The logo for the Daily Beast's Obsessed website. It reads: 'Obsessed: What to Watch, Binge, See, & Skip'
DAILY BEAST
CrosswordNewsletters
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      0

      Newt Gingrich’s Immigration Stance Won’t Play With Conservatives

      The GOP’s latest frontrunner did well in the latest debate. But his decency about undocumented immigrants could kill his chances with the Republican base. Plus, Paul Begala and more Daily Beast columnists weigh in on the debate.

      Michelle Goldberg

      Updated Jul. 13, 2017 11:23PM ET / Published Nov. 22, 2011 10:59PM ET 

      Evan Vucci / AP Photo

      It could end up being Newt Gingrich’s decency on undocumented immigrants, rather than his indecency in a host of other areas, that does him in. In recent weeks, Republican primary voters have been desperate enough for any conceivable alternative to Mitt Romney that they’ve seemed willing to overlook Gingrich’s adulterous history and his influence peddling for Fannie May and Freddie Mac. But expressing sympathy for people in this country illegally? That’s likely to go over a lot worse than abandoning one’s cancer-stricken wife.

      Until the exchange on immigration, Gingrich seemed to be doing well in the debate, which was dominated, oddly enough, by Ron Paul. While Mitt Romney got into testy arguments with Jon Huntsman, Gingrich seemed to float above the fray, sticking to his strategy of not attacking other Republicans. Then came the exchange on immigration. “I do not believe that the people of the United States are going to take people who have been here a quarter century, who have children and grandchildren, who are members of the community, who may have done something 25 years ago, separate them from their families and expel them,” Gingrich said, adding that we should be “humane” in enforcing the law.

      It was a good and realistic response, but one likely to annoy the conservative base. The only thing the right resents more than illegal immigration is being called cruel because of that resentment. After all, Rick Perry’s poll numbers plunged well before he forgot that he wanted to eliminate the Department of Energy. The thing that popped his brief bubble was his defense of the Texas DREAM Act, which allows children of undocumented immigrants to pay in-state university tuition. “If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they’ve been brought there by no fault of their own, I don’t think you have a heart,” he said during a debate. He later apologized for his comments, but he never recovered. The Republican electorate will forgive many things, but compassion toward immigrants without papers hasn't often been one of them.

      Michelle Goldberg

      @michelleinbklyn

      Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC