Delaware County Daily Times - Williams Steals Show at McCain Rally

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Delaware County Daily Times - Williams Steals Show at McCain Rally

As Republican congressional candidate in the 7th District W. Craig Williams expected, Thursday afternoon's gathering at Maris Grove was just "a good ol' fashioned rally" for Arizona Sen. and presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Williams joined local Republican leaders such as state Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-9, of Chester, and state Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160, of Boothwyn, for the event, which drew a crowd of about 60 in the retirement community's Cardinal Clubhouse auditorium.

Before rushing to his next engagement, Pileggi, the Senate Majority Leader, took the microphone to quickly express his hopes that McCain, an "independent centrist-minded Republican," will do well in areas like Delaware County. Pileggi faces Village Charter School headmaster John Linder in the fall.
Barrar, running unopposed this year for re-election, stressed national security as the country's No. 1 issue, extolling McCain's exemplary service with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war.

"We are under attack by people who are sworn to destroy us," said Barrar. "I don't think you can get any better than John McCain on national security. That's a guy I can trust."

He added that with troops currently in harm's way fighting two simultaneous wars, America owes it to give them a leader who will stand by them, "not throw them under the bus the way (Democratic Illinois Sen.) Barack Obama will."

Williams, though, was clearly the main attraction Thursday. Having pressed the flesh with everyone in the room before taking the stage, he spoke about his family, his service as a U.S. Marine in the Gulf War (and as a current Marine reservist) and his work as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice before he was asked earlier this year by the Delaware County Republican Party to run against incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Joseph Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont.

Williams discussed his recent trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the need for the United States to decrease its dependence on foreign oil by expanding drilling options and developing alternative fuel sources, and thrashed Congress for playing what he called "block and blame" politics by not bringing such energy bills to the House floor for a vote.

Much of that had been said before, but Williams also unveiled an ambitious plan for immigration reform Thursday. Though he said he is not for amnesty, Williams said he also does not relish seeing footage of immigration enforcement officers pulling grandmothers out of factories and putting them in vans for deportation week after week on TV news shows.

"That's not the image of America that I want portrayed around the world," Williams said.
Williams suggested amending Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations so that it is a misdemeanor to be in the country illegally, which would put aliens into the justice system, requiring fingerprinting and monitoring.

The code could then be amended for an illegal immigrant to meet certain criteria, such as paying back taxes, learning English, and so on, within a period of three years.

If those conditions were met, the alien could remain in the country, be registered with Social Security and become a naturalized U.S. citizen on par with anyone else.

Maris Grove resident Joe Costa, who first suggested the rally, said he liked the cut of Williams' jib.

"I think he makes a lot of sense," said Costa. "He takes what I consider a realistic approach to the energy problem. I like what he said about immigration, that it's not a matter or rounding people up and putting them on buses or trucks and carting them back. I like him."

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