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.
who are we kidding…this election is about barack obama vs john mc cain
Everyday Bubba talks bad about the states that Obama won as unimportant, They’re providing amunition for GOP’s against her. Wisconsin is a swing state. WA, VT is inportant. Ill is important. She’s silly. She needs blk votesto win Michigan, NJ, NY, FL. They’ve made so many arguments against themselves.
In government talk hillary just told the American people that she is not going to stop illegal immigration.
Another reason to vote republican.
You know hillary did great when Morris says she did great. My God. That guy hates both Obama and Clinton, but knew all along that they could swift boat Obama and Clinton would fight tooth and nail.
She is the smartest person left standing in the election. However, none of it matters. Kerry Kennedy and Pelosi want Obama as their sock puppet.
Obama will be the next president. Certainly if Mc Cain continues this ‘I will defend the Bush policies’ campaign. He will lose in a landslide if he does this.
Good job BIG ORIELY. H. Clinton is good for America and America will rally for her to be our next President. I challenge all supper delegate and Chairman Dean that Obama is a dangerous man to be the President of the United State.I do not believe for a momment that he is sensere to distance himself from his Pastor. The American people are very smart. He was marinated by J.Wright sauce for 20 years and spiced by a authentic J.Wright teaching to produce a black flavor only for black people No way Obama will forget his pastor.He said this as a political move to get elected.
I will vote for the candidate who best resolves the issue of illegal immigrants……….I as an American Citizen, tax payer, cannot “DEMAND’ any rights………… I have no rights ……….Why are these people who came here “illegally” allowed to “DEMAND” anything????????????
Is there a Presidential candidate in this race who believes that Americans should come first before foreigners…period?
NO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION and Sanctuary Cities! I think Hillary is the best choice but as someone from a city where illegals have taken over-I m disgusted and feel the system is not broken-they just refuse to obey our laws and we reward them with our stupid politicak correctness-ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
When she ducks a question by answering something else, say something like “You avoided answering the question but let’s move unless you want to answer it now.” Otherwise this is more of those YouTube debates.