Clinton: I Will Not Target Sanctuary Cities
Hillary Clinton speaks to voters in Brownsburg, Ind., Thursday, a day after sitting down with FOX News' Bill O'Reilly to discuss her foreign and domestic policy plans. (AP Photo)
Hillary Clinton, in the second half of her first-ever interview with FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly, said that if elected president she would not crack down on so-called illegal immigrant “sanctuary cities.”
Clinton outlined several points of her foreign policy platform in the final segment of the interview, which aired Thursday. She declared there’s nothing left to achieve in Iraq and issued a stern warning about the threats Iran poses to that region once U.S. troops withdraw.
Asked about the controversial topic of sanctuary cities — cities that encourage a hands-off approach to local enforcement of federal immigration policy — Clinton swiftly responded, “No I’m not (going to target them). I’m not.”
She said she wants illegal immigrants to feel safe reporting crimes and that “sometimes you have two competing values.”
But she said federal immigration policy is “broken” and needs reform.
“I’m 100 percent in favor of tightening our borders, of enforcing the laws against employers, of going after the kind of abuses that we see in the job market, of making it clear that we have got to figure out what we’re going to do with people,” she said.
Clinton joined O’Reilly in South Bend, Ind., on Wednesday for her first appearance in the “The O’Reilly Factor,” putting the squeeze on rival Barack Obama (who went on FOX News Sunday for the first time over the weekend) and other Democrats to do the same.
Clinton campaign aides said her appearance on the show was designed to reach out to working-class, independent white men who could decide the outcome of next week’s Indiana primary.
A day after tackling the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Clinton moved on to discuss the Iraq war and Middle Eastern policies, saying there’s no military solution in Iraq and that U.S. troops have already fulfilled their mission.
“First of all, I believe that our military has fulfilled all their military missions,” Clinton said, as her campaign also criticized President Bush for Iraq policies on the fifth anniversary of the “Mission Accomplished” banner. “There’s no doubt in my mind. They got rid of Saddam Hussein, which they were asked to do. They gave the Iraqis free and fair elections. They gave the Iraqi government the space and time to make the decisions that only the Iraqis can make for themselves.
“There is no military solution to what we face in Iraq, which is unprecedented. It is dangerous, it is unstable,” she said.
Clinton also charged Iran with fueling the bloodshed in Iraq.
“I think it’s somewhat open to debate as to whether Iran really wants to see us withdraw, and here’s why. They have been an equal opportunity supporter of the militias, of the insurgents, of anybody who would pick up arms against the United States,” she said.
But she took a decidedly softer tone after telling ABC that she would “attack Iran” and “we would be able to totally obliterate them” if the country attacked Israel with nuclear weapons.
“If Iran were to ever obtain a nuclear weapon, that would be unbelievably bad for us and the world. And I’m going to do everything I can to prevent that from ever happening,” she told FOX News, leaving it at that.
Iran strongly condemned Clinton late Wednesday for her previous statements. Its deputy United Nations ambassador said the remarks were “provocative, unwarranted and irresponsible.”
Clinton said as president she would withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, and emphasize “the political and the diplomatic.”
“There will be a lot of conflict between the Iranians and the Iraqis moving forward if the United States is on the sidelines, instead of in the middle.”
Both Democratic candidates were campaigning hard Thursday in Indiana, which votes alongside North Carolina May 6.
Clinton is still trailing in delegates, but hoping to close part of the gap on Tuesday. However, as Obama grapples with the Wright controversy, her campaign got a jolt when a longtime superdelegate supporter defected to Obama.
“A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue” a long, self-destructive Democratic campaign, former national party Chairman Joe Andrew wrote in a letter designed to have an impact on the turbulent race nationally as well as in his home state of Indiana.
He urged Democrats to “reject the old negative politics” and unify behind Obama.
FOX News’ Aaron Bruns and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I BET HILLARY WAS INTURN in FURNITURE SHOP.
They SAY “TAX HOLIDAY” + “50% Discount” but you still end up paying 115%.
I’m a dedicated Fox News fan….but I’m disappointed in the headline “Clinton: I will not target sanctuary cities”… That wasn’t her whole statement, and y’all know it. It’s just a cheap attempt at grabbing the audience. Please don’t pander down to the tricks the “other media outlets” play, treat your readers with more respect. Give us the honest headline….not the dishonest soundbite.
I consider myself a Republican….but I have to say, I was very impressed with Senator Clinton during her interview with Bill O’Reilly. She is intelligent and commanding in her presence…..dare I say, “Presidential”. I also feel that she portrays a human side that is appealing and trustworthy. As a Republican, I’m trying to get that from McCain, and frankly, I’m just leary of Obama. I hope Senator Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Candidate. It would be a good race between she and McCain. Thank you Bill for a great interview and opportunity to see Senator Clinton upclose and personal.
Hillary Clinton is one tough, smart woman. She is the only qualified candidate to be president at this time in our history. We can’t make a mistake because it will resonate for years and she is the only one who can win. We need to win the White House so we need to vote smart. Vote Clinton.
Hillary is already threatening Iran as she panders to defense corporations. She is the ultimate corporate candidate and a global laughing stock with her tall tails. More of the Bush-Clinton-Bush Clinton era would be tiresome indeed!
Well, Bill refused to take down Ben Laden when he had the chance, guess Hillary would rather just acquiesce early on and avoid the rush. Turn and run, acquiesce, capitulate, all good terms to use instead of giving up, turning yellow and becoming the socialistic cistern of dispair that is Hillary’s dream come true. Well folks, you elect her, you deserve her and I guess the rest of us look for someplace to defend…..
I thought O’Reilly did a good job of pinning her down on some very important issues that haven’t been raised by the gutless cowards in the Liberal Media. I think Hillary Clinton is an unapologetic liberal stuck to her guns on cutting and running from Iraq, no waterboarding of terrorist, and no prosecution of Illegal aliens. I think any Conservative Democrat who was thinking about voting Clinton or Obama realized that she is no Moderate.
I hate the all the candidates in this election cycle. It is going to be another stinky election where we have to hold our noses and push the button for the least offensive politician to lead our country.
That interview was fantastic! does not matter if you agree or disagree, Senator Clinton was fantastic. She held her own very well.
This was a solid interview. I like Mr. O. He asks tough questions and is fair. Mrs. Clinton came as strong, intelligent and dare I say, charming. I’m not a fan of her liberal views, but at least this was a dialogue. Well done Fox.