to use when attacking and distorting the record of Governor Romney."

Tomorrow afternoon, Republican will gather in Iowa for the Des Moines Register Republican debate. It is expected to be the last Republican forum before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, and thus the last opportunity for the candidates to hammer each other on the debate stage.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has surged to the lead in the crucial caucus state, and CBSNews.com asked his campaign manager, Chip Saltsman, if Huckabee would have a target on his back tomorrow.

"My sense of it is yes," said Saltsman. "Our hope is that we take the opportunity to talk to Iowa voters about what we're for. I think candidates would make a mistake if they put their whole campaign strategy on trying to tear down someone else."

One area Huckabee can expect to take some heat is over illegal immigration. The GOP hopeful recently announced his "secure America plan," and has released ads touting the importance of building a border fence. But rivals are spotlighting his past positions on the issue, which likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa listed as their most important issue in a November CBS News poll. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who finds himself in second place in the state despite having far outspent Huckabee, has already begun running an ad that points out Huckabee's past support for education benefits for illegal immigrants and their children.

Mitt Romney's campaign is set to begin running an ad in Iowa tomorrow contrasting his illegal immigration position with Mike Huckabee's, CBS News has confirmed. The spot comes on the heels of Huckabee's new ad touting his immigration policy.

Huckabee's surge in the polls has caused major headaches for Romney, who has far outspent the Baptist minister both in Iowa and nationally. Despite not leading national polls, Romney was until recently leading in both New Hampshire and Iowa, the first two states in the nominating process.

Romney had hoped to create momentum with wins in both states and leverage that momentum to the GOP nomination. But in a recent Newsweek poll, Huckabee lead Romney in Iowa 39 percent to 17 percent. (Other recent polls have been closer, but also have Huckabee in the lead.)

In his immigration ad, Huckabee is shown saying "build a border fence, secure the border, and do it now." Huckabee has taken criticism for being too soft on immigration, with rivals referencing his support, as governor of Arkansas, for college scholarships for the children of illegal immigrants.

Romney's response ad features an announcer saying that the rivals are both "good family men" who are pro-life and "support a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage." Then it shifts to a negative tone to explain "the difference" between the canddiates.

"Mitt Romney stood up and vetoed in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Opposed driver’s licenses for illegals," intones the announcer. "Mike Huckabee? Supported in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants. Huckabee even supported taxpayer-funded scholarships for illegal aliens. On immigration, the choice matters."

Give Tom Tancredo credit for one thing: When it came time to decline the invitation to attend this Sunday's Republican debate on Spansh-language channel Univision, he didn't opt for the flimsy "scheduling conflicts" excuse. Instead, he's saying that the very idea of a debate in Spanish is un-American.

“It is the law that to become a naturalized citizen of this country you must have knowledge and understanding of English, including a basic ability to read, write, and speak the language,” Tancredo said in a release. “So what may I ask are our presidential candidates doing participating in a Spanish speaking debate? Pandering comes to mind.”

Tancredo, whose campaign is centered on a hardline stance against illegal immigration, didn't go as far as saying speaking Spanish itself is a bad thing, but did say that it shouldn't be part of this race. "Bilingualism is a great asset for any individual but it has perilous consequences for a nation," he said. "As such, a Spanish debate has no place in a presidential campaign."

The Colorado congressman elaborated further on his decision in a Thursday op-ed in the Miami Herald, in which he said the debate tells recent legal immigrants that learning English isn't a priority and is disrespectful to those who have come to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries, writing "Is it not a little bit insulting to our new citizens who were born in Cuba or Mexico or Peru to suggest that political debates need to be translated into Spanish for them to understand what is going on?"

The decision makes sense politically: Tancredo's views on immigration would have made him a top target at the Univision debate, especially after the ad he unveiled this week that suggests illegal immigrants are responsible for bringing gangs into the U.S. who are "pushing drugs, raping kids, [and] destroying lives" – a statement that a large majority of the debate's Hispanic audience would see as inflammatory, and maybe even offensive. In other words, Tancredo would have nothing to gain and a lot to lose by attending.

Tom Tancredo's campaign announced today that it is running a new ad, “Consequences,” in Iowa. Like the previous Tancredo ad, it stresses the dangers of illegal immigration.

"Mothers killed. Children executed. The tactics of vicious Central American gangs, now on U.S. soil," intones a voiceover in the ad. "Pushing drugs. Raping kids. Destroying lives. Thanks to gutless politicians who refuse to defend our borders. One man dares say what must be done. Secure the borders. Deport those who don’t belong. Make sure they never come back."

Tancredo spokesman Alan Moore tells CBS News the campaign will "see what kind of reaction we get" before deciding how often to run the ad and whether to run it in other states. "It's not a one time thing at all," he says.

Moore said the point of the spot is to bring awareness about the effects of illegal immigration.

"When you don't know who's coming across your borders it's a very serious problem," says Field. "It's a lot of gang members, criminals, terrorists. That's not as well known as it needs to be."

Is he concerned that the campaign will be accused of fearmongering?

"They can call us whatever they want as long as the next president of the United States takes the necessary steps to secure our borders and enforce the laws of our nation," says Moore.

The following is a campaign dispatch from CBS News' John Bentley:

Fred Thompson stepped up his attacks against Mitt Romney today in South Carolina on two fronts: his immigration stance and his campaign financing.

“Governor Romney supported the immigration bill that I opposed back before it became a controversial issue,” Thompson said, referring to the failed immigration bill put forth earlier this year. “The governor once again has changed his position.”

Thompson told a packed lunchtime crowd at the Beef O’Brady’s restaurant in Ft. Mill that Romney was trying to buy his way to the nomination. "Governor, you can’t buy South Carolina. You can’t even rent it.”

Some polls show Thompson leading the Republican pack in South Carolina, despite not yet airing any ads there.

“The governor of Massachusetts has now apparently put in $20 million of his personal fortune, and spent a good chunk of it in South Carolina. I haven’t bought one TV ad yet, one radio ad yet, and yet I seem to be in the lead,” he said. “So from a management standpoint, I think I‘m getting a little bit more for my money right now.”

UPDATE: Romney campaign spokesman Kevin Madden responds:

“Support from voters is earned though hard work and new ideas. Unfortunately for Fred Thompson, he has never shown any passion for either."

Added Madden: "Governor Romney is working hard across South Carolina to build a great team of supporters that continues to grow. His support is the result of reaching out to voters and showing them that he has the vision the experience and the values to lead America. The governor is going to keep holding the town halls, continue his travels all over the state and he's going to keep talking about his plan to bring conservative change to Washington.”