Rand Paul is now going around insulting DREAMers — and Steve King is trying to fundraise off last week’s viral encounter with them. But many, including the Des Moines Register’s Editorial Board, are applauding Erika Andiola and Cesar Vargas for bravely confronting King and Paul in Iowa. The editorial board posted this short piece today, below, on how the confrontation was good for King and how Paul should’ve stuck around:
A rose to Erika Andiola and Cesar Vargas for using an Iowa campaign event as an opportunity to grill U.S. Rep. Steve King regarding his take-no-prisoners position on immigration. Andiola and Vargas are “DREAMers” — young people brought to this country illegally when they were children. They are leaders of a group that advocates for immigration reform. The incident at Okoboji was captured in a video posted online. It was nice to see King face to face with young people who were offended by his infamous comment about immigrant kids who developed “calves the size of cantaloupes” hauling drugs across the desert. In the exchange, King repeatedly talked about how President Obama, the DREAMers and their parents are violating the law. But that could easily change if recalcitrant members of Congress like King would allow for reforms to make legal immigration easier. At least King had the courtesy to talk with the two. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who was at the same table, appeared to bolt from the scene while still chewing his sandwich. Paul later said he is happy to answer questions about immigration. But he missed a golden opportunity Monday.
