Tom Tancredo

Not too many people are unaware of Rep. Tom Tancredo's stance on illegal immigration. The Colorado Republican was a presidential contender early in the 2008 race, with the touchy subject being his main platform. It's his shtick, so to speak.

But now he's taking on someone considered by many to be of a higher authority: The Pope.

Tancredo isn't happy with reports that Pope Benedict XVI said the United States must do "everything possible to fight ... all forms of violence so that immigrants may lead dignified lives." He also accused Pope Benedict XVI of encouraging amnesty for illegal immigrants as a way to bolster the Catholic Church's flagging numbers. Tancredo, by the way, is not alone in that accusation.

"I would like to know what part of our lax immigration policy is considered violent," Tancredo said. "I fail to see how accepting more refugees than any other nation – and providing free health care, education, housing and social service benefits to millions of illegal aliens is in any way 'violent' or 'degrading.'"

Pope Benedict XVI has a thing for amnesty for illegal immigrants and most likely discussed the issue when he met with President Bush this week. One topic likely to have come up was the raids on meat-packing plants and other businesses around the U.S. where hordes of migrant workers are known to be illegally employed. Adding fuel to the fire was news this week that the Vatican is funding the construction of a shelter in the southern Mexican city of Ixtepec for those trying to illegally cross into the U.S. Immigration reform voices.

The Pope is giving Mass on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Many immigrants hope he will address the politically-charged issue.

They've become almost like distant family over this long year-and-a-half campaign that still has another eight months to go -- the kind of family you pray won't actually show up at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but family nonetheless. Many have already left the 2008 race, and many more will be gone come Super Tuesday.

For those of us who follow politics, we know at least some of them by first name: Rudy, Barack, Dennis, Hitlery. And we know one of them by two first names, because that's how much Ron Paul loved Freedom.

Others, we didn't really get to know at all. They were like the fifth cousin who calls at 3:46 a.m. from the pay phone at Lincoln County Jail. It was best to just pretend it was a wrong number and go back to sleep.

I can definitely understand Tom Tancredo getting out. He's a congressman in a game where congressmen never, ever, ever go on to be president. Which is why I thought he was in it for the ego and for his favorite issue, immigration reform. But apparently he wasn't just in it for the ego, or he wouldn't be dropping out now, just when all the serious mainstream media attention is going to be shining on the race. So kudos to Tancredo for recognizing reality.

But endorsing Mitt Romney? That I do not get. Of all the candidates in the race, Fred Thompson is the one that I would judge has the most consistent and toughest stand on immigration control and reform.

"It is apparent to me I cannot win this race. It's also apparent to me that there are folks who are in the race who, even though they've rhetorically said the right things-we've forced them into that-I'm not sure they're there beyond that. Like Gov. Huckabee and certainly Sen. McCain. They have records," Tancredo said. "Anybody can say anything and we've all heard it from these microphones: 'Yes I'm with you. Yes I'm there.' Well, you've got to look there. What's the record? What have these people done? When they had the chance, what did they do?" he said. "I don't want to do anything that would aid them."

First, the Ron Paul nuts flooded the comments of every political blog in America. This drove certain people crazy, but it also brought the once-obscure libertarian politician to the attention of millions of voters and potential voters dissatisfied with the current crop of presidential front-runners.

Then, the Ron Paul army began raising staggering amounts of money for their beloved Texas congressman and anti-war Republican -- more than $4 million during a single day last month, thanks to an online stunt equating the nice old country doctor with the Guy Fawkes-masked urbane terrorist from the movie "V For Vendetta."

Next, the disciples of Dr. Paul went outside, blinked in the harsh sunlight, and found the landscape woefully short on homemade signs and banners supporting their hero.

Another day, another slew of new TV spots from the campaigns. The first :30 second spot is from Rudy Giuliani, titled "One Hour" airing in New Hampshire. Its focus is Iran but circa 1980, not 2008. View it here:

Republican Congressman and Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo was to get a $400 haircut in New Hampshire on Friday, the AP is reporting, with the proceeds going to Autism research. The move is a combined attempt to raise autism awareness, and to take a swipe at Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards' famously and frivolously reported $400 'do.

This seems to be a simple case of a politician scoring points and trying to do some good in the process. A closer look, however, reveals deep and cruel ironies that Tancredo probably never intended to highlight. The Republican-controlled Congress, at the behest of the White House, passed a law in 2002 that would deny parents of autistic children their day in court against pharmaceutical companies. Now, Tancredo shovels $400 at the autistic kids to gain priceless free publicity.

The defoliation in question was to take place at the Hair Biz Salon in Concord, NH. The salon's owner, David Holden, said he got the idea about raising money for charity from the Edwards flap, but didn't immediately pursue it. Now, I personally have had enough of "political coverage" centering around haircuts, Aqua Velva, diner tipping, Halloween masks, and every other bit of insubstantial nonsense you can think of, but in this case, the candidate is literally asking for it. Remember that the Republicans used the Homeland Security Act to ramrod the Eli Lilly provision through Congress. This isn't Tancredo's first coif related photo-op, as you can see below.

Update: 9:30 pm My interview with David Holden is at the end of the story. He talks about Tancredo's reaction issues a challenge to the other candidates, and talks about how autism has affected his family.

Update: 6 pm A spokesperson for the John Edwards campaign declined to comment for this story.

Update: 4:02 pm - Tancredo response - $400.00 haircut yes, autism funding veto override, no. Details at the end of the story.

If you're Tom Tancredo, how do you prove that you're a real presidential candidate? Maybe by taking up a New Hampshire businessman on his offer to give you a $400 haircut, a la John Edwards or Bill Clinton, but with the proceeds going to an autism charity. Mike Huckabee has apparently already done it, and an unnamed Democrat has an appointment.

I know I'm supposed to view this story as a light-hearted spoof, but it cuts deeper. The gap between Edwards' lifestyle and his preoccupation with the "other America," i.e., the one that can't afford $400 haircuts, underlines the reality that religious conservatives donate far more of their income to charity than do secular liberals, as demonstrated by Syracuse economist Arthur Brooks.

Did you forget that Tom Tancredo is still running for president? Well he wants to remind you that he's still up for the job... by scaring the bejeezus out of you. A new ad helpfully reminds viewers that if you don't elect the freedom fighter from Colorado you will be killed by backpack-toting illegal immigrant terrorists in hooded sweatshirts. And it won't be a quick, painless death either. No, it will be a painful, fiery end - most likely in the food court of your local mall. (You know how illegal immigrant terrorists like their Orange Julius.) And just to hammer the point home, Tancredo shows the bloody and burnt half-nude body of a child bombing victim. Tasteful!

You can view the commercial here, or below as part of a local news package, featuring Tancredo himself defending the ad:

Littleton, Colorado native and presidential long-shot Tom Tancredo has seen the future. In a new ad, the long time member of the House of Representatives, whose get-tough-on-illegal-immigration stance is the centerpiece of his campaign, has ratcheted up the rhetoric as to why we must hermetically seal our borders. Simply put, terrorists and illegal immigrants all look the same. You see, they're either stealing your jobs, or they're blowing up your shopping malls.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin called a news conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to talk about immigration legislation called the DREAM Act. DREAM stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act.

The bill, which died yesterday, would allow some illegal immigrant children to go to college or join the military. Durbin invited some young people who would qualify for the bill.

What do you do if you're Senator Tom Tancredo, an immigration hardliner?

Call immigration on that party.