It must have happened before. But I can’t think of another example of politics quite as weirdly comic as that developing around immigration reform. At least in recent years, the normal model is that both sides profess optimism and good will about finding a compromise when, in fact, they are either far apart on policy or simply don’t want to agree at all — usually both.

But here it’s just the opposite. Both sides want a bill. They actually want the same bill — or at least they’ve both signed on to the same bill. But there’s the problem, a political problem. Establishment Republicans feel they must support the immigration bill the President supports. But they need to convince the base of their party that they fought him like crazy to get it passed. That’s a challenge. Read More