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President George W Bush highlights contributions of immigrants in rare public policy speech.
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Our president George W.
Bush is now urging lawmakers to have a meaningful debate on immigration reform.
Here's President Bush saying a rare public appearance yesterday.
America can be a lawful society.
And -- welcoming society.
At the same time.
As our nation debates -- proper course of action relating to immigration.
I hope we do show where they benevolent spirit.
And keep in mind the contributions of immigrants.
Calling on people to do so what they've benevolent -- -- No doubt speaking in part to politicians in Washington as they take on this issue.
And his own party because back in 2004 President Bush -- 44%.
Of the Latino vote but Republicans have slowed significantly since then.
Last year's election and -- -- this November governor Romney pulled in 27%.
It was a group.
That they knew they were having issues with really all along and that numbers were not good as you can see.
On election night let's bring in that our great panel today that's just bad Blake then served as deputy assistant to president George W.
Bush.
And -- Greene is the former president of the women's media center.
At Fox News contributor welcome to you both good to have you here and it you know -- President Bush Brad has has been very much you know under the radar he always said that was the way he wanted to be as a former president.
But are we seeing the emergence perhaps of a new sort of bush legacy in this.
I talk to me about what he said yesterday and what you see as his potential role in all of this.
Well.
What he did yesterday was he raised an issue that is front and center and in a problem and are not only in our economy but our social fabric as a society.
We have an immigration probably a twelve million.
A legal immigrants in America that must.
Be dealt with and -- secure our borders we -- Illegal immigration we should be trying to fix the problem and what you saw yesterday where's the compassionate conservative.
President Bush and somebody who understands the compassion of a tough problem but is willing to work across the aisle as he did with.
No Child Left Behind in education -- and realize the tough problems have to be dealt with rationally.
And inevitably it using his own words I think what you'll see is you'll see him coming to the front every once a while.
If you notice he didn't dictate -- policy he raised an issue with a solution.
And you know you think about the future of the Republican Party -- and Jeb Bush is on the horizon and there are a lot of folks who would like him to be.
And the Republican Party but George P.
Bush his nephew.
President Bush's nephew as well.
You know do you see a role for the bush family and bridging this gap.
Absolutely.
-- President Bush and his family could not be more right I think.
Earlier in the presidential election we solved.
Governor Jeb Bush trying to move his -- In the right direction on immigration reform and unfortunately.
For governor -- that didn't happen but.
-- we have to remember that immigration reform.
Used to be a bipartisan issues.
This used to be an issue where.
The DREAM Act was sponsored by Orrin hatch.
John McCain supported it and then we moved in the direction and I and I agree absolutely with Brad.
Where immigrants were being demon eye out and vilified.
We we moved from where it was asked -- race I'm a first generation American.
But then people started talking about first generation Americans as anchor babies.
We moved from.
A -- a place where you.
You know we're looking out aspiring citizens.
Tenet calling them illegal aliens and we have to move back from that and and thank goodness flight -- and President Clinton is taking the lead on.
-- that there needs to be a debate in this country over what the role should be in terms of you know what the hopes and dreams are for all Americans.
And I want to just play this peace at last night it was big dinner Paul Ryan was there and Marco Rubio was there.
In honor of Jack camp and I want to play a little bit of this from Marco Rubio senator from Florida.
Our -- is not rare in America.
But it's rare in the world.
-- we've been born almost anywhere else at any other time in history.
Our lives that have been very different.
I probably would have been a very opinionated bartender for example.
Great line from Marco Rubio but you know pointing out -- exceptional isn't love.
Of America which became you know sort of a controversial -- Brad but he's he's appealing.
Not only to Hispanic voters of course but everybody.
Absolutely and and let's face it there has to be a pathway to citizenship for the twelve million.
That are here America was complicit in them coming here we -- porous borders and we had jobs that needed to be done.
And so we just can't say that they came here illegally and and America.
Should have stopped them.
While it's true -- maybe we should stop them from coming in.
They're here and we have to provide a legal pathway whether it takes a decade to do it -- do what we need to do is implement.
The system by which they can become.
Legal without denying the rights to those who are in the primary interesting conversation we're having had a in the coming months and years I thank you so much demand thanks -- we'll --
