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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)

discus02
Posted on February 25, 2013 at 8:27am
McCain is a Republican in name only. Throw him on the scrap heap!

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taintso
Posted on February 22, 2013 at 8:14am
By not enforcing the immigration laws on the books the government creates the crisis then claims they have to reform or make new laws to fix the problem that cold have been prevented by enforcing the original law. And the process starts all over again with the new law a little later down the road. Congress isn’t supposed to be a career with slugs creating their own crisis on everything to generate wealth for themselves and family and friends and lobbyist. purge 2014

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ILUVPORK
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 11:47am
Sadly with no border fence,the terrorists and illegals up to no good will and can attack our government base,D.C. What will we do with out our leaders that protect us with the likes of our dear democrats watching our every move on our size of sodas. I don’t know how I can survive without them telling me what to do!!!Why hasn’t Beck mentioned how the Prez has handed the islands off Alaska over to the Russians because they needed oil???The “elected representatives ” do care about americans they have always sold us out!

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AJBrad
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 11:34am
There have been good challengers to MCstain in primaries. Somehow, though at the 11th hour, dirty Johnny, Juan McShamnesty, always comes out on top. The last guy was former congressman JD Hayworth. JD, while in congress was one of the most outspoken and vocal opponents to any amnesty or “comprehensive” Ted the Red program, so he was destroyed by the media with half truth and innuendo, so Juan wins again. A lot of out of state money there too.And a big wet kiss for johnny from LaRaza.

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Charbet
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 10:49am
I don’t know why his constituents thought he would be any other way, he was, is, always will be a Prog.. Why in the world did you vote him back in? Haven’t the ranchers down along the border suffered enough? Did you really think he would no longer be a Rino?

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- AJBrad
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 11:35am
  we didn’t think he would be anything but a rhino.
  
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qz2026
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 10:39am
He is just another ignorant Progressive that has no idea what he is talking about on most days. I really think that his Brain Housing Group really got messed up when he was a POW. Not a slam on him because of that, but it’s true. The fools complaining are the same fools who keep reelecting him. They deserve one another.

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