President Barack Obama called Massachusetts’ new Republican senator, Scott Brown, from Air Force One today to deliver some news: Democrats are moving forward with an immigration overhaul in a month.
Brown, in an interview with the Journal’s Neil King Jr., said the president was giving him a heads-up that immigration was coming down the pike and he should give it some serious thought. The senator promised to look closely at the bipartisan bill that Sens. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) are trying to produce.
“He called me originally about illegal immigration, something that he wanted me to look at that was coming down the pike,” Brown says of the call, which also roamed onto other topics like basketball and financial regulation. “I told him and others that I will read anything and make a judgment when it comes forth.”
Alluding to the issue a few minutes later, Brown clarified what he told Obama. “When I said I have an open mind, it means I have an open mind to read the bill,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that I will vote for granting amnesty to anyone. But I want to be respectful to the president and to any member who brings me a proposal.”
After winning health care and advancing financial re-regulation, many Democrats thought the president’s big legislative agenda would be winding down. Election season is beginning, a Supreme Court nomination fight is at hand, and Democrats don’t lack for accomplishments, just political support. But Schumer has argued strongly that they should move forward with a broad overhaul of immigration laws, including a tough crack-down on border security and a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country.
If Brown is right, Schumer appears to be carrying the day – for now.
