It's a classic MSM tactic: delegitimize opposition to a liberal proposal. Suggest that there can be no principled objections, only base motives.
Take the current proposals on "the pathway to citizenship"—AKA amnesty—being floated. On today's Morning Joe, Politico co-founder and executive editor Jim VandeHei proclaimed that it was probably "the right thing to do," but fretted that it would be easy to "demagogue." View the video after the jump.
Note: VandeHei mentioned that it will be interesting to see how Senator Marco Rubio, one of the proponents of the "pathway to citizenship," fares when he speak with Rush Limbaugh today. Rush has announced his opposition to the immigration plan, and in particular to its amnesty element. Should make for some riveting radio!
Note deux: VandeHei repeatedly refers to what "everyone" knows or agrees. "Everyone", of course, defined as members of the liberal media and political class.
JIM VANDEHEI: The truth is, everybody knows what has to be part of immigration reform, and everybody knows that the pathway to citizenship, it's the toughy, it's always been the most difficult component of getting comprehensive reform and it seems like the general principles that we're talking about are the ones that everyone agrees are the most doable. But it's when you get to the specifics of it. Cause at the end of the day, you're saying that some people, probably millions of people who broke the law, came here illegally, who took jobs that other Americans might have, are going to be able to stay here. Probably in the long term the right thing to do. But it's a difficult thing to do, because think about how easy it is to demagogue that, and how easy it's been to demagogue that in the past.
One thing I'd say to watch today though is that Rush Limbaugh interview [with Marco Rubio]. Because Rush Limbaugh in his in his show yesterday said I want to call on Fox News and others to join me in defeating this plan, particularly the amnesty proposal. Rush Limbaugh still has juice with the base.
