Romney Ad on Illegal Immigration

19 hours ago

TITLE: "Take Charge."

LENGTH: 30 seconds.

AIRING: Iowa and New Hampshire.

SCRIPT: Announcer: "Illegal immigration. We need smart, tough solutions, not just talk. What will it take to fix it? Technology, new ideas, guts, values, Mitt Romney. He said no to driver's licenses for illegals, no to in-state tuition, fought for English in the classroom. The only candidate with a proven record of fixing the big problems. From day one, Mitt Romney will do what he does best — take charge, demand results, no excuses."

Romney: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message."

KEY IMAGES: Quick cuts of Romney taking an oath of office, signing legislation, speaking to the Legislature, and a shot of a hand rolling up a shirt sleeve, suggesting that work is getting done.

ANALYSIS: Immigration is a core issue with the most loyal Republican voters. Romney is seeking to distinguish himself from his top three Republican presidential rivals in Iowa and New Hampshire — former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Huckabee has been criticized for supporting some benefits for children of illegal immigrants, including allowing their children to be eligible to apply for college scholarships. Romney has criticized Giuliani for reissuing an executive order from previous New York Mayor Ed Koch that gave illegal immigrants some protections against arrest. McCain supported efforts in the Senate this year to overhaul immigration laws by increasing border security and creating a path toward citizenship for many illegal immigrants.

Romney has said, as early as 2003, that he opposed driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. He vetoed bilingual education measures while he was Massachusetts governor, and he supported a voter initiative to teach public school children primarily in English. Lately, he has called for an end to in-state tuition benefits for the children of illegal immigrants.

Romney has been criticizing each of his main rivals on the immigration issue. With this ad, he attempts to boost his own credentials without directly mentioning his opponents. A recent New York Times /CBS News poll listed illegal immigration as the issue Republicans in Iowa and New Hampshire said they would most like the presidential candidates to discuss. The issue, however, could backfire in a state such as Florida and in others with large Hispanic populations and could make it hard for him to attract such voters in a general election campaign, should he win the nomination.

Analysis by Associated Press Writer Jim Kuhnhenn.