Chicago Sun-Times
by John O'Sullivan
Every now and then a seemingly minor incident erupts unexpectedly into a major political controversy. When that happens, it is usually a sign that some concern of ordinary voters has been neglected or suppressed until the minor incident triggered open anxiety about it. And when that happens, it usually highlights a political issue that pits the voters against the political establishment of both parties.
The Tancredo-Apodaca affair, on which I wrote last week, is beginning to look like just such an issue. To recap: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.,), who heads the 60-strong immigration caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, had pointed out that the Immigration and Naturalization Service showed no sign of seeking to detain or deport illegal immigrants even when the Denver Post obligingly published their whereabouts on the front page in a story lamenting that a young student, 18-year-old Jesus Apodaca, would be unable to receive scholarship funds because of his illegal status. Whereupon Tancredo was roundly denounced (but not contradicted) by Colorado's media, its political establishment of both parties, the Republican National Committee, Latino "advocacy" groups--in short, by everyone except the people. A Denver Post online poll showed him getting 92 per cent support of those who called in.
Posted by Suzanne at October 1, 2002