Conservative leaders who support Marco Rubio's amnesty (Hannity, O'Reilly, Norquist, Cardenas, Krauthammer...)

This post will maintain a list of those supposed conservative thought leaders (major pundits, media figures, organization heads, etc.) who support the form of comprehensive immigration reform (aka amnesty) proposed by Marco Rubio.

This post will only list those who've specifically supported Rubio's plan. It won't list those who haven't yet spoken out in favor of Rubio's plan but who can be assumed to support it.

See also these other lists:

* active GOP politicians who support amnesty (coming soon)
* bloggers and other low-level members of the GOP establishment who support amnesty
* Democrats and far-left groups that support Rubio's amnesty or his moves on the issue.

There are three audiences for this post:

1. If you already oppose amnesty, you can help block it by working to discredit those listed below to their supporters. How you do that depends on how much contact they have with the public. If they post somewhere with comments, leave your own comment on the post showing their readers how they're wrong. If they engage people on Twitter, try to discuss amnesty with them. Look up those they talk to (or those who talk to them) on Twitter and inform the latter how the thought leader is wrong. For someone like Hannity, try to call into his radio show or ask him questions at a public appearance. For him and others, look up his leading supporters or defenders on Twitter, and try to get them to turn against the thought leader. In some cases, a producer or someone else affiliated with the thought leader will be much more reachable.

2. If you oppose those listed below for other reasons, do the same: use amnesty to discredit these thought leaders to their supporters.

3. If you aren't that familiar with amnesty, then hopefully I can turn you into an amnesty opponent and get you to help discredit those listed below. Please see these:

* Why Marco Rubio is either delusional or thinks you are.

* The Democrats and far-left people and groups that support Rubio's moves on immigration.

* 10 reasons Marco Rubio's amnesty isn't conservative.

After reading those and the other entries on the Marco Rubio page, hopefully you'll be ready to join the first group.

Here's the list; other names may be added later (sources given in footnotes, see each of the linked names for previous coverage of them):

* Jeb Bush on Twitter said of Rubio's amnesty:

"Kudos to Sen. Marco Rubio" [8]

* Grover Norquist:

Americans For Tax Reform's Grover Norquist Called Rubio's Ideas "A Good Step In The Right Direction"

"Grover Norquist Of The Americans For Tax Reform Told Right Turn It Was 'A Good Step In The Right Direction.'" (Jennifer Rubin, "Rubio Takes A Gamble," Washington Post, 1/13/13)

Norquist: "Marco Rubio has opened the immigration debate in a constructive way...with a Reagan Republican perspective on economic growth." (Twitter, Grover Norquist, 1/14/13) [1]

* Bill OReilly:

"I think your program is a good one... that seems to be pretty fair... I like your program. I think it's fair.... we all want fairness and I think your program is a good one." [1]

* Sean Hannity:

"The most important thing, senator, in my mind, is what you're saying about that we have secured the border. Because otherwise we are going to be dealing with this 20 years down the road, 30 years down the road. It is never going to end... Look, I got to be honest. I think it's probably the most thoughtful bill that I have heard heretofore." [1]

* Rick Santorum

"I think the Republicans are ready to do something on immigration. And, I mean, you saw Marco Rubio's plan, which is pretty - pretty far down the road, looks a lot like what President Bush put forward four years ago," Santorum said. "Yes, they're willing to do it. But they're not willing to give the president everything he wants, because I think they believe the rule of law still matters in this country." [7]

* Al Cardenas of the American Conservative Union (CPAC)

American Conservative Union's Al Cardenas: "Kudos to @MarcoRubio for leading on immigration reform w/ conservative principles. Now the hard work begins. Don't let libs get ahead. #tcot" (Twitter, Al Cardenas, 1/15/13) [1]

In Townhall

...Let me be clear - I do not support "amnesty." There should be no path to citizenship for those already illegally here, other than a modified version of the Dream Act proposal and the STEM graduates. But, I do support a reasonable assimilation program combined with strict laws barring access to our generous safety net programs.

...Therefore, it is up to conservatives in Congress to expose the real problem and to help come up with a solution. It's the only chance we have at meaningful immigration reform in 2013.[3]

* James Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute:

AEI's James Pethokoukis: "But The Rubio Plan Is A Thoughtful, Solid Start, And I Look Forward To Hearing More Details, Including The Parts Concerning Legal Immigration, High-Skill And Otherwise." (James Pethokoukis, "Thoughtful Rubio plan leads the way forward on immigration," AEI's Ideas, 1/16/13) [1]

* Ralph Reed of the Faith & Freedom Coalition on Twitter (note: see "Ralph Reed is a fraud", link):

"Kudos to @marcorubio for his leadership on immigration. His ideas r a good starting point for reform." [1]

* David Brody of CBN:

"[Rubio's] Plan Not Only Makes A Lot Of Sense But He's Able To Explain It In A Way That's Hard To Argue With." (David Brody, "Marco Rubio's Winning Immigration Argument?" CBN, 1/17/13) [1]

* Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard:

"And It Is One Of The Reasons That We've Had Somebody Like Marco Rubio Come Out And At Least Offer The Framework Of A Plan That Republicans - Potentially - Can Get Behind." "This is what is interesting, we've seen the President, I think, rather skillfully, seek to divide Republicans on a variety of issues. I think this is the next one that he'll attempt to do this on. And it is one of the reasons that we've had somebody like Marco Rubio come out and at least offer the framework of a plan that Republicans - potentially - can get behind." (FOX's America's Newsroom, 1/14/13) [1]

* Peter Roff of US News:

U.S. News & World Report's Peter Roff: Rubio Is "Taking On Immigration, Proposing A New, Comprehensive Way To Deal With The Issue, And Deserves Considerable Credit For Doing So." (Peter Roff, Op-Ed, "Marco Rubio's Immigration Plan Offers Real Promise," U.S. News & World Report, 1/15/13) Roff: "Rubio's Plan Is Bold, Comprehensive, And Aimed At Modernizing Immigration Policy To Meet The Needs Of A 21st Century America that must trade in a truly global economy. He argues the need for more skills—and merit-based immigration, making the nation a magnet for highly-skilled workers, PhDs, and entrepreneurs from all over the world. His plan is geared towards work, recognizing that plain fact that most immigrants who come to the United States—legally or illegally—do so in order to find work." (Peter Roff, Op-Ed, "Marco Rubio's Immigration Plan Offers Real Promise," U.S. News & World Report, 1/15/13) [1]

* William Osborne, editor of the San Diego Union Tribune on Twitter:

"Surprisingly solid comprehensive immigration reform ideas from Sen. Marco Rubio." [1]

* Henry Barbour (@HenryBarbour), nephew of Haley Barbour:

"The party is hungry for a leader who can unite us. The party and the country is hungry for that," said Republican strategist Henry Barbour, who is co-chairing a review of the national party's 2012 campaign and coming up with a blueprint for future elections. "Addition not subtraction wins elections. I'm focused on 2013 and 2014, but the more Rubio shows he can unite our party, the more interesting he will be to people thinking about 2016." [8]

* Jennifer Korn of the Hispanic Leadership Network:

"It's good for Marco Rubio and conservatives to address the issue prior to that, so it doesn't look like they're only reacting to Obama... We need to be pro-active." [8]

* Jennifer Rubin

[...several misleading statements deleted...]

[Rubio] will have demonstrated political courage and helped his party to get past a huge stumbling block to electoral success. He will have also demonstrated that the loudest and most extreme voices do not control the party.

This is not just a test for Rubio. It will be a test for the party as a whole and for each potential leader of the party. Who decides to play to the exclusionists, and who shows moxie in joining his effort? It is a defining moment for the right. [9]

* Condi Rice

"Well, the Republican Party certainly has to stop turning off large segments of the population," Rice said, laughing. "I've said, you know, it's not a strategy to keep hoping that parts of the population don't turn out. You've got to simply broaden."

Rice said immigration was the biggest issue for Republicans, especially after some of the "bad signals" the Party has sent in the past. The failed immigration reform bill of 2007 — backed by George W. Bush, John McCain, Jon Kyl and Ted Kennedy — was a "real missed opportunity," Rice said.

"We've got to get comprehensive immigration reform back on the agenda," she said. "There are some Republicans like Marco Rubio and others who are speaking out about this because the Republican Party has to demonstrate that it has broad appeal." [6]

* Steve Chapman (Chicago Tribune columnist syndicated by Creators Syndicate)

We don't need "comprehensive" legislation. What we need is realism: Accept that millions of foreigners are living here illegally and are not going to "self-deport" -- and that we (and they) will be better off if they gain the protection of the law.
...the southern border increasingly resembles the Berlin Wall. Border security has become the poster child of big government programs that conservatives typically abhor. It never succeeds, and every failure becomes the rationale for additional funding.
...Why we should be reluctant to accept these striving newcomers, who almost invariably work hard and stay out of trouble, is a puzzle. The punitive approach is particularly unfair in the case of those who were brought here as children and have become Americans in all the customary ways, through no fault of their own.
...The choice is not between letting them stay and making them leave: We have already proved that we can't force them out. The choice is between adjusting the law to fit the stubborn facts of life and persisting in measures to make their lives miserable. The latter is a proven loser, in more ways than one. [5]

* Bob Haus:

But Republican consultant Bob Haus, who helped run (Rick Perry)'s Iowa campaign, predicted that Rubio's efforts on immigration reform would not sting him in a similar manner, if he does run in 2016.

"There are now more Republican leaders who are working to craft sensible, workable solutions than trying to simply derail everything," Haus said. "These leaders are changing the debate. Republicans aren't just against everything related to immigration. Now they're for something. That signals a paradigm shift, and it will be a good one for the Republican Party." [4]

* David Kochel:

David Kochel, who helmed Romney's near-victory in the 2012 Iowa caucuses, suggested that Rubio and other Republicans with their eye on the White House are wise to demonstrate a willingness to be a part of the solution to a difficult challenge.
"I think there will always be some folks in the conservative entertainment industry who will bang away at Republicans who want to work on immigration," Kochel said. "But it's a real problem, and not just a party problem. Time to look it in the eye and solve it. We can do it without compromising our principles." [4]

2/22/13 UPDATE: Charles Krauthammer joins the list ( "Immigration - the lesser of two evils", peekURL.com/zcTB5nj ):

In the end, the only remaining vessel for enforcement is the Rubio proposal. It is deeply flawed and highly imperfect. But given that the Obama alternative effectively signs away America’s right to decide who enters the country, the choice between the two proposals on the table today is straightforward.

Krauthammer is offering a false choice: there's no need to choose between what amount to slight variations on the same massive legalization plan. The alternative Krauthammer is ignoring is attrition.

-----------------
[1] A press release from Marco Rubio has several: peekURL.com/zycdzeU
[2] peekURL.com/zrXnxXh
[3] peekURL.com/zUuQyy8
[4] peekURL.com/z3SYkna
[5] peekURL.com/zN9hXxA
[6] peekURL.com/zz3dV5j
[7] 1/20/13 TV interview peekURL.com/zgJ9c2d
[8] peekURL.com/zER43ER
[9] peekURL.com/zDke8WT