Jeb Bush Blasts Tancredo's Remarks About Miami

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 09:08:00 PM EST
Tags: Tom Tancerdo, Jeb Bush, Immigration (all tags)

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Bump and Update: Jeb Bush writes this letter (pdf)to Tancredo complaining about his remarks.

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Tom Tancredo Calls Miami A Third World Country

Is there nothing Tom Tancredo won't do for a soundbite?

He's now called Miami a "third world country."

In South Florida to attend Restoration Weekend, a gathering of conservative activists, the Colorado Republican, whose district includes suburbs of Denver, pointed to Miami as an example of how ''the nature of America can be changed by uncontrolled immigration,'' the story says.

''Look at what has happened to Miami,'' the WorldNetDaily quotes Tancredo as saying in an interview. ``It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America. You would certainly say you're in a Third World country.''

Talk about viewing the world through a cracked lens.

The remarks drew an instant rebuke from Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who called Tancredo ''flat out wrong'' and extended an invitation for him to come and judge the city for himself.

''I invite my friend, Tom, to visit beautiful Miami, my hometown, and experience firsthand our hospitality,'' Ros-Lehtinen said. ``Come on down, Tom, the water's fine!''

Miami, Ros-Lehtinen said, is a ``world class city where diversity is celebrated. Here people have the opportunity to meet folks from across the globe and honor different cultures. Miami-Dade County is home to many outstanding universities, is headquarters to international businesses and has a vibrant economy.''

Via Crooks and Liars.

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Jeb Bush Blasts Tancredo's Remarks About Miami | 11 comments (11 topical)

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Third-rate brain... (5.00 / 3) (#1)
by desertswine on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 04:39:37 PM EST

This guy's great. I hope the Republicans run him for president.

: He needs to get with Newt (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by scribe on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 04:46:12 PM EST

and get gagged, too.

: Be careful (none / 0) (#6)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 06:22:28 PM EST

what you ask for...
You might get it....

He should see... (4.00 / 1) (#3)
by Edger on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 04:47:38 PM EST

...what the planet he's from looks like from my perspective. It would blow what's left of his mind.

What an arse.... (4.00 / 1) (#4)
by kdog on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 05:09:54 PM EST

I used to live near Miami not to long ago, it's as American as any other city, aka a melting pot.

I guess he liked it better when people of color had seperate bathrooms and water fountains down in Miami.....not that long ago remember. Was Miami more of an American city then Mr. Tancredo?

I'm becoming a stranger in my homeland if most people think like this dirtbag.

Anywho (1.00 / 1) (#7)
by LonewackoDotCom on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 07:17:33 PM EST

A few years ago 60 Minutes (IIRC) had a segment on Miami which made it sound like a 3rd world cesspoll of corruption. I think it involved a city hall/mayor scandal of some kind. Perhaps someone could find that, since I searched but couldn't find it. (It's not the more recent Hiasson piece).

I don't know about Miami, but large parts of Los Angeles are reminiscent of foreign countries, and not in the cutesy Disney way. Many California politicians at least occasionally act more like they represent Mexico than the U.S. The CA Senate even passed a resolution in support of the ImmigrationMarches; in effect they were supporting foreign citizens making a show of force in our streets and demanding rights to which they aren't entitled.

And, some of the cities in Southeast L.A. are reminiscent of countries to the south.

Miami (1.00 / 1) (#8)
by MarkAtl on Wed Nov 29, 2006 at 06:30:07 AM EST

I consider myself to be a liberal but I must say that as someone who spent 27 years living in Miami, the Congressman is correct. Miamiwas turned into a third world banana republic.

: really? (4.50 / 2) (#10)
by Jen M on Wed Nov 29, 2006 at 11:19:56 AM EST

are there slums of jerrybuilt housing made with improvised materials such as sticks and mud clay or tin? Where the roads are dirt and there is no running water or sewage? Forget electricity or. Where a huge percentage of people are illiterate - and I don't mean functionaly, I mean can't recognize an 'a'? Are there a large number of people starving to death?
In Brazil where I grew up, that was third world reality. Here, people start hearing a lot of spanish and cry out "oh, its like a third world country" What, you think corruption doesn't happen in Chicago or Omaha? What about Colorado (see above re: wreaths - thats pretty third worldish example of petty use of power)
Third World means poverty like you cannot conceive, unless you have seen it in all its horrific glory.

A rare trait (1.00 / 1) (#9)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 29, 2006 at 08:36:32 AM EST

Someone should tell Jeb that Tancredo will consider his comments as a badge of honor.

Love him or hate him, Tancredo is up front and doesn't grovel.

A rare trait among politicans.

I guess (none / 0) (#5)
by Jen M on Tue Nov 28, 2006 at 06:16:42 PM EST

he's never been to a third world country. He can't have spent so much as five seconds in a favela.

Tancredo is such a horse's a$$ the... (none / 0) (#11)
by Bill Arnett on Wed Nov 29, 2006 at 01:27:02 PM EST

...only surprising thing about this is that anyone even listened to him at all.

And, OTOH, how can you get upset by the words of the village idiot?