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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/10/obama-meets-perry-and-links-border-patrol-changes-to-supplemental-budget
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama meets Perry and links border patrol changes to spending package | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| US border patrols could be | US border patrols could be |
| moved closer to the Rio Grande river crossing with Mexico in a fresh | moved closer to the Rio Grande river crossing with Mexico in a fresh |
| bid to deter an influx of child immigrants following talks between | bid to deter an influx of child immigrants following talks between |
| Barack Obama and the Texas governor, Rick Perry. | |
| The president said he | The president said he |
| would also consider increased border patrol numbers and even the | would also consider increased border patrol numbers and even the |
| temporary deployment of the National Guard, but only if Republicans | temporary deployment of the National Guard, but only if Republicans |
| in turn supported a wider White House plan to deal with the crisis. | in turn supported a wider White House plan to deal with the crisis. |
| Speaking after meeting | Speaking after meeting |
| Perry in Dallas, Obama insisted there was little difference in their | Perry in Dallas, Obama insisted there was little difference in their |
| underlying approach, though conceded that some of the governor's | underlying approach, though conceded that some of the governor's |
| specific proposals were worth considering once Congress passes a | specific proposals were worth considering once Congress passes a |
| $3.7bn supplemental spending package. | $3.7bn supplemental spending package. |
| “He [Perry] was concerned | “He [Perry] was concerned |
| that some of the positioning of border patrol agents is too far from | that some of the positioning of border patrol agents is too far from |
| the border to be effective in deterring folks from coming in as | the border to be effective in deterring folks from coming in as |
| opposed to simply apprehending them,” Obama said. | opposed to simply apprehending them,” Obama said. |
| "I indicated to him that | "I indicated to him that |
| what he said made sense … if we pass the supplemental we would have | what he said made sense … if we pass the supplemental we would have |
| the resources to carry out some of the things that he has requested.” | the resources to carry out some of the things that he has requested.” |
| In a written statement | In a written statement |
| released shortly before Obama spoke, Perry appeared to urge the White House not | released shortly before Obama spoke, Perry appeared to urge the White House not |
| to wait for Congress. "Securing the border is attainable and the president needs to commit the resources necessary to get this | to wait for Congress. "Securing the border is attainable and the president needs to commit the resources necessary to get this |
| done," he said. | done," he said. |
| Obama claims the | Obama claims the |
| increasingly heated battle with Republicans over how to handle the | increasingly heated battle with Republicans over how to handle the |
| crisis is more about politics than substance, and argues he needs | crisis is more about politics than substance, and argues he needs |
| Congressional approval to avoid accusations of executive over-reach. | Congressional approval to avoid accusations of executive over-reach. |
| “The bottom line is | “The bottom line is |
| actually that there is nothing that the governor indicated he wanted | actually that there is nothing that the governor indicated he wanted |
| to see that I have a philosophical objection to,” Obama said. | to see that I have a philosophical objection to,” Obama said. |
| “The challenge is | “The challenge is |
| [whether] Congress is prepared to act to put the resources in place | [whether] Congress is prepared to act to put the resources in place |
| to get this done … in other words, are folks more interested in | to get this done … in other words, are folks more interested in |
| politics or are they interested in getting things done?” | politics or are they interested in getting things done?” |
| Despite Obama's | Despite Obama's |
| conciliatory tone the White House has previously been more | conciliatory tone the White House has previously been more |
| dismissive of Republican calls for an immediate border surge and | dismissive of Republican calls for an immediate border surge and |
| earmarked only $29m of its $3.7bn plan for greater ground patrols on | earmarked only $29m of its $3.7bn plan for greater ground patrols on |
| Tuesday. | Tuesday. |
| In | In |
| Perry's statement he said he had asked the president instead for | Perry's statement he said he had asked the president instead for |
| measures including an additional 1,000 National Guard troops, policy | measures including an additional 1,000 National Guard troops, policy |
| changes and Predator drones to track human and drug trafficking. | changes and Predator drones to track human and drug trafficking. |
| "Five | "Five |
| hundred miles south of here in the Rio Grande Valley there is a | hundred miles south of here in the Rio Grande Valley there is a |
| humanitarian crisis unfolding that has been created by bad public | humanitarian crisis unfolding that has been created by bad public |
| policy, in particular the failure to secure the border,” he said. | policy, in particular the failure to secure the border,” he said. |
| Obama’s open-minded tone towards Perry comes even though the Texas governor | Obama’s open-minded tone towards Perry comes even though the Texas governor |
| has made a habit of placing the blame for the problems squarely on | has made a habit of placing the blame for the problems squarely on |
| the president’s shoulders. “I don’t believe he particularly | the president’s shoulders. “I don’t believe he particularly |
| cares whether or not the border of the United States is secure,” | cares whether or not the border of the United States is secure,” |
| Perry told ABC News last Sunday. On Monday Perry declined an offer | Perry told ABC News last Sunday. On Monday Perry declined an offer |
| to meet Obama for what the governor termed “a quick handshake on | to meet Obama for what the governor termed “a quick handshake on |
| the tarmac”, instead suggesting the pair hold a “substantive | the tarmac”, instead suggesting the pair hold a “substantive |
| meeting”. | meeting”. |
| In fact Perry did turn up at | In fact Perry did turn up at |
| Dallas/Fort Worth international airport to shake the president’s | Dallas/Fort Worth international airport to shake the president’s |
| hand at the bottom of Air Force One’s steps, but also got a chance | hand at the bottom of Air Force One’s steps, but also got a chance |
| to talk with him – at least for as long as it took the Marine One | to talk with him – at least for as long as it took the Marine One |
| helicopter to fly them across Dallas to the city’s other airport, | helicopter to fly them across Dallas to the city’s other airport, |
| Love Field. As they exited Obama gestured to Perry to get into the | Love Field. As they exited Obama gestured to Perry to get into the |
| presidential limousine, which took them to a roundtable discussion | presidential limousine, which took them to a roundtable discussion |
| about border issues with local officials and religious leaders. | about border issues with local officials and religious leaders. |
| Perry is stepping down as Texas | Perry is stepping down as Texas |
| governor after November’s election. As he mulls over a fresh | governor after November’s election. As he mulls over a fresh |
| presidential bid, the crisis has given him a national platform on a | presidential bid, the crisis has given him a national platform on a |
| key issue for Republicans as he seeks to rehabilitate his image after | key issue for Republicans as he seeks to rehabilitate his image after |
| his failed 2012 campaign. | his failed 2012 campaign. |
| Framing the situation as a | Framing the situation as a |
| “humanitarian crisis” of Obama’s making allows Perry to look | “humanitarian crisis” of Obama’s making allows Perry to look |
| tough as he plays to core conservative themes – border security and | tough as he plays to core conservative themes – border security and |
| opposing the Obama administration – without adopting the sort of | opposing the Obama administration – without adopting the sort of |
| hardline anti-immigrant rhetoric that is popular among Texas | hardline anti-immigrant rhetoric that is popular among Texas |
| Republicans but risks offending the state’s large Hispanic | Republicans but risks offending the state’s large Hispanic |
| population. | population. |
| His 2012 campaign was derailed by | His 2012 campaign was derailed by |
| his infamous “oops” moment and undermined by a perhaps surprising | his infamous “oops” moment and undermined by a perhaps surprising |
| moment of empathy: his staunch defence of a 2001 Texas law giving | moment of empathy: his staunch defence of a 2001 Texas law giving |
| in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants, when he upset many | in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants, when he upset many |
| conservatives by saying: “If you say that we should not educate | conservatives by saying: “If you say that we should not educate |
| children who have come into our state for no other reason than | children who have come into our state for no other reason than |
| they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think | they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think |
| you have a heart.” | you have a heart.” |
| Perry sent a letter to Obama [PDF] as | Perry sent a letter to Obama [PDF] as |
| far back as May 2012 asking him to solve the problem of | far back as May 2012 asking him to solve the problem of |
| unaccompanied minors crossing the border. He campaigned heavily on | unaccompanied minors crossing the border. He campaigned heavily on |
| the issue of border security during his successful 2010 gubernatorial | the issue of border security during his successful 2010 gubernatorial |
| re-election bid, claiming that Texas was taking action to reduce | re-election bid, claiming that Texas was taking action to reduce |
| crime along the border while the federal government had faltered. | crime along the border while the federal government had faltered. |
| Last month he issued a statement | Last month he issued a statement |
| saying Texas would spend up to $1.3m per week to beef up | saying Texas would spend up to $1.3m per week to beef up |
| border security. | border security. |
| Texas’s Republican US senators, | Texas’s Republican US senators, |
| Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, criticised Obama on Wednesday for visiting | Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, criticised Obama on Wednesday for visiting |
| the state yet opting not to go to the border. “He’s visiting | the state yet opting not to go to the border. “He’s visiting |
| Democratic fat-cats to collect cheques and apparently there's no time | Democratic fat-cats to collect cheques and apparently there's no time |
| to look at the disaster, at the devastation that's being caused by | to look at the disaster, at the devastation that's being caused by |
| his policies,” Cruz said on the Senate floor. | his policies,” Cruz said on the Senate floor. |