I apologize; circumstances kept me from live-blogging the speech, but I did hear the entire event along with having read the speech just before its delivery.

My initial reaction? President Bush tried reaching for the center -- a position he has occupied on this issue all along. He tried a one-from-column-A, two-from-column-B approach that probably will leave all sides more or less dissatisfied. His declaration that catch-and-release would end was the most welcome news in the entire speech. He delivered that well and sounded forceful and presidential, but most people will wonder why this practice didn't end on September 12, 2001. His tone remained measured and firm and he insisted that Congress pass a comprehensive plan that includes both tight security and normalization.

How will that sell? Predictably. Tom Tancredo and Peter King, both House Republicans, tore the speech apart. Immigration activists Raul Hinojosa and Cecilia Munoz, the latter with the National Council of La Raza, appeared cautiously optimistic. That doesn't surprise me; the news for them was that the President did not get diverted from his course by his fractious base.

Will that translate to increased support for this administration? I doubt it. Anyone paying attention to Bush's immigration policies already knew he was a centrist on this issue. He may get some grudging respect from centrists and liberals for not caving to his base, but that won't translate into support for a president they already consider the Second Coming of Richard Nixon. The only cause Bush helped tonight was the policy he has consistently put forth on immigration -- which once again shows Bush as a man who follows his own lights and beckons people to follow.

He's not Clinton. At one time, conservatives appreciated that. Will they still when his tenacity denies them the policies they seek? We shall see, but initially he's going to take a beating on the right.

UPDATE: Mark Tapscott has deja vu all over again.

UPDATE II: Professor Bainbridge agrees with the President on the need for comprehensive reform instead of phased approval, and liked the speech overall.

UPDATE III: Hot Air has a round-up, and so does NZ Bear. The most telling, and likely the most influential, reaction so far? Hugh Hewitt, who also occupies the center-right on this and many other issues. After initially giving the speech high marks, Hugh was stunned to hear Julie Myers of ICE act as though no one ever heard of a fence.

So much for border security.

Two possibilities exist. Either Bush doesn't care about border security, or the White House couldn't coordinate its policy spokespeople to stay on message, or perhaps both. None of these options build confidence in this administration.

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» Bush Tries To Occupy Shaky Middle On Immigration Reform from The Moderate Voice
He appeared. He talked. And he didn't quite conquer.

On talk radio shows listened to on a long drive from Northern CA to Southern CA President George W. Bush was being either lambasted or somewhat-guiltily-defended by callers and talk show... [Read More]

Tracked on May 16, 2006 7:48 AM

» Bush Tries To Occupy Shaky Middle On Immigration Reform from The Moderate Voice
He appeared. He talked. And he didn't quite conquer.

On talk radio shows listened to on a long drive from Northern CA to Southern CA President George W. Bush was being either lambasted or somewhat-guiltily-defended by callers and talk show... [Read More]

Tracked on May 16, 2006 8:34 AM