As the November elections approach, the Bush Administration and Congressional Democrats are playing a game of one-upsmanship with immigration enforcement spending. After its support for a comprehensive immigration reform bill caused a revolt among conservatives, the White House has stepped up its use of enforcement programs targeting employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. It has also sped up the construction of hundreds of miles of border fencing and deployment of high technology to the border to assist the Border Patrol in preventing illegals from entering the country.

Democrats can read the polls too, and they seem to have gotten the message that the public wants the federal government to do something about unrestrained illegal immigration. They are proposing hundreds of millions in spending initiatives designed to try and capture some of the credit for reductions in immigration levels. In a appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency with primary responsibility for protecting the border, House Democrats are set to require that $800 million be spent on deportation of violent criminals. Not to be outdone, the Senate plans to add more money to the DHS appropriation for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division. ICE has been focusing on work site raids instead of deporting the estimated 300,000-450,000 criminal illegal aliens in the nation's prison system. An ICE spokeswoman says that the agency began deportation proceedings for 167,000 criminal aliens last year with a goal of reaching 200,000 this year.

The momentum for a comprehensive immigration reform bill that was building in 2006 seems all but dead now, as both parties outdo themselves to appear tough on illegal immigration. Even Sen. John McCain, a sponsor of the failed Senate bill with Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, has dropped the calls for an overhaul to the nation's immigration laws from his stump speeches. Now he speaks of having, "learned a lesson," from the rancor of the immigration debate and acknowledges that the American people want the border secured first. Democrats in Congress mostly supported the comprehensive immigration reform movement on humanitarian grounds in 2006. But as the election draws near, they have found their long lost love of enforcement and are attempting to woo security conscious voters with a promise of more aggressive federal action on immigration.

I really, really think they just might be in til the convention. Remember the calculus, assuming Obama gets the nomination, if he becomes president this was probably her last best shot at the White House. But if he loses in November, Hillary is all set up to say, "I told you so" and she will be the top prospect in 2012 versus a John McCain.

By that time I speculate that McCain will have angered everyone on both sides of the aisle and will likely be ripe for defeat. But in either scenario it makes sense for her to stay in. She really has nothing to lose and as Republicans have known for years and the Democrats are, oh so slowly! beginning to realize, the Clintons are in it for themselves, not the party.

To which I present Bill Clinton's big speech today:

Clinton spent more than six minutes calmly discussing what he called a "frantic effort to push her out" of this race, saying that no one asked Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson or Gary Hart to end their presidential campaigns early.

Clinton also spoke against bullying superdelegates to make up their minds, saying, "I cant believe it. It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully all these superdelegates to come out. 'Oh, this is so terrible: The people they want her. Oh, this is so terrible: She is winning the general election, and he is not. Oh my goodness, we have to cover this up.'"

...

"If you notice, there hasn't been a lot of publicity on these polls I just told you about," Clinton said. "It is the first time you've heard it? Why do you think that is? Why do you think? Don't you think if the polls were the reverse and he was winning the electoral college against Sen. McCain and Hillary was losing it, it would be blasted on every television station? You would know it wouldn't you? It wouldn't be a little secret. And there is another Electoral College poll that I saw yesterday had her over 300 electoral votes, yeah. She will win the general election is you nominate her. They're just trying to make sure you don't."

Nice. It's fun to see that Bill Clinton is complaining of unfair press coverage. Considering his anointed run in 1992, it's a little hard to take, but his annoyance at the current turn of events helps. A lot.

In case you missed the news, Senator Edward Kennedy has been diagnosed with a grave illness, and a great many people, myself included, are understandably distraught over this. Our thoughts and prayers are with the senator, his family, and friends.

As with any public figure, there are going to be many people with strong opinions, both for and against Senator Kennedy. In politics, there is an unusual and potent mix of intellect and emotion that magnifies these feelings. I'm sure he would be the first to appreciate the vigorous debates he has inspired, and will inspire in the future.

However, when an event occurs that transcends politics, such as the tragic announcement about the Senator's condition, I would ask everyone to be respectful of each other in our comments section, and if you are unable to lend your support to his grieving admirers, then perhaps save it for a day when the wound is not so fresh. I promise to extend the same compassion if the situation is ever reversed.

Massachusetts is unlike other states. Every other state in the Union has two Senate seats up for election every few years. Massachusetts has one rotating Senate seat . . . and one Kennedy.

The man is an institution. He shapes institutions. He is the workhorse of the Democratic party. Ted Kennedy heralds back to the age of Camelot, the dynastic reign of the Kennedy clan, and has presided over the Senate, as a liberal lightning rod, for the better part of five decades. His tenure has spanned several political lifetimes - in politics, he is an immortal.

And now, it seems the liberal giant's race may be nearing its conclusion. Kennedy has been diagnosed with a lethal form of brain cancer. While he is yet conscious and optimistic, such a condition is not easily overcome - even a successful treatment will prevent attendance in the Senate. As the news broke in the Senate, Democrats sat in stunned silence and Republicans bowed their heads in hopeful prayer.

God be with the Kennedy clan. The prayers of all Americans of good will are with you all.

Update: According to the latest statement from the Kennedy family, the Senator suffered a seizure.

6:06PM Update: According to Kennedy spokesperson Stephanie Cutter, via the AP, Senator Kennedy is "conscious, talking, joking with family."

Senator Edward Kennedy was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital this morning, suffering symptoms of a stroke. From CNN:

A well-informed Democratic source in Massachusetts said the 76-year-old senator had "symptoms of a stroke" at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port.

An official with the Hyannis Fire Department said it received a 911 call from the Kennedy compound at 8:19 a.m. and transported a patient to the hospital, arriving at 8:50 a.m. The official would not be more specific.

Kennedy had surgery in October to clear his carotid artery in hopes of preventing a stroke.

This situation is still unfolding, with hospital sources saying Kennedy is "under evaluation."

Senator Kennedy is very influential in Democratic circles, and is beloved by many. All three candidates have expressed their concern, and hopes for his quick recovery. According to CNN, Senator John Kerry is at the hospital now.

Cape Cod Online was first to report the emergency, and has a photo of the airlift.

Hospital officials are scheduled to make a statement shortly. Stay tuned for updates after the jump.

There is now video available from MSNBC:

Since Tim Russert and I declared the Democratic nomination settled, there has been a whirl of discussion about Hillary joining Obama's ticket as Vice President. According to Politico's Ben Smith, however, prominent Obama supporter and Democratic Party royal Ted Kennedy says, "Not so fast...":

Obama should choose a running mate who "is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people," Kennedy said. "If we had real leadership - as we do with Barack Obama - in the No. 2 spot as well, it'd be enormously helpful."

Wow. What a D move, and I don't mean "Democratic." I can't wait to see the comments on this one. Now, I know that Ted is a beloved figure among Democrats, and who am I to argue with an elder statesman? I'm going to have to re-think my whole position on this "Dream Ticket."

(...3, 2, 1) OK, I'm done. You're wrong, Ted, wrong! In bold fonts!

The sands have shifted yet again in the race for the Democratic nomination for president. After a landslide victory in South Carolina, Barack Obama is now being embraced by that dynastic family of party politics that preceded the current one. Three prominent members of the Kennedy family--Caroline, Patrick, and Ted--have decided they've had enough of the Clintons. As Political Machine's Dave Stacy reported earlier, even an impassioned series of phone calls from Bill weren't enough to keep Ted from throwing his support to the new kid on the block.

Yes, the old guard, too, seems to crave something new. But will it really matter that the most recognizable (and reviled in Republican circles) face in the Senate has broken from the once-presumptive front-runner in favor of a man whose style hearkens back to his brothers'?

Following up on the news of the Kennedy Endorsements yesterday, it appears that the Clinton worked very hard to prevent this, indicating that this is a very big deal indeed.

The Clinton campaign launched a last-ditch effort over the last few days to stop Kennedy's move, orchestrating a flood of phone calls to Kennedy from sources ranging from union chiefs to his Massachusetts constituents.

The former president also called Kennedy in a vain attempt to keep him out of the race, a source familiar with the conversation said.

During his two terms in the White House, President Clinton made repeated overtures to the Kennedy family. So the senator's rejection of his wife is at least as embarrassing as her 28-point loss in the South Carolina primary on Saturday.

Some time ago, national news reported (and conservative groups scorned) Al Gore's energy-use hypocrisy. Al Gore's Tennessee residence consumes more energy in a month than the average American home uses in a year. Further, the would-be-president and environmental icon was shown not to have implemented many of the energy-conscious procedures he would have others employ.

Now, another champion of the environmental movement has the opportunity to forward the green cause. Cape Wind has been attempting to gain permission to build wind farms far off the coast of Cape Cop for many years. Cape Wind explains that the farms, capable of supplying three-quarters of the energy needs of the Cape and surrounding islands, "would provide renewable energy, improve air quality, lower electricity costs and increase the reliability of the power grid." Sen. Ted Kennedy, the green-minded Massachusetts senator, would surely hail such an environmental opportunity, right? Wrong.

Sen. Ted Kennedy has so many friends running for president that he is having a "difficult time" picking one of them to endorse, according to the Associated Press.

At his 75th birthday party, Sen. Barack Obama brought wine, Hillary Clinton tried schmoozing and Sen. Chris Dodd kidded him about getting older, the AP said. Maybe Kennedy should have registered somewhere to make it easier on the candidates.

As the election draws near, the attempts to suck-up to the liberal icon are bound to intensify. To Democratic primary voters, having the blessing of the patriarch of the Kennedy clan is still a big deal, particularly among people who can still remember when his brother was president.

The question I have is what is Kennedy going to want in return for his blessing? Given the power of the Kennedy name, you can bet that the price that a candidate will pay won't be small.