Busby's Misspeak

There's quite a lot being said about Francis Busby misspeaking at a recent rally. When asked a question about how someone was ineligible to vote could help the campaign Busby replied, "“Everybody can help, yeah, absolutely, you can all help. You don't need papers for voting, you don't need to be a registered voter to help.”

Someone in the minuteman project taped it, and republicans cut it down to "You don't need papers for voting" and played it on the radio thus the fuss.

First of all, it was a dumb thing to say, and that's why Busby has since issued a clarification about what she meant.

That being said, I have an issue with Brian Bilbray's response. From the San Diego Union Tribune:

Bilbray said at worst, Busby was encouraging someone to vote illegally. At best, she was encouraging someone who is illegally in the country to work on her campaign.

“She's soliciting illegal aliens to campaign for her and it's on tape – this isn't exactly what you call the pinnacle of ethical campaign strategy,” Bilbray said. “I don't know how she shows her face.”

Ok, does Bilbray think that everyone not eligible to vote is in this country is an illegal alien? There is no clear indication of that in the audio. It's possible, even probable, but Bilbray makes the immediate jump that if a Mexican is in the crowd that cannot vote, he must be in this country illegally. I have a lot of friends that are here on visas that can't vote, but are politically active.

As for the claim she is soliciting illegal aliens to work on her campaign, again we don't know if the volunteer was legal or not, but I'm guessing in Bilbray's eyes he was simply the wrong shade of brown. The wrong shade of brown you ask? You see, in the 2004 cycle, the RNC outsourced their fundraising phone banks to India. I wonder if Bilbray will pay all of the money the RNC has contributed to him back since he's so damn concerned about non-residents helping out with campaigns.

Doubt it. Typical republican hypocrite.