Yes, Reid tried to end birthright citizenship -- but he apologized profusely for it
Right wing blogs think they've unearthed a lethal hit on Harry Reid: He apparently introduced a bill to end birthright citizenship back in 1993.
Conservatives are pointing to this as proof of Reid's hypocrisy in the wake of his claim the other day that he doesn't understand how any Latinos could ever vote Republican. Ed Morrissey argued that by his own standard, Reid "should lose his entire Hispanic vote over this."
Guess what: It happens to be true that Reid did introduce such a bill. And it was indefensible. But here's the thing: I've learned that Reid already apologized profusely for this in a speech in 2006, admitted he was wrong, and described this as the "low point" of his career. In other words, Reid himself agrees that it was indefensible.
The Washington Times is the outlet that got the goods on Reid's 1993 bill, which "clarified" the basis of citizenship. Reid's bill said that any child born here to a mother who is not an American citizen "shall be considered as born subject to the jurisdiction" of the mother's country and will not be "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States."
The bill added that such a child "shall therefore not be a citizen of the United States or of any State solely by reason of physical presence within the United States at the moment of birth."
As some on the right have noted today, this is in line with Lindsey Graham's thinking on the issue. But Reid's office sends over a transcript of a long and unusual apology Reid offered for this on the Senate floor in 2006.
"That is a low point of my legislative career, the low point of my governmental career," Reid said. He went on to tell the assembled Senators that his wife had chastized him for the move. "She, in effect, said: I can't believe that you have done it," Reid recounted. "But I had done it."
Reid's delivered his apology in "a near whisper as many Senators looked on in amazement," according to one news account at the time.
Yes, Reid did do this. And it's a legit story for conservatives to bring to light, in the wake of the debate over the 14th amendment. But it should be part of the discussion that Reid apologized profusely for what he did and described it as the worst moment of his career -- even as some Republicans continue to push for a reexamination of the 14th amendment 17 years later.
UPDATE, 7:30 p.m.: Looks like Reid apologized for this back in 1999. From the Las Vegas Review Journal at the time:
One lawmaker who has had a change of heart on immigration is Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Six years ago, Reid offered legislation that would have slashed the limit of immigrants from 800,000 to 300,000 a year. Reid recommended denying U.S. citizenship to babies born to illegal aliens.
'We've got too many immigrants, legal and illegal,' he said at the time.
Reid's measure did not become law, but it reflected a strong sentiment in Congress that the United States had lost control of its borders. As the economy continued to flourish, however, the call for a crackdown on immigration faded.
'I believe if I had to list the mistakes I have made, that legislation would be way up high,' Reid says now. 'It was short-sighted. I didn't understand the issue. I'm embarrassed that I made such a proposal.'
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