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The Washington Times reports that there's a strong likelyhood that the new Congress will grant citizenship rights to most illegal immigrants in the U.S. The article notes:

Democrats in both chambers say they will start with some form of legislation first drafted by Sens. John McCain, Arizona Republican, and Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, which was the basis for the bill that was approved earlier this year by the Senate.

Should the McCain-Kennedy bill be the starting point for an eventual immigration compromise that is perceived as amnesty by the conservative base, it could cause real problems for McCain in the Republican primary. And this is just one example of why McCain's job as an active Senator creates an obstacle for his candidacy. Over the next year, McCain will be working hard to mend fences with conservatives, but because he has the burden of being Senator, he'll constantly be reminding them that he is at odds with them on many issues. Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney may also have positions that are unpopular among conservative voters, but they won't be in the spotlight the way McCain will be, nor will they be actively advancing an agenda that conflicts with the sentiment of the base.

topics:
NATO, Immigration