State Senate leader: 'You've got all these crackers down in San Diego'

UNION-TRIBUNE

5:22 p.m. August 3, 2006

SACRAMENTO – Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata Thursday discussed the difficult political climate surrounding illegal immigration and as an example said “You've got all these crackers ... down in San Diego.”

At a briefing with reporters, the Oakland Democrat was asked about the prospects of pending legislation to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Though a similar bill has passed the Legislature before – only to be vetoed – Perata said he was cautious about moving the current bill to the governor's desk in an election year.

“Immigration is a red meat issue,” he said. “You've got all these crackers down in Southern Cal – ah, where is it, San Diego, taking on the governor. Even the governor was shocked.”
The Senate leader was referring to a town hall-style event the governor held in La Mesa last week as he kicked off a Southern California bus tour. The governor was confronted by several angry people in the audience who accused Schwarzenegger of being soft on illegal immigration because he favors comprehensive federal legislation that includes a guest-worker program and path to citizenship for many people here illegally.

Later, the governor admitted he was surprised by the “intensity of the prejudice” of some of the more strident opponents.

Perata held the Capitol news conference Thursday to discuss numerous issues he expects legislators to deal with when they return from summer break Monday before they wrap up the session for the year in three weeks. But most of what he said was overshadowed by his comments related to illegal immigration.

Referring to those who faced off with the governor last week, Perata said “those aren't the people I represent. But there is no point in getting into a pitched, vocal battle with these people.”

He added that, “I think the bill on its merits should be passed into law. Now that is different from the political climate. My responsibility is to look at all things, including in an election year, the political climate. I don't want to give undue advantage in an election year to people I believe do not have the best interest of this democracy at heart, and some of those people that I intemperately call crackers fall into that category.”

His office later issued a clarification, though not an apology.

“Next time I come to Sacramento in August I'll be sure to run the air conditioner,” Perata said in a statement.

“I want to clarify something I said earlier today. While I am concerned about the coarse and divisive tone used by a small minority in the driver's license debate, I believe that the vast majority on both sides are people of good will.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20060803-1722-bn03perata.html