GOP needs to change policy, not message

>>> republicans still don't get it. they're still saying they lost the election because they had the wrong tone. they were atoal. okay. now i get it. dig army, one of the coke brother guys.

>> we had a lot of candidates, quite frankly , that did dumb things out there. we had at least two candidates that should have won that, frankly, lost because they said some stupid things on the subject that their party's leader should have schooled them to stay away from in the first place.

>> saying stupid nings. it's all about the message, not the policiepolicies. and we've heard it before. texas senator elect ted cruz said this quote. you want to know why obama won 71% of the hispanic vote? tone on immigration kriblted. but i think far more important was the 47%. that's what the word tone comes in again. i'm sure self deportation had nothing to do with it. and then there's carl-on-the-air-meltdown rove who said what splinters the republican party is intolerant jujtsmental language. judgmental language ? this tone thing is catching on with them.

>> they also don't need to be saying stupid things. we had candidates in indiana and missouri that said offensive things that not only hurt themselves but also hurt the republican party .

>> for anyone who wants to live their piece of the american dream , we have to show that they're serious about reaching out and helping everyone. not just a group here or there.

>> they have to show they're seersz. then start changing the policies, not the message. america is waiting. joining me now is a rise star in the democratic party . major julian castro . mr. major, it's a pleasure, first of all, having you on the show.

>> great to be with you, reverend.

>> why isn't the gop getting the message?

>> well, that's a good question. and you had a couple of clips there that are so indicative of where the party is right now. after the november 6 election, they recognize that there's a problem. and particularly because anywhere from 71-75% of the latino community voted for president obama . a high water mark since bill clinton 's reelection against bob dole in '96. they just don't know what to make of it. and the first thing they gravitate toward is this old line of having to change the tone or the message. what they're not getting is it's not just about changing the tone. it's not just about not talking ablt electrified fences and not being uncivil. it's also about fundamentally changing the policies that they embrace. being more willing to engage in conversations and discussions and actually get comprehensive reform done. get the dream act done. think about and include the latino community as part of the fabric, the family of the united states , which it clearly is and always has been, when they think about the latino community , you can tell that both in tone and in policy, they think of it as something foreign. and that's not the case at all. so they need to improve both the tone, but, more importantly, they need to change the policy behind the party.

>> talking about policy, the president is poised to make a push for immigration reform after the new year. the los angeles times reports, and i'm quoting, as soon as the confrontation over the fiscal policy winds down, the obama administration will begin an all-out drive for comprehensive immigration reform , including seeking a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants . we will see then where the repub lip cans are. what do you hope to see in the immigration reform if it is real and meaningful to bring us toward a better place in the country, mr. mayor?

>> my hope is that comprehensive immigration reform will be just that. it's going to be comprehensive. it's going to include additional mushes that we secure our borders. it's going to include ways to work with employers so that we ensure that fewer employers hire folks who are here undocumented. and, third u it's going to include a pathway to citizenship, to full citizenship, for the 11 or 12 million folks who are here who are undocumented, illegal, whatever term folks want to use. who i believe should be address addressed and we've heard in the last couple of weeks, some heartburn among republicans who are now just starting to consider the idea of comprehensive immigration reform as to whether they want to actually allow folks to become full-flejed citizens. right now, that seems to be the fault line . my hope is that enough republicans will see that they ought to allow a path to citizenship. find people. make sure they learn english. put them at the back of the line but ensure that there is a path to citizenship.

>> now, 6 2% of americans polled support that illegal immigrants can earn citizenship. and even since the election, we're seeing republicans have sounded far more pro-immigration than before. listen to this.

>> we need to have what is good economic policy for america on immigration. because we do need labor. we need skilled workers and unskilled workers.

>> obviously, we have to do immigration reform .

>> i think the comprehensive approach is long overdue. and i'm confident that the president, myself, others can find the common ground to take care of this issue once and for all.

>> now, when you hear what they were saying before the election, when you look back, mr. mayor, at the last couple of years with some very, very, in my opinion almost unpardonable legislation and immigration. now, we marched in arizona where immigration was really profiling. why do you think all of the sudden we're hearing a new tone? is it because the latino community seemingly striking at them and other immigrants?

>> it was a very important moment for the latino community because, for the first time, on a major issue, the latino community could see that the fact that it came out, that it turned out in the presidential election made a huge difference. it could make a huge difference in terms of the policy direction of this country, specifically on immigration reform . and it's night and day . i mean, you play their clips before the election and after the election. and, as folks say, elections have consequences. and one of the consequences is, and the republican party recognizes, is that they need to support comprehensive immigration reform . now, hopefully, they can work that out.

>> one of the things that i think you brought home during the democratic convention is the personal investment that many latino scitizens have and those that want to be in trying to attain the american dream . this is not something anti-american. this is pro-american by people that are citizens here. and want to see their families get what americans have promised the world. yeah, you know, so many times during these last couple of years for this immigration dewad debate has been raging. i've listened to americans talk about imgrants, in particular, latinos as though they're foreign and bring different values to the counsel tri. i represent san antonio . and we have latinos who have been here for generations. been serving in the military. been getting good education, they're professionals. they bring the same faith, the same values, the same work ethic that have made america great. in fact, they have been part of making america great. so, during this debate that we have in congress, i hope that folks will recognize that this community that they're talking about is a community that has been contributing greatly to the success of the united states . it's not a johnny-come-lately community .

>> mayor julian castro , thank you for your time tonight.

>>> ahead, newt gingrich on a hillary clinton run in 2016 . why he has his own party fuming today. glen beck is back. he may be joining forces with jim "i quit the senate" demint. what