Obama Blames ‘Conservative Talk Shows’ for Immig. Criticism He’s Receiving

President Barack Obama spoke yesterday at a townhall event in Nashville, Tenn.:

Obviously I’ve been at the receiving end of people really angry at me about not just these executive actions, but have been ginned up by some of the conservative talk shows that think that I’m usurping my authority despite the fact that every previous president has exercised the same authority or they think I’m favoring immigrants over red-blooded Americans. And so that’s a lot of the criticism directed at me.
 
But what’s also true is sometimes advocates on behalf of immigrants have suggested that anybody who is concerned about the impact of immigration, or asks questions about comprehensive immigration reform, that they must be racist or they must be anti-immigrant or their ignorant. And, that’s not true either.
 
There are people who are good people who actually believe in immigration, but are concerned about rewarding somebody who broke American laws. There are good people who believe in immigration but are concerned, will new immigrants depress wages, particularly in the low-wage sectors of the economy. Those are legitimate questions, and we have to be just as civil in addressing those questions as we expect people to be when we are talking to them. Because I think the facts are on our side, I think the studies have shown that over time immigrants aren’t lowering wages but in fact improving the economy, and over time, boosting wages and jobs for everyone.
 
So I would rather just make the argument on the facts, but just because somebody thinks that instinctually doesn’t mean that they are bad people. So civility is good, but it doesn’t just run one way. And I think — the good book says, don’t throw stones in glass houses, or make sure we’re looking at the log in our eye before were pulling out the mote in other folks eyes. And I think that’s as true in politics as it is in life.