Obama Administration Disputes Senator Kyl's Statements
06/23/2010
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In an earlier blog (Senator Kyl: Obama Admits Holding Border Enforcement Hostage to Amnesty) Kyl said that President Obama was holding the U.S. hostage on border security and comprehensive immigration reform. Now the Obama administration is denying that they said any such thing.

Politico reported Obama's denial and basically accused Senator Kyl of being a liar: White House says Jon Kyl story not true, Politico, By ANDY BARR, 6/21/10:

In a video that started circulating among conservative blogs over the weekend, the Arizona Republican is seen telling supporters in North Phoenix that in a private meeting in the Oval Office, Obama said ”the problem” with border enforcement measures is that ”if we secure the border then [Republicans] won’t have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform.”

Kyl said the president’s supposed statement is proof that Democrats ”don’t want to secure the border unless or until it is combined with comprehensive immigration reform.”

But in a statement to POLITICO, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer denied Kyl’s account of the conversation, saying ”the president didn’t say that and Senator Kyl knows it.”

A video statement by the White House can be viewed on that Politico web page.

Today a Kyl spokesman told Channel 10 Fox News Phoenix that Kyl is not backing off his statement. A complete video report that includes the first two videos can be seen on the report: White House Disputes Kyl's Account of Border Talk, June 22, 2010:

Kyl spokesman Ryan Patmintra said the senator stands by his remarks. He said the White House position "that we must have comprehensive immigration reform to secure the border only confirms Sen. Kyl's account."
Today Lou Dobbs weighed into the issue on Fox News Hannity, "Lou Dobbs on Politics Behind Securing America's Southern Border", June 22, 2010. Dobbs thinks that if anyone is lying it's Obama. Both the video and transcript are available from that link.
DOBBS: To me it's very – it's very simple. I've known Senator Kyl for more than 20 years. He is a man who's – he's not the most electric politician, Sean, but he is I think one of the most honorable.

The man has never misstated nor misguided me at any point. He's a man of absolute intellectual integrity. This is not a man for the White House to be attacking – suggesting or declaring in effect that he's a liar.

Lou Dobbs went on to talk about his plans for amnesty, so take the interview for what it is worth.
DOBBS: My condition has always been border security, port security before. But if people in good faith could work together on this and come to terms on a plan for those 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants it would make – it would make great sense.

But right now there is such distrust, and much of it engendered by this administration to the point most Americans want a compromise. They want this problem solved.

HANNITY: So you would be – would you be open then – am I reading, you know, what you're saying here,that you might be open if we secure the border first. You'd be open at least talking about it or –

DOBBS: Absolutely.

HANNITY: At that point.

DOBBS: I have said throughout. Sean, I've said throughout, once that border is secured we can talk in good faith about rational, effective, humane immigration policy.

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