Analysis: Bush Aims to Step Right, Left

In Monday's speech, Bush said the country must first move to immediately to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants from its southern border by sending in the National Guard to free up U.S. border patrol agents in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California. (AP)

"This moves things forward. But some of the Democrats are using this as a wedge issue. They don't want it resolved. They want to use it to help mobilize the Latino vote," said James Thurber, a political scientist at American University.

Thurber rated it "difficult if not impossible" for Congress to find common ground.

The administration argues that the use of National Guard troops, whose ranks have already been thinned by deployments to Iraq, would only be temporary to support the Border Patrol while it builds up its own resources.

"Our party needs to be to be for a long-term solution for securing our border," said conservative Republican strategist Greg Mueller. "Immigration in the post-9/11 world is now a national defense and national security issue. To continue to succeed in elections, we must be the party of national security and national defense, and securing the border is top of the list."

"I think the conservative movement right now is somewhat frustrated, and starting to let that be known," said Mueller.

Conservatives have been increasingly outspoken in criticizing the president and the GOP-led Congress, expressing unhappiness with the immigration debate, government spending and the war in Iraq. They also want the president and Congress to do more on social issues, particularly same-sex marriage and abortion.

Karl Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff, said he knew there was some grumbling within the Republican party about the president's immigration proposals. But, he said, "This is about getting the right policy and the politics will take care of itself."

"This is a problem of security. It is a problem of our economy. It is a problem of compassion. It is a problem that we have to attack on several different fronts simultaneously if we hope to resolve it," Rove said.

With the president's job-approval ratings at the low point of his presidency, "We're in a sour time," acknowledged Rove. "I readily admit it." Still, he said, "We're going to be just fine in the fall elections."

Part of the problem for Republicans is many business owners and leaders, historically a core GOP constituency, favor liberalized immigration laws.

"Big business wants more immigrants. But most of the folks who come in are of lower skills," said Peter Morici, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Business. "It's unlikely Congress is going to create a situation where we emphasize higher-skilled immigrants as a trade-off for closing the border for lesser-skilled immigrants."

"In reality, the situation is far beyond anyone's control," Morici added. He said that right now, illegal immigrants make up about 5 percent of the U.S. work force. "Their impact on the U.S. economy is so profound, it cannot be reversed."

Bush was ordering as many as 6,000 National Guard troops to help improve enforcement at the Mexican border, part of a $1.9 billion package.

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EDITOR'S NOTE _ Tom Raum has covered national and international affairs for The Associated Press since 1973.