As GOP candidates debate immigration, a powerful reminder of Ronald Reagan
An immigration reform group is highlighting the change in tone between Reagan's immigration policies and those of today's Republican candidates.
Wisconsin governor and GOP presidential candidate Scott Walker admires a bust of former president Ronald Reagan with his wife Tonette, in the Ronald Reagan Peace Garden last Thursday in Eureka, Ill.
Seth Perlman/AP
As viewers tune in to watch 11 Republican presidential hopefuls take the stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library this week, they鈥檒l also be met with an address by former President Reagan himself 鈥� with聽words that paint a far different picture of immigration policy than the one emerging on today's campaign trails.
That speech, made in January 1989 by an unwavering, twinkly-eyed President Reagan, is intercut with clips of three GOP candidates announcing their proposals regarding immigration,聽for聽a put out by a heavyweight immigration reform group.
As Mr. Reagan speaks of a "shining city" beckoning "anyone with the will and the heart to get here," the ad jumps to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and his statements that immigrants are 鈥渂ringing crime鈥� or are 鈥渞apists,鈥� then to聽Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who propose ending birthright citizenship.
鈥淚鈥檝e spoken of the shining city all my political life,鈥� said Reagan. 鈥淕od-blessed and teeming with people of all kinds, living in harmony and peace.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e bringing crime. They鈥檙e rapists,鈥� Mr. Trump said. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 elected, they鈥檙e gonna be out of there Day One.鈥�
Gov. Walker is asked whether he believes that birthright citizenship should be ended. 鈥淵eah. Absolutely,鈥� he answered.
鈥淚鈥檝e said we should end birthright citizenship,鈥� said Sen. Cruz.
鈥淚 will build a great, great wall,鈥� Trump declared.
Then the words appear: 鈥淩onald Reagan had a different vision for America.鈥�
The ad is being run by the National Immigration Forum Action Fund, and will air this week on CNN, who is hosting Wednesday鈥檚 presidential debate. The group that the commercials would also run on MSNBC and Fox News before and after the debate.
According to the group, the ad cost about .听
The blast comes as this season鈥檚 presidential contenders are trying to 鈥渙ut-Reagan one another,鈥� reported .
Behind the candidates on stage will be the Air Force One that carried Reagan and six other presidents throughout their terms in office. And now, they hope their endorsements and praise of the former president and conservative icon can carry them through a bruising primary season and return their party of Reagan to the White House for the first time in nearly a decade.
"It's a rite of passage for Republican White House aspirants to invoke Reagan,"聽聽Stephen Collinson.听"Conservatives see his presidency as a golden age during which their movement slayed communism, restored America as a 'shining city on a hill' and delivered 44 and then 49 states in successive presidential election routs."
The ad's message is unmistakeable, Post reporter Ed O鈥橩eefe: "Some of today's Republicans strongly disagree with the former president they all say they revere."