DREAM Act Portal Forum - A familiar McCain back on old stomping ground

Quote:

On the second day of the 111th Congress, McCain touched those raw nerves again while embarking on the next chapter in his well-documented political career.

At the all-day, private GOP meeting at the Library of Congress, McCain told colleagues their poor image among Hispanics, which he attributed to bitter intra-party squabbles over immigration reform, dealt his campaign a devastating blow.

“He talked about his own race and the devastating loss of Hispanic voters and how that arose on the rhetoric on immigration,” said a Senate Republican who attended the meeting.

A Republican senator who attended the meeting said that McCain emphasized the importance of healing the rift with Hispanics by talking about immigration reform in a “positive” way. McCain also discussed the importance of expanding the size of the party’s tent by appealing to young voters.

“So we’re not just the party of graying white men,” said the lawmaker.

McCain won the support of only 31 percent of Hispanics. President Bush won nearly 45 percent of that demographic in 2004.

Quote:

“He talked about the loss of Hispanics and the loss of young people,” said a GOP source. “He did stress the importance of the party reaching out to Hispanics.”

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), who last year oversaw the Senate Republican campaign committee, said Republicans hashed out the need to reverse their slide in support among Hispanics.

“It was discussed big time,” said Ensign. “We have to reach out to Hispanics. We need to go on Hispanic media much more.”

Only 32 percent of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 voted for him and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Republicans also discussed how they could rebuild the political coalition of married women, middle-class voters, Catholics and independents that enabled Ronald Reagan to win the White House in 1980 and Republicans to capture Congress in 1994.

“We discussed a whole range of things we could do better,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) at a press conference after the retreat. “We obviously were not pleased with the percentage of Hispanic votes we got in the last election and we hope to do better.”

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/...9-01-07_2.html

Are they going to support even small sensible reforms like the dream act now?