Romney Slams The Senate Immigration Deal

Mitt Romney has scored a bunch of points with delegates to the South Carolina Republican convention. He was cheered when he did so. The same crowd booed their own South Carolina Senator, Lindsey Graham, when he defended the deal. (Prediction - the deal will not go through - there is 'way too much resistance to the way this thing has been handled.)

The immigration compromise between key senators and the White House played strongly at the convention as more than 1,000 delegates and Republican activists gathered. Many in the crowd wore stickers with "Senate amnesty bill" crossed out.

They cheered as presidential candidate Romney told them: "One simple rule: No amnesty."

During his speech and before his remarks, Romney said a proposed new visa for immigrants amounts to amnesty if it can be renewed indefinitely.

"If that's not a form of amnesty, I don't know what is," Romney said.

The crowd booed South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key ally of McCain in both his 2000 and 2008 presidential bids, when he said he had worked with U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., on the immigration legislation.

"It's the best bill I think we can get to President Bush," Graham said as some in the crowd shouted "No!"

Graham was cheered earlier in his speech when he talked about the war in Iraq.

After the speech, Graham said he was booed on immigration because "it's an emotional topic. People are mad."

South Carolina's other U.S. senator, Jim DeMint, is on opposite sides from Graham: He supports Romney and said he opposes an immigration bill that allows permanent residency of illegal aliens.

Not everyone was pleased with Romney, however. Some delegates criticized his changing positions on a number of issues. So it isn't all rosy. But there is a lot of opposition to this deal and a lot of unhappy voters - on both sides of the aisle. Which is why I think the deal will fall apart before it even comes to a vote. We'll see. (Yes, I know some very respected members of the blogosphere are saying it is the best we can get, but I really think it is in trouble. As Graham said, people are mad about this issue.)