This is what people failed to get about the Willie Horton ad—it didn't target Horton, who was already back in prison, and who wasn't running for President. It targeted Dukakis for letting him out.
But here's a question from Mickey Kaus:
Buried Lede: Why is Mitt Romney attacking Giuliani on the relatively complicated issue of whether New York is a "sanctuary" city, when he could attack Giuliani straight up for proposing a McCain-like semi-amnesty that would give citizenship to illegals? Isn't support for amnesty sort of a death sentence in the Republican presidential primary? .... 4:44 P.M.
And the answer is...I don't know. I suspect that Romney wants to keep some amnesty options open, but maybe I'm just being suspicious.
New Romney Ad Targets Illegal MigrantsAug 21 10:58 AM By PHILIP ELLIOTT Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney criticizes "sanctuary cities" for illegal immigrants–and by implication Republican rival Rudy Giuliani–in a new radio ad.
"Immigration laws don't work if they're ignored. That's the problem with cities like Newark, San Francisco and New York City that adopt sanctuary policies," an announcer says in the ad, which runs in New Hampshire and Iowa. "Sanctuary cities become magnets that encourage illegal immigration and undermine secure borders."
Romney and Giuliani have jabbed over illegal immigration in recent weeks. The former Massachusetts governor says Giuliani promoted New York as a haven for illegal immigrants when he was mayor. Giuliani aggressively denies it, insisting he cracked down on lawlessness of every kind.
"Legal immigration is great," Romney says in the new ad. "But illegal immigration, that we've got to end. And amnesty is not the way to do it."
In so-called sanctuary cities, government employees are not required to report illegal immigrants to federal authorities. Some, such as San Francisco, have declared themselves sanctuaries or refuges. Others, like New York, have never adopted the name.
