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‘Where’s the Fence?’: Video of Angry Resident Confronting McCain on Immigration During Town Hall

Feb. 20, 2013 8:37am Jonathon M. Seidl

“Cut off their welfare and all their stuff and they’ll go back!”

That’s what Arizona resident Keith Smith told John McCain at a town hall meeting on Tuesday. And he wasn’t done there.

“You said build the dang fence! Where’s the fence?”

When McCain turned around to point at a graph, the man quickly shouted out, “That’s not a fence.” A slightly smug McCain shot back, “It’s a banana. We’ve putten up a banana with about $600 million dollars worth of appropriations.”

The Associated Press has more on McCain’s response, as well as the audience members:

“There are 11 million people living here illegally,” he said. “We are not going to get enough buses to deport them.”

Some audience members shouted out their disapproval.

One man yelled that only guns would discourage illegal immigration. Another man complained that illegal immigrants should never be able to become citizens or vote. A third man said illegal immigrants were illiterate invaders who wanted free government benefits.

McCain urged compassion. “We are a Judeo-Christian nation,” he said. McCain’s other town hall meeting took place in Green Valley, south of Tucson.

Photographers captured some of the heated exchange (Smith is shown in the second picture):

Residents confront John McCain on immigration during heated town hall

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., listens to a question during a town hall, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in Sun Lakes, Ariz. McCain defended his proposed immigration overhaul to an angry crowd in suburban Arizona in the latest sign that this border state will play a prominent role in the national immigration reform debate. Credit: AP

An audience member speaks U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during a town hall, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in Sun Lakes, Ariz. McCain defended his proposed immigration overhaul to an angry crowd in suburban Arizona in the latest sign that this border state will play a prominent role in the national immigration reform debate. Credit: AP

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks during a town hall, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in Sun Lakes, Ariz. Credit: AP

AZCentral.com posted a news roundup that also included video of the confrontation:

“I think he doesn’t want the American people to stand up and ask him the tough questions and hold his feet to the fire, and I’m one of those people,” Smith told the outlet after.

As for McCain, he took a shot at the reporter, saying the journalist was trying to create controversy by asking about the tension. The reporter’s response?

“This was a very rough town hall meeting,” he said. “A lot of Republicans in that room clearly did not care for immigration reform.”

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Comments (273)

easye2984
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:59am
What an arrogant db ag. Primary his a ss.

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AxelPhantom
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:41am
This is an example of the cart being set in front of the horse.

Let’s not decide what to do with the immigrants who are here illegally until we plug up the sieve that is our border.
We are as much at fault as the politicians because we allow ourselves to be distracted by philosophical discussions about what to do if…. Let’s keep it simple for the simpletons in D.C., we don’t even talk about “reform” until they can give us the names of every person who entered our country.

Build a fence across that border (where the terrain allows) and rather than flying drones over our own citizenry, fly them 24-7 over the areas where a fence cannot be built. SECURE THE BORDER, then we can talk about what to do with the people already here and what is “fair” or not.

Call it a display of good faith on their part. Prove to us that you mean what you say by actually DOING something, then we can talk about the touchy-feely issues.

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lfoa
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:31am
There are 11 million people living here illegally,” he said. “We are not going to get enough buses to deport them.”…

10 YEAR PLAN
1 – 11,000,000 / 10 years = 1,100,000 deportees / year
2 – 1,100.000 /12 months = 91,666 deportees /month
3 – 91,666 / 30 days = 3055 deportees / day
4 – 3055 / 49 states = 62 deportees /day (I left out Hawaii)

So each state would only need to find 62 people per day…
Which is about ONE bus a day leaving each state…..

Oh… but I forgot to factor in the Carbon Footprint of all those buses… sorry, deal breaker! (sarcasm)

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matabrava
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:23am
The man is right cut off the incentives and they’ll go back. These people are not coming for the work. They are coming here for welfare. For those that claim that they cannot send back 11 million illegals I challenge them. Give me the resources and I will send all of them back within a year. This is all horse crap and McCain knows it. USDA together with the Consulate of Mexico is actively enticing/recruiting and promoting food stamp to illegals even before they cross the border. McCain need to grow a pair of cajones, put on big boy pants, and defunds the USDA and Home Land Security so they stop recruiting illegals to come here to live off the taxpayer. By the way I’m not lily white American, I’m an Immigrant from Brazil and I’m tired of being identified with Mexicans free loaders.

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Allseasonangler
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:18am
Adapt or become a dinosaur.

Xenophobia, racism, can no longer be part of the Republican platform when Democrats out number Republicans in the voting populace. Illegal immigrants are a symptom, welfare is the illness.

For 8 years under Bush illegals flooded through the borders but Republicans were smiling and content as long as big government was there to protect them from the boogey man terrorist under every bed in America.

Republicans are going the way of the T-Rex.

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Lloyd Drako
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:13am
All McCain’s faults are offset by that one shining moment when he shut down the woman who thought Obama was a Muslim.

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Michelle_Baboonbutt
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:11am
Simple solution: NEVER donate to a political party or a PAC. ONLY donate directly to the candidate you support. Without money the fake concervative Republican party will dry up real quick.

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- truthnstuff
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:21am
  You got it. When the RNC calls me now, I simply say “NO, not a penny for you. Not one cent for you to help destroy the country. I am giving to individual candidates who stand for the constitution”. They are speechless.
  
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B-Neil
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:10am
Legalize everything. Then we won’t have to listen to the Vice President talk stupid. He said we don’t need thiry round weapons to protect ourselves. Well then, the Police don’t need thirty round weapons to protect themselves. I’d say give everybody a beeby Gun but they would shoot themselves in the eye.

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garbagecanlogic
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:10am
We should replace mccain with Mr. Smith!!

Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.

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bbabics
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:10am
McCain is a dope. He has insider deals to rescue himself when this country implodes. We know exactly what to expect from Barack Obama, but it’s the people elected in the Republican ticket who are supposed to represent us that consistently leave us scratching our heads. It’s inevitable that they have sweetheart deals to forward an agenda that will ultimately ruin us; they are implicit with plan because they and their families are “safe”.

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rEt_fiELdoP
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:06am
Seems as if some ppl posting just want to throw opinions out and not engage in serious dialogue. For those of you whom want a challenger to McCain, ask yourself ‘Why did Sarah Palin move to Arizona for permanent residency?’

Do you really think Arizona was their first choice (based on immigration)? Knowing what is known about immigration, it’s illogical and unreasonable to move into the state. Arizona has the worst transient population with regards to illegals. That aside, the question bears asking again…. Why move to Arizona?

I submit it was entirely politcal. Whom do we think will take over for McCain as he retires prior to 2016? The rest of Arizona’s politcal faction is “in-line” hence the real question is who will replace McCain…. As an zoner, I submit Mrs. Palin will step to the forefront of Arizona politics. I could be wrong however time will tell…

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ferggie
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:03am
“We are not going to put them all on busses and send them back” is a BS response and McCain is just another POS RINO when he says it. Here is an idea:
1) If you are caught employing an illegal alien you will be fined $50,000 per individual and have all of your assets seized. (we do this to drug dealers)
2) If you are caught renting a place to live to an illegal alien you will be fined $50,000 per individual and have all of your assets seized (rental property, etc.).

With no place to work or live they will leave on their own. They are criminals and by being in the USA illegally they have proven that they DO NOT RESPECT OUR LAWS. F them.

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rosecityken
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:56am
stop giving them freebies and they will self deport ….i mean its not like theres any jobs in the U.S. right now…so they arent here for the “work”. build the fence you promised and charged the american taxpayer for. Mccain…rino at best, will do nothing to enforce the border he is living in this fantasy land that somehow grant these 12-20 million immigrants (NOT the 11 million even this website tells you) amnesty then they will Magically turn republican. its the same mindset that right after the election was telling us if we just looked a little more like the democratic party we could win elections. Mccain willing or otherwise is helping obama slit the throat of the republican party and conservatives specifically. I never thought , when i was growing up, that wanting our nations soveriegnty intact, our laws to be upheld and our economy to be healthy, would make me a “racist” as the lapdog media has painted us. GOD help us. because illegal aliens are helping themselves. show me another nation that doesnt enforce their borders folks

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perry1980
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:53am
McCain is just another Progressive Republican who’s job is to keep his job in Washington for as long
as he possibly can by making false promises to the voters so they keep voting for him.

Wake Up America its PAST time to vote these guys out.

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toledofan
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:48am
It’s time for McCain and several others to retire, they have served and now it’s time to move on. These guys just can’t comprehend how vicious the democrats have become and they, the democrats, only want to destroy the other party, no matter the cost. These guys are from the earlier era of compromise and reaching across the aisle, that’s why some of the smarter ones on the democrat side of the aisle left, the see the writing on the wall. It’s really sad because we have so many people who just don’t have a clue and vote because of repitition, are ill informed or just don’t care.

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NAT1138
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:41am
Here’s the problem for the simplistic “Build the Fence” crowd, nearly half of illegal immigrants to the U.S. enter the country through airports such as LAX, Hartsfield-Jackson, O’Hare & JFK. And they come in legally with work & student visas, but stay in the U.S. after their visas expire.

So in addition to a 2,000 mi. long fence along the Mexican border, we need to build fences around ever major airport in the country as well. What’s next, blockading every port, every mile of coastline & building a fence on the Canadian border as well.

It would seem to be more cost-effective to overhaul the current byzantine, outdated immigration policy and replace it with an immigration that is more aligned with 21st century realities.

But then that doesn’t keep those gibberish-talking, dirty brown people out of here, does it?

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Wojciech W.
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:39am
?what happened to the “If ur not born here, GET THE “F” OUT” guy? I was wondering if he was ever in the military. And if he will ever attain his PERFECT RACE? Sad little person you are. Shutting yourself in the basement is not reality. Get some friends that don’t have arm bands w/religious symbols on them. Seeing other ppl, experiencing other cultures, you might see how you’ve been missing out. Especially Polish food. Don’t be a coward, try a pierogi hahaha. especially with cheese/onion/potato ie Russian style. MMMMMMM, pan fried. Some beet borsch. MMMM wha? A fence? Yeah, after the pierogi hehehe. We will not see a fence till we revamp the Government that puts AMERICA FIRST! Till then, we are getting mad w/o any results. Too many brainwashed American kids voting for the guy they can have a beer with … we are soooo doomed.

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socialism.rocks
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:39am
the funny thing is-with amnesty chain migration..happens..that means another 30 million new residents in the next 20 years…
they will bring their whole familys over… from china mexico- not just their younger generation but older generation……all to vote for us

cant wait-for it
it will destroy the republican party forever and ever and ever

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- Wojciech W.
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:41am
  And what if they destroy America in the process? Will you be happy with that?
  
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- NAT1138
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:46am
  The Republican Party seems to be doing a pretty good job of destroying itself.
  
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Helpful
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:34am
I think its time for the people of Arizona, to elect someone besides John Mccain . He needs to be replaced??

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walnutportconservative
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:34am
It’s because of the GOP and McCain, that Obama is in place.

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walnutportconservative
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:33am
McCain was a hero… He is now a washed up GOP Politician. VOTE THEM OUT !!!

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Fubared
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:33am
We put up a 60,000,000.00 dollar banana. Yep.

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Thighmaster
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:24am
It sounds like McCain has forgotten who he works for and represents, it’s like he got elected and went off on his own.

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ThomasUSA
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:24am
Help me here… I know John McCain went through hell as a POW… and I respect his sacrafices for the county at that time. But when he becomes part of the machine that is trying to destroy the very things he served the country to defend… I have to think he is no longer a person deserving my respect or support. Is this what happens to career politicians who lose touch with the intent of the Constitution? Did his values and principles change or is this what they always were? I see him and all that want to usurp our Constitution as enemys of the state.

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ums101
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 9:24am
This is part of the liberal agenda. They are just following their pathway to destroy America from power and capitalism. First of all, illegal immigrants are criminals for breaking and entering into America. A U.S. citizen who commits a crime of this nature, gets hit with 1-2 years and a life long record. Many of these illegal immigrants are criminals because ones that are not, would take the legal road to citizenship instead of risking being caught, arrested and deported. Any law abiding citizen wouldn’t risk spending 1 hour in prison but these people do not care because they have been there and done time. They want to live off the government and guess what, Our Obamaites want the same thing. Our current ludicrous administration wants to let illegals in so they can provide them with medicaid for the sole purpose of gaining MORE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT VOTES. After Obama serves, they want to strengthen the liberal party so a Republican can never win. Just like a drug dealer; they want you addicted so you need their product. Obama wants you relying on Government so they keep your democrat vote, kill the American Dream, develop stronger government communism, suppress the 2-party Government by squashing the Republicans, and grow government until America is broke just like past leaders. IE. Greece, Italy, Great Britain

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