Tom Tancredo

Infobox Congressman
name= Tom Tancredo


date of birth = birth date and age|1945|12|20
place of birth= Denver, Colorado
state = Colorado
district = 6th
term_start =January 6, 1999
preceded = Dan Schaefer
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Republican
spouse = Jackie Tancredo
alma_mater = University of Northern Colorado
religion = Evangelical Presbyterian
website = [http://www.tancredo.house.gov/ Congressman Tom Tancredo]
profession=high school teacher, political researcher
residence=Littleton, Colorado

Thomas Gerard Tancredo (born December 20 1945) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado's 6th congressional district.

Tancredo has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Tancredo rose to national prominence for opposing illegal immigration. [See http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/28/tancredo-delights-in-rivals-trying-to-out-tancredo-tancredo/ http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=208686&Disp=28&Trace=on http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_12/007685.php http://civilliberty.about.com/od/usrepresentatives/p/tom_tancredo.htm http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287385,00.html] Tancredo won re-election against Democratic challenger Bill Winter by a 59%-40% margin in 2006. The district includes most of Denver's southern suburbs. He was a declared candidate for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination who was known for his opposition to legal and illegal immigration. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5575971 The Denver Post - Tancredo chases White House ] ]

Tancredo announced he was dropping out of the presidential race on his 62nd birthday on December 20, 2007. [ [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifmdfhiuSQfh-kyCJ-a8bLEQjVAwD8TKTC7G2 Tancredo to Abandon Presidential Bid] Associated Press Dec 19, 2007]

Tancredo announced on October 28 2007 that he will not seek re-election to his United States House of Representatives seat. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/29/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3424164.shtml Tancredo Not Seeking Re-election] CBS News Oct 29, 2007.]

Early life and political career

Tancredo was born in Denver, Colorado to Adeline Lombardi and Gerald Tancredo. Both sets of his grandparents immigrated from Italy. [ [http://www.wargs.com/political/tancredo.html Ancestry of Tom Tancredo ] ] He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in political science. Tancredo was active with the College Republicans and a conservative, nonpartisan organization, Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). As a Republican student activist Tancredo spoke in support of the Vietnam War. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado he became eligible to serve in Vietnam in June 1969. Tancredo has said he went for his physical, telling doctors he'd been treated for depression, and eventually got a "1-Y" deferment [ [http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_3255494 The Denver Post - Firebrand Tancredo puts policy over party line ] ] . In 1976, while teaching history at Drake Junior High School in Denver, he ran for and won a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives. He served two terms (1977–1981) and was one of the leaders of a vocal group of conservative legislators opposing the policies of Colorado Governor Dick Lamm [ [http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/3006 Right Web | Profile | Tom Tancredo ] ] . During the 1970s, Tancredo pioneered opposition to bilingual education, an issue that would remain a feature of his political orientation.

Tancredo was appointed by President Reagan to be the regional representative in Denver for the Department of Education in 1981. He stayed on through the first Bush administration in 1992, and pared the office's staff from 225 to 60 employees. He became president of the Independence Institute in 1993, a conservative think tank based in Golden, Colorado, serving there until his election to Congress. He was a leader in the Colorado term limits movement.

After Dan Schaefer decided not to run for a seventh full term in the 6th Congressional District in 1998, Tancredo narrowly won the five-way Republican primary and went on to victory in November. He is only the second person to represent the 6th District since its creation in 1983 (former astronaut Jack Swigert was elected as the district's first congressman in 1982, but died before taking office). Despite his promise to serve only three terms in Congress, [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5281105,00.html "Allard: No third term"] M.E. Sprengelmeyer, January 15, 2007, "Rocky Mountain News"] [ [http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200611180002 "Rocky omitted Tancredo's reneging on term-limits pledge in reporting he's a possible replacement for Allard"] Nov 17, 2006, Colorado Media Matters] [ [http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0501-01.htm "'Break That Pledge,' said the Lord"] Christopher Brauchli, May 1, 2004, "The Daily Camera"] he later decided to run for a fourth term and won re-election.

A former Roman Catholic, Tancredo is now a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. [cite news | url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4486482,00.html | title=Churches out of step, Tancredo says| publisher=Rocky Mountain News |date=February 22, 2006 | first=M.E. | last=Sprengelmeyer | accessdate = 2006-11-30] Tancredo is married to Jackie Tancredo. They met at Drake Junior High School as teachers, and married in 1977. [cite news | url=http://www.westword.com/Issues/2005-08-04/news/offlimits.html | title=On The Record| publisher=Denver Westword |date=August 5, 2005 | accessdate = 2007-02-05] They have two children and five grandchildren.

Committee assignments

*Foreign Affairs Committee
**Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health
**Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade
*Natural Resources Committee
**Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

Charity work

After the Columbine shooting in Colorado, Tancredo gathered resources in order to respond to the Beslan school hostage crisis in Russia. Colorado students made thousands of cards and letters for the Russian children, which Tancredo and his wife passed out to the survivors of the shootings. Tancredo also presented a poster from the Columbine high school students. The poster was displayed on one of the walls in the Beslan school.

Positions

Tancredo traces his interest in politics to the eighth grade, when he played Fidel Castro in a class assignment. He urges America to reject "the siren song of multiculturalism" and depicts Islam as "a civilization bent on destroying ours." In September 2006, when Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech quoting a 14th century Byzantine emperor who said the prophet Mohammed had brought "things only evil and inhuman", [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=405238&in_page_id=1811&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=NEWS&ct=5] sparking Muslim anger throughout the world, Tancredo urged him not to apologize.

In July, when Tancredo proposed that America respond to any future terrorist attack by bombing Mecca and other holy sites, John Podhoretz, writing on the "National Review"'s website, said: "Tom Tancredo is an idiot." [Podhoretz, John. " [http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzBjNjcxZjBkY2Y0NDJmY2IzZmI3NzJkZjA1ZDRhMjY= The Corner] ", National Review Online, July 19, 2005]

Abortion

Tancredo has said that abortion "compromises the sanctity of life" and "attacks the most vulnerable among us: unborn boys and girls." He does not support the granting of federal funds to "any organization that promotes abortion." [http://tancredo.house.gov/issues/issue_righttolife.shtml] He voted in favor of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and in favor of legislation requiring parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion. He received a 0% on the NARAL report card, [http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in-congress/congressional-record-on-choice/state.html?state=CO] indicating that he votes in Congress on the pro-life side of this issue.

In the first Republican debate held on May 3, 2007, Tancredo agreed that the U.S. Supreme Court should repeal the 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision, adding that it would be "the greatest day in this country's history." [http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB117820098738790928.html]

Tancredo says on his website "The innocent unborn enjoy a God given right to life. Roe is a scar on the moral and intellectual history of the country; but, contrary to popular belief, overturning it would merely permit and not require states to prohibit abortion. To protect life, we also need to educate the public about the second victim of abortion, the mother who is subject to potential life long medical and emotional scarring." [ [http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_issues_index.asp Preserving Life] ]

Immigration issues

Tom Tancredo is perhaps best known for his opposition to illegal immigration. [ [http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/2008-elections/13281/tancredo-says-stop-all-legal-immigration-his-fellow-candidates-vehemently-disagree/ Tancredo Says: STOP ALL LEGAL Immigration (His Fellow Candidates Vehemently Disagree) ] ] Tancredo founded the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus in May 1999. He served as its Chairman until January 2007, then turning the chairmanship over to Brian Bilbray. [ http://tancredo.house.gov/irc/welcome.htm ]

Tancredo has not only led the fight to deport every undocumented worker in AmericaFact|date=June 2008 but has called for halting legal and illegal immigration. In one unforgettable move, Tancredo wanted to deport the family of Jesus Apodaca, an undocumented high school boy who was profiled in The Denver Post for his perfect grades and who publicly complained about having to pay the out-of-state tuition rate at the University of Colorado at Denver because he and his family were not legal residents in the United States. [cite web | url = http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20020929/WORLDSAPART/109290042 | title = Teen sparks debate on immigrant rights | author = Ochoa, Julio | work = The Tribune | accessdate = January 20 | accessyear = 2007] [cite web | url = http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/1690263/detail.html | title = INS Delays Deporting Honor Student | work = The Denver Channel | accessdate = January 24 | accessyear = 2007]

Tancredo criticized the Denver Public Library system for purchasing reading materials written in Spanish and for offering space for classes to be held for these library users. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper defended the library's policies, as did Congresswoman Diana DeGette. [cite web | title = Response from Denver Mayor Hickenlooper to Congressman Tom Tancredo on Spanish language Denver Public Libraries | work =letter | date = June 22, 2005| url = http://www.cairco.org/library/letter_hickenlooper_to_tancredo_2005jun25.pdf| format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-03-22 ]

Tancredo's outspoken advocacy for immigration reform, and particularly his criticism of President George W. Bush's border security controls, have reportedly made him "persona non grata" in the White House.cite web|url=http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050328&s=crowley032805 |title=On the Hill: Border War |first=Michael |last=Crowley |publisher="The New Republic" |date=2005-03-28 |accessdate=2007-04-18] According to Tancredo, he and Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove, got into a "screaming match" after Tancredo claimed that "if the nation suffered another attack at the hands of terrorists able to skirt immigration laws, the blood of the people killed" would be on Bush's and Congress’ hands. Rove responded by calling Tancredo "a traitor to the party" and "a traitor to the president," and warned him to never "darken the doorstep of the White House." Tancredo responded that "the president’s position on immigration is going to hurt [him] . I want the president to win [the 2004 election] . I am not doing any of these things or saying any of these things because I want to hurt the Republican Party or the president". [cite news | url=http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2004/09/immigration_iss_1.php | title= Immigration Issue Yanked Off GOP Agenda| publisher=American Renaissance |date=August 31, 2004 | accessdate = 2007-03-13] "National Review"'s David Frum wrote that " [n] o issue, not one, threatens to do more damage to the Republican coalition than immigration". [cite news | url=http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/1/10/140820.shtml | title= GOP, You Are Warned| publisher=NewsMax | date=January 10, 2005 | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

In an interview, Tancredo said his falling out with the White House has lasted. "One reason I am persona non grata at the White House is not just because of immigration... but because I refuse to support him on his trade policy, his education policy, Medicare and prescription drugs initiatives.... Here was a Republican Congress increasing government to an extent larger than it had been increased since Medicare had come into existence." Tancredo reported that his career in Congress was threatened by the leadership because of his stances. "I was called into Tom Delay’s office because I was supporting Republican challengers to Republican incumbents. I had a group called Team America that went out and did that. He called me and said to me, 'You’re jeopardizing your career in this place by doing these things.' And I said, 'Tom, out of all the things you can threaten with me that is the least effective because I do not look at this place as a career.'"

Tancredo founded the Team America political action committee in 2004 [ [http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00396291/ FEC Electronic Filings by TEAM AMERICA PAC ] ] in order to raise contributions for congressional candidates who opposed illegal immigration. Because of campaign law requirements, Tancredo was forced to resign from Team America PAC. The PAC was noted for targeting incumbent Congressman Chris Cannon in the 2006 Republican primary. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5573297,00.html Tancredo's Drudge campaign: Defeat amnesty, politicians] M.E. Sprengelmeyer and Alan Gathright,, June 6, 2007, "Rocky Mountain News"]

On February 3, 2005, Tancredo presented what he proclaimed an "American Patriot Award" to New Ipswich, New Hampshire, Police Chief W. Garrett Chamberlain for "'taking an extra step to help protect our country’s borders'". [ [http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050205/NEWS01/102050075/-1/news01 Nashuatelegraph.com: Chief’s action draws notice ] ]

Tancredo sponsored legislation to eliminate H-1B visas for temporary workers in 2005. [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01325:@@@L&summ2=m&#summary Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress) ] ] However, his recent votes in that area have been only slightly more restrictive than the average member of Congress and earned a C+ from Americans for Better Immigration, a project of NumbersUSA, in that area of immigration policy. They awarded Tancredo a career score of 100% and a career grade of A+ for his opposition to amnesty for illegal aliens [ [http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgradescategory.php3?http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgradescategory.php3?District=CO&Category=4&Status=Career&VIPID=146 Rep. Tom Tancredo ] ] , his efforts to eliminate the automatic granting of citizenship to the babies of illegal aliens [ [http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgradescategory.php3?District=CO&Category=3&Status=Career&VIPID=146 Rep. Tom Tancredo ] ] and for his support of the interior enforcement of United States immigration laws [ [http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgradescategory.php3?District=CO&Category=9&Status=Career&VIPID=146 Rep. Tom Tancredo ] ] . In 2007, they awarded Tancredo a "Congressional Immigration Reduction Grade" of A+. [ [http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop2.html Americans for Better Immigration ] ]

Tancredo was the sponsor of a successful amendment to a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that would withhold federal emergency services funds from sanctuary cities. ["Tancredo pulls plug on 'sanctuary cities'Even Democrats throw support behind amendment to nix funds to local governments shielding illegals" http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56215]

On July 30, 2007, Tancredo "criticized Congressional Democrats for eliminating a requirement that anyone applying for Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) services provide proof of U.S. citizenship". Acccording to Tancredo, " [t] he new Democrat plan would raise taxes and make it easier for illegal aliens to obtain taxpayer-funded medical benefits" [ [http://tancredo.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1294 Congressman Tom Tancredo :: Press Release :: Tancredo Blasts Dems for Funding Illegal Alien Healthcare ] ] .

Tancredo has made it a point in all of his public speeches to differentiate between those who enter the United States legally and those who come illegally. Many people are surprised when Tancredo frequently attends naturalization ceremonies to support new citizens for "doing it the right way". [ [http://www.amconmag.com/12_16/feature6.html Immigration Reform’s Point Man ] ]

Tancredo was criticized for accepting over $20,000 in donations from John Tanton, founder of the Federation for American Immigration Reform and a founder of a Planned Parenthood chapter. [ [http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/07/24/news/iowa/ebe11ce44a6502208625732200043ad2.txt Sioux City Journal: Brownback, Tancredo squabble over donation ] ]

Federalism

He was one of thirty three congressmen to vote against the renewal of the Voting Rights Act because he asserted that its requirement of multilingual ballots would result in a costly unfunded mandate. [ [http://www.epluribusmedia.org/features/2006/20060712_votingrights_p1.html Who Really Stalled the Voting Rights Act Renewal] Duke Falconer ] He was one of a handful of Republicans who voted for a bill proposed by Maurice Hinchey and Dana Rohrabacher to stop the Department of Justice from raiding medical marijuana patients and caregivers in states where medical marijuana is legal, citing states' rights concerns. [ [http://www.i2i.org/main/article.php?article_id=1289 Federalism up in smoke] Mike Krause ]

On the other hand, he has suggested state legislators and mayors should be imprisoned for passing laws contrary to federal immigration law. [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/05/tancredo_targets_nh_sanctuary_state_bill/
title=Tancredo targets N.H. 'sanctuary state' bill
first=Beverley
last=Wang
publisher=Associated Press
2007-09-05] He also supports the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban gay marriage nationally, and defended this position by stating a constitutional amendment is the "last resort" to neutralize judicial activism that would legalize gay marriage in courts. [ http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_issues_index.asp ]

Fiscal policy

The National Taxpayers Union has awarded Tancredo a grade of A for each year he has served in Congress. Tancredo was awarded a grade of A for votes he cast in 1999 to 2006 inclusively. [National Taxpayers Union reports: [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_1999.pdf 1999] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2000.pdf 2000] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2001.pdf 2001] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2002.pdf 2002] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2003.pdf 2003] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2004.pdf 2004] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2005.pdf 2005] , [http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2006.pdf 2006] ] . Additionally, Tancredo received the National Taxpayers Union's "Taxpayers' Friend Award" in 1999 to 2006 inclusively as well [NTU's Taxpayer Friends in the House for: [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=37 1999] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=35 2000] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=33 2001] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=31 2002] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=40 2003] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=75 2004] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=96 2005] , [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=117 2006] ] The award is given by the NTU to those members of Congress that are among "the strongest supporters of responsible tax and spending policies". [ [http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=117 NTU's Taxpayer Friends in the House for 2006 ] ]

Iraq

Congressman Tancredo's position on Iraq is: "America’s noble sacrifice has purchased Iraqis a precious opportunity for democratic change; it is now up to them to ensure success. Setting the President’s ‘November benchmark for shifting control’ as an actual timetable for disengagement will let regional powers and Iraqi factions cooperate to forge a new balance of power." [ [http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_issues_index.asp Tom stands for America] ]

Significant legislation

Tancredo sponsored the Sudan Peace Act. [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:H.R.5531: (H.R. 5531). ] The Sudan Peace Act says "A viable, comprehensive, and internationally sponsored peace process, protected from manipulation, presents the best chance for a permanent resolution of the war, protection of human rights, and a self-sustaining Sudan". The Act passed the House of Representatives with a 359-8 vote, was passed unanimously in the Senate without amendment seven days later, and was signed into law on November 21, 2002.

Tancredo introduced the Mass Immigration Reduction Act. The act would have imposed an indefinite moratorium on immigration to the United States. About 300,000 total legal immigrants would have been allowed into the country annually for at least the first five years of the act and, after that, until such time as there were fewer than 10,000 illegal immigrants entering per year. When those conditions were met, immigration would only have been allowed at whatever level the president and both houses of Congress agreed would have no adverse impact on wages, housing, the environment, or schools. When last introduced in 2003, the bill had 11 cosponsors. Organizations that have endorsed Tancredo's bill include: NumbersUSA, Population-Environment Balance, Carrying Capacity Network, Federation for American Immigration Reform, Negative Population Growth, and the American Patrol. Tancredo introduced the bill in 1999 (H. R. 41) [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c106:3:./temp/~mdbsr1rl1r:: Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress) ] ] , 2001 (H. R. 2712) [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c107:2:./temp/~mdbsr1rl1r:: Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress) ] ] , and 2003 (H. R. 946). [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c108:1:./temp/~mdbsr1rl1r:: Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress) ] ] Tancredo did not re-introduce the bill in 2005, but in 2007 he proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to "establish English as the official language of the United States," (H.R. 19). [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d110:5:./temp/~bdZfir::|/bss/d110query.html| Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress) ] ]

In 2005, Tancredo introduced [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.CON.RES.69.IH: H. Con. Res. 69 ] a resolution calling on the President to recognize the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and to abandon the One-China policy. He has been critical of the People's Republic of China. This has since been modified and reintroduced as H. Con. Res. 73. [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HC00073:@@@L&summ2=m& H. Con. Res. 73 ]

Conservative Political Action Conference

On February 9, 2006, Tancredo addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference, [ [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_15/c3979075.htm Immigration Reform: Why Business Could Get Burned ] ] the annual conference of the American Conservative Union, [ [http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/2006/cpac_speeches.asp CPAC 2006 Speeches ] ] (speech not available). In a poll conducted of those attending the conference, 5% predicted that Tancredo would be the 2008 nominee.

At the 2007 CPAC conference, held March 1–3, Tancredo was ranked sixth in the straw poll, with 9%, when first and second choices were combined. [http://www.conservative.org/documents/3-07_CPAC_Straw_Poll.ppt]

Controversies

Iraq

Fellow Republican State Treasurer Mike Coffman refused to share the stage with Congressman Tancredo at a pro-war rally for the Iraq war in 2003 because of Tancredo's failure to serve in Vietnam. Mike Coffman is a former Marine who was deployed to the first Persian Gulf conflict more than a decade ago. After leaving a Colorado capitol stage in what he described as a personal protest Coffman said "I just didn't feel (Tancredo) had the moral authority to send other young people off to war when he was not willing to go himself." In 1970 after Tancredo's student deferments ran out, he appealed his 1-A draft status, which would have put him at the top of the list for draft eligibility during the Vietnam War. Tancredo was then given a 1-Y status, which put him at the bottom of the list after he reported that he had been treated for mental illness as a teenager. Tancredo said he was diagnosed with depression when he was 16 or 17 and received medication for five years for panic attacks and bouts of anxiety and depression. Because of Tancredo's draft record, Coffman said he specifically asked organizers of the rally whether Tancredo would be speaking. [Coffman Left Rally To Protest Tancredo; Lawmaker Supports Iraq War But Didn't Fight In Vietnam, Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO) March 27, 2003]

Immigration

Tancredo received negative publicity in 2002 when the "Denver Post" reported two illegal immigrants were among the crew hired to remodel his basement. Tancredo said he could not have known their immigration status — they were subcontractors hired by the contractors he hired. [cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,63636,00.html | title=Anti-Immigration Rep. Accused of Hiring Illegal Workers| publisher=Fox News |date=September 20, 2002 | accessdate = 2007-03-13] [cite news | url=http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/News/2002,0920-tancredo.shtm | title=Tancredo on Immigration| publisher=Immigration Daily |date=September 20, 2002 | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

On September 11, 2006, in Columbia, South Carolina, Tancredo spoke to a gathering of the "Americans Have Had Enough Coalition", which he had helped found. The League of the South also invited its own members to attend the event, describing Tancredo as their "guest". According to reports, the room in which Tancredo spoke had a prominent picture of Robert E. Lee and was draped with Confederate battle flags. At the closing of the event, men dressed in Confederate military uniforms reportedly began to sing "Dixie".cite news | url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/news/item.jsp?aid=79 | title=Congressman addresses hate group| publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=September 11, 2006 | first=Alexander | last=Zaitchik | accessdate = 2006-11-30]

Several days later, Tancredo came under heavy criticism from a group of Denver ministers for attending the function, which followers of the League of the South also attended. In his defense, Tancredo said, "I gave it [the same speech] in probably five or six different venues, this was just one, all of them were open to the public. I don't check people at the door for their private thoughts." [cite news | url=http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_257220628.html | title=Denver Pastors Call For Tom Tancredo's Resignation| publisher=CBS4 Denver |date=September 14, 2006 | first=Terry | last=Jessup | accessdate = 2006-11-30]

In a November 19, 2006 interview with WorldNetDaily, Tancredo referred to the city of Miami, Florida as a "Third World country."cite news | url=http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53023 | title=The New World Disorder: Bush Doesn't Think America Should Be An Actual Place | publisher=WorldNetDaily | date=November 19, 2006 | first=Joe | last=Kovacs | accessdate = 2007-09-09] His comments drew strong criticism from numerous political leaders and organizations, including Florida Governor Jeb Bush who, in a letter to the congressman, called Tancredo's remarks "naive." [cite news | url=http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/pdf/112806LetterToTancredo.pdf | title=Letter to Tancredo from Jeb Bush | publisher=Rocky Mountain news | date=November 28, 2006 | first=Jeb | last=Bush | accessdate = 2006-11-30|format=PDF] Tancredo replied in a letter, "I certainly understand and appreciate your need and desire to try and create the illusion of Miami as a multiethnic 'All American' city," he said. "I can also appreciate ... that the cultural and ethnic diversity of the city offers many advantages to its residents. However, it is neither naïve nor insulting to call attention to a real problem that cannot be easily dismissed through politically correct happy talk." [cite news | url=http://tancredo.house.gov/Media/file/TancredoresponseGovBush.pdf | title=Letter to Jeb Bush from Tancredo | publisher=US Congress | date=November 29, 2006 | first=Tom | last=Tancredo | accessdate = 2006-11-30|format=PDF]

On December 12, 2006, Tancredo was publicly announced by the Rotary Club of Miami as its guest speaker. [ [http://www.miamirotary.org/newsletters/12-14-06%20Rote.pdf Happy Birthday December Rotarians ] ] The next day, the event was canceled by the restaurant. News reports said, "The manager of the restaurant where Tancredo was to speak, the Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne, said Wednesday that the owners didn't want him to appear on Thursday in order to keep up the integrity and reputation of the business. The manager also said staff members objected to working the party where his immigration talk was supposed to be held, some customers threatened to boycott the restaurant, and the restaurant had received bomb threats." Tancredo spokesman Carlos Espinosa said "What is more 'Third World country' than threatening to bomb the place?" [cite news
url=http://cbs4.com/local/local_story_347152217.html/
title=Some Disappointed Tancredo Cancelled Speech
publisher=CBS4 Miami
date=December 16, 2006
accessdate=2007-09-09] Tancredo referred to Miami as having been taken over by "thugs" and "separatists" and declared that "I knew speaking your mind could be dangerous in Havana — I guess it's equally dangerous to do so in Miami. Apparently, there isn't much of a difference between the two anymore." [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5212244,00.html Tancredo bows out of speech in Miami : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News ] ]

In another incident, student protests against a Tancredo speech scheduled to be given at the Michigan State University College of Law on November 30, 2006 turned violent. Protestors tried to block Tancredo's speech and police were called when protestors pulled a fire alarm prior to the speech on immigration policy. Michigan State University College Republicans and Young Americans for Freedom sponsored the event. Protestors targeted their violence against student backers of the event. According to Tancredo, one of the student backers of the speech "was spit on, one was kicked, and one was punched". Protestors interrupted the speech with loud shouting. Tancredo said protestors organized on the Internet social networking site Facebook and "declared ahead of time on facebook that they would not allow me to speak" [ [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4755896 The Denver Post - Tancredo protesters turn violent ] ] .

A journalist at RedState has criticised Tancredo for helping to found Planned Parenthood in the 1960s. Tancredo was financed by anti-immigration activist John Tanton, founder of Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). FAIR was criticised for supporting sterilizations and RU-486 for third world women the one-child policy. FAIR received 1.5 million from a white supremacist group, Pioneer Fund. [Wolf, Leon H. "Tom Tancredo's Unsavory Backers." http://www.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/tom_tancredos_unsavory_backers]

On April 17, 2008, Tancredo alleged that Pope Benedict XVI was encouraging illegal immigration to the USA in order to boost membership in the Catholic Church. In response to a statement by the Pope at a Mass in Washington, Tancredo stated, "I suspect the pope's immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church." While Tancredo was raised a Catholic, he now attends Cherry Hills Community Church, an evangelical Christian church. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8960784?source=rss Tancredo slams pope on immigration - The Denver Post ] ] [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/us/20catholics.html?hp NY Times Advertisement ] ] . In a rebuttal of Tancredo's claim that the Catholic Church "has been losing members rapidly," the USCCB publishes data that records over 150,000 adults being received into the Catholic Church in 2007 through adult baptism and other rites of acceptance. [ [http://www.usccb.org/comm/statisti.shtml USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - The Catholic Church in the United States At A Glance ] ]

Hypothetical U.S. response to a nuclear attack

During a 2005 radio interview on Orlando talk-radio station WFLA AM 540, Tancredo responded to a questioner asking about the hypothetical U.S. response to a nuclear attack on U.S. cities by al-Qaeda, by saying that one possible response would be to retaliate by "taking out" Muslim holy sites (specifically, Mecca) if it were clearly proven that Islamic terrorists were behind such an attack. [ [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45298 WorldNetDaily: Tancredo clarifies 'ultimate response' ] ] [ [http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3935487,00.html Rocky Mountain News : Denver News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars, & Information ] ] Several days later, in an interview on CNN together with James Zogby, Tancredo said that the attack was mentioned merely as a hypothetical response and insisted that there was nothing for which he should apologize. However, during a more recent townhall meeting in Iowa (July 31, 2007), Tancredo said that a threat to bomb Mecca and Medina was "the only thing I can think of" that could deter a nuclear terrorist attack. This statement drew substantial criticism from the Council on American-Islamic Relations [http://www.pr-inside.com/republican-candidate-advocates-threat-to-r193291.htm] , as well as State Department spokesman Tom Casey, who stated that "To somehow suggest that an appropriate response to terrorism would be to attack sites that are holy and sacred to more than a billion people throughout the world is just absolutely crazy." [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/03/america/NA-POL-US-Politics-Diplomacy.php U.S. State Department cringes as presidential hopefuls muddy diplomatic waters - International Herald Tribune ] ] [ [http://www.newsroomamerica.com/politics/story.php?id=385930 State Department Rebukes Campaign Sloganeering ] ] [ [http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=189608&Sn=WORL&IssueID=30137 Gulf Daily News ] ] During the Fox broadcast Republican Presidential Debate on May 15, 2007, he made a statement in passing that the root cause of Islamic terrorism is “a dictate of their religion.” [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/us/politics/16repubs-text.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina - New York Times ] ] In September of 2007 Tancredo defended his remarks: "I still believe it is something we must consider as a possible deterrent because at the present time there are no negative consequences that would accrue to the people who commit a crime such as a nuclear, chemical or biological attack." [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Interview_with_U.S._Republican_Presidential_candidate_Tom_Tancredo Interview with Tom Tancredo] , David Shankbone, "Wikinews", September 25, 2007.]

2008 Presidential election

In February 2005, Tancredo announced he would seek the Republican nomination for president if all other candidates failed to address the illegal immigration problem.

Tancredo said he intended to visit New Hampshire and Iowa, declaring Bush should “ [understand] the threat illegal immigrants pose to the country's security.” Tancredo claimed federal prisons are overflowing with illegal immigrants, some of whom aim to "harm people." Tancredo has said that such individuals "need to be found before it is too late. They're coming here to kill you, and you, and me, and my grandchildren." [cite web | url = http://www.usbc.org/info/2005/jun/tancredo.htm | title = Tancredo seeks to make immigration a major issue in presidential race | work = U.S. Border Patrol | accessdate = March 22 | accessyear = 2007]

In July 2005, Tancredo confirmed he was moving toward a presidential run. [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050722/ap_on_el_pr/tancredo_s_mission] Dead link|date=March 2008]

On January 16 2007, Tancredo announced that he formed an exploratory committee on seeking the presidential nomination of the Republican Party. He said that the Republican Party needs someone who can offer America a "common sense agenda". [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFx-VNuLyUA YouTube - Congressman Tom Tancredo Announces Run For Presidency ] ]

A spokesman for Tancredo's exploratory committee has confirmed that he will not run on a third party platform, and that "they've had no intention to run as a third-party candidate, ever, and we'll never consider that because he's a Republican, period". [cite news|url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5314612,00.html | title=Tancredo rules out 3rd-party candidacy| publisher=Rocky Mountain News | date=January 30, 2007 | first=M.E. | last=Sprengelmeyer | accessdate = 2007-01-30]

On February 13, the American Conservative Union issued ratings for potential presidential candidates. [ http://www.conservative.org/archive2/2008potus.asp American Conservative Union Rankings ] Tancredo took first with a lifetime ranking of 99 out of 100. The website ConservativesBetrayed.com polled 525 people who attended CPAC 2007, and 88.1% believed that Tancredo would govern as a conservative. Newt Gingrich polled next at 87.9%. [ [http://www.conservativesbetrayed.com/gw3/articles-latestnews/articles.php?CMSArticleID=959&CMSCategoryID=19 ConservativesBetrayed.com ] ]

On April 2, 2007, Tancredo announced that he will run for President in the 2008 election. This announcement was made on 1040 WHO Talk Radio in Iowa. He denounced other Republican candidates for their lack of consistency on the illegal immigration issue, the issue on which Tancredo will run. In early April, he also participated in what was billed as the first online presidential debate, against fellow Republican and presidential candidate Duncan Hunter. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrrROk7Yu9c Online Presidential Debate 1.1] ]

A quote from Tancredo's speech in 2007 to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was as follows: [ [http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/2007/speech_tancredo.asp Congressman Tom Tancredo Addresses CPAC 2007 ] ] :

If you want to call me a single-issue candidate, that's fine, just so long as you know that my single issue is the survival and the success of the conservative movement in America.

In a May 3 2007 debate among the ten candidates for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, Tancredo was one of three who raised their hands when asked if anyone did not believe in the theory of evolution. [ [http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070513/NEWS/705130336/-1/COMMUNITIES Questions show depths GOP has sunk | TimesDaily.com | Times Daily | Florence, AL ] ]

On August 10, 2007, Rep. Tom Tancredo's presidential campaign reportedly was the victim of an e-mail hoax on the eve of the Republican Party straw poll in Ames, Iowa. The "Des Moines Register" reports that a hoax e-mail sent on Friday to almost 500 Tancredo supporters told them — falsely — that chartered buses to ferry them to the daylong events had either been cancelled or delayed. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5668719,00.html Hoax aimed at Tancredo's straw poll chances] ]

On September 5, 2007, during a visit to Concord, New Hampshire, Tancredo made it clear that he supports strictly enforcing immigration laws and deporting all illegal immigrants. He believes so-called sanctuary policies provide safe havens for criminals. Tancredo also mentioned his support of the building of a fence between Mexico and the United States, and that mayors and city council members who adopt sanctuary city policies should face criminal charges. He urged New Hampshire Governor John Lynch to veto an upcoming immigration bill and demanded the ouster of the bill's sponsors.

On November 13, 2007, the Tancredo campaign released an ad called "Tough on Terror" in which a hypothetical terrorist attack occurs in a shopping mall. The ad blames inept border security for the attack and flashes images of an injured child and a wrecked train. A voiceover comments, "There are consequences to open borders beyond the 20 million aliens who have come to take our jobs ... the price we pay for spineless politicians who refuse to defend our borders against those who come to kill." [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311279,00.html FOXNews.com - Tom Tancredo Airs Graphic New Ad in Iowa Depicting Terrorist Attack - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum ] ]

On his 62nd birthday December 20, 2007, Tancredo formally ended his candidacy for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, and endorsed Mitt Romney. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-19-tancredo_N.htm?csp=34 Tancredo drops out, endorses Romney] "USA Today" Retrieved December 20, 2007]

Funding

Individual contributions made up the most of the campaign cash that Tancredo had received, being about 97% of his total pocketbook. PAC contributions were been low, only around $75,500, of the $1,311,869 [ [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/finance/2007/q1/tom-tancredo/ Tom Tancredo | Campaign 2008: Campaign Finance | washingtonpost.com ] ] . He granted himself $200 for his campaign and received no federal funding. $88,457 of his money came from interest from the campaign's bank accounts and loans from outside sources. It should be noted that the majority of Tancredo's funds were not disclosed [ [http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00006103&cycle=2008 2008 Presidential Election: Tom Tancredo Campaign Money ] ] .

References

Books

*"". WND Books, 2006. (ISBN 1-58182-527-7)

External links

;Presidential
* [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.R.946: H.R. 946 "The Mass Immigration Reduction Act of 2003"]

;Congressional
* [http://www.tancredo.house.gov Official Congressional website]
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tom_Tancredo Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia

;Documentaries, topic pages and databases
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/candidates/tancredo.html PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer — Vote 2008: Tom Tancredo]
* [http://spartaninternet.com/2008/bycandidate.asp?tab=3&id=17 Tom Tancredo Ranking in Spartan Internet Political Performance Index] Weekly
*dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Candidates_and_Campaigns/Presidential/2008/Candidates/Tancredo,_Tom/
* [http://www.gedview.com/tancredo/ Genealogy of Tom Tancredo]

;Interviews
* [http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/sprengelmeyer/archives/2007/07/the_back_roads_interview_with.html#more July 1,2007 interview] , "Rocky Mountain News"
* [http://www.rightwingnews.com/interviews/tancredo.php Interview with Tom Tancredo at Right Wing News]
* [http://fora.tv/fora/showthread.php?t=484 Tom Tancredo talks about his book "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security"]
* [http://www.grist.org/feature/2007/10/11/tancredo/ Tancredo on the Record] by Amanda Griscom Little

;Media coverage
* [http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53815 Run, Tom, run!] by Jane Chastain
* [http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/marotte/061112 Onward and upward: looking to 2008] by Ken Marotte
* [http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_5025204 Denver Post Column: "Tancredo for president in 2008? Well, why not?"]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-18-holy-sites_x.htm Congressman: Destroying sites option if U.S. attacked]
* [http://www.540wfla.com/timages/page/media/Tancredo_comments_071405.mp3 mp3 audio file of "bomb holy sites" radio interview] ( [http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/Tancredo.mp3 alternate site] )
* [http://www.capwiz.com/lcv/dbq/vote_info/?sort=Last&command=results&last=tancredo&submit.x=15&submit.y=12 Rating by League of Conservation Voters]
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/12054520/the_10_worst_congressmen/6 Rolling Stone Article on Tom Tancredo]
* [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/BrentBozellIII/2007/04/05/npr_tackles_tancredo NPR tackles Tancredo] by Brent Bozell
* [http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-oppin255430325oct25,0,7779184.column Tancredo's anti-immigrant credo gaining] by James P. Pinkerton
* [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2007/11/16/tancredos_raw_truth_about_terrorism Tancredo's Raw Truth About Terrorism] by Diana West
* [http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/11/18/news_opinion/letters/c08b1a013728367886257395007cf1f7.txt He supports Tancredo's 'strong anti-illegal immigration campaign'] by Gary Kastrup
* [http://thegate.nationaljournal.com/2007/12/wh_08_why_the_immigration_deba.php Why The Immigration Debate Matters] by Jane Roh
* [http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59190 Tancredo for president] by Joseph Farah