On Fox News today, Gov. Rick Perry and Charles Payne, who was filling in for Neil Cavuto, tangled over immigration in light of Donald Trump's policy being announced this week. Chief among the concerns addressed was, of course, birthright citizenship, which has been by far the hottest immigration talking point. The issue has been largely minimalized behind other immigration issues until Donald Trump brought it right to the front of the debate.
Throughout the segment in the trimmed video above, from Digitas Daily, the Governor remains firmly on message. It is a very simple message that he is building his entire immigration plan on: Until you secure the border, everything else is moot. Without a secure border, no other problem can be solved.
This is not mere politicking, even though it is smart politics. Without a secure border, there is little doubt that the United States can do no thing that will cut down on illegal immigration. This is bare and obvious logic. If you don't stop the water leaking into the boat, bailing water out of the boat just isn't going to solve your problem.
Host Charles Payne continued to focus on specific details about what Perry would do as President about those secondary issues, however. He took strong issue with the Governor calling the 11 million illegals already in the United States a "side issue" and stated that Perry's promise to deal with it once in office is not going to sell with voters. Perry continued to stay on message, though, stating repeatedly that securing the border must be the singular day one objective of the next President. "That is political rhetoric until you get the border secure," he said.
To get this distracted off securing that border is absolutely and totally a fallacy and the wrong thing for us to be doing. You all oughta be talking about every day 'how are you gonna secure the border', not deflecting off on these other issues.
It is worth noting that Donald Trump's policy also does not address what to do with 11 million illegals currently in the United States.
