"Bush has lost touch with reality, arguing that guest worker/amnesty will reduce the incentive to cross the border...Too little, too late."

"The Senate needs to add specifics (especially on the fence) and get to the conference committee asap. There is no excuse for delay. Update: My interview with Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Julie Myers staggered me, undoing in a handful of minutes my confidence in the president's commitment to border security first. Either the president's team had not communicated effectively with sub-cabinet appointees about the fence, or the president doesn't really believe in the fence, because Assistant Secretary Myers is clearly not a proponent of the fence... It is all about the fence. The real fence."

"I've changed my mind about live-blogging the speech, but you may "live-comment," if so inclined. I think I'll read a book instead. Goodnight."

"He had his chance...and he blew it. He should have given the speech I told him to. As soon as he started talking about guest worker programs and the impossibility of deporting 11 million illegals, it was all over. President Bush keeps trying to find the middle ground, on this and many other issues. But sometimes, there isn't a viable middle ground. This is one of those instances..."

"Give me a few minutes to digest this, and I'll be back, but my initial reaction is that Bush just split the Republican Party."

"So we must ask: If things have gotten so bad in the most recent two years despite the actions initiated in 2004 that Bush is now calling out the National Guard, is that a confession of failure of the measures detailed above, including especially those high-tech measures that were again presented tonight as the key to protecting our borders?"

"El Presidente is speaking now, and every word coming out of his mouth is a lie. He is trying to bait-and-switch us yahoos into buying an unprecedented sell-out of America to Mexico."

"My prediction: Over the next few weeks, lots of back-and-forth with Congress (this is an opening bid), ending with no guest worker program and with a slightly-less-open amnesty path to citizenship."

"I have to say I found little wrong with it. The president's insistence on both goals - border security and gradual legalization of millions of illegal immigrants already here - makes sense to me. His eschewal of inflammatory rhetoric was welcome. His enthusiasm for immigration and his empathy with immigrants are genuine, it seems to me. The rhetoric wasn't inspiring, but it wasn't pedestrian either. In all this, he was doing what a president should do: try and bring factions together for a constructive and comprehensive reform."

"...instead of liveblogging tonight's speech, we're going to liveblog Bush's September 21, 2001 speech to the joint session of Congress, changing all the 'terrorist' stuff to 'illegal aliens.'"

"Is he insane? This is the same speech he's delivered countless times. Does he expect a different result? Is he intentionally trying to drive his popularity down to 20%?"

"It is sad to see so many millions so desperate for a better life! But this doesn't mean we open our borders, and it does not mean we stop enforcing our laws. I'll take this moment to remind readers to get involved in making a difference in Latin America. Join your local church mission trips, AND financially support other missionaries or relief charities."

"A decent speech that should be a reminder to all that no matter what you think of him, President Bush has never been gone nasty (remember how Bill Clinton always demonized, complained and whined about his political opponents?)"

"The ones who are here. 'This is amnesty and I oppose it.' Middle ground. This is where I part ways. Wait in line behind those who play by the rules, but not make them leave? I'll need some details before I swallow that..."

"Minute Men, these people are heroes and I feel like Bush as portrayed them as vigilantes and turned over their location to the Mexican government. Hey George, are you the Prez of the USA or Mexico? Maybe you should figure that out."

"This was an excellent speech. A home run! The speech basically spoke to five specific issues and maybe it would be best if I took them one at a time..."

"Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think any other issue — save perhaps for out-of-control federal spending — implicates the future cohesion of the Republican coalition as much as this issue. It's worth talking about..."

"While not a very compelling speech, Bush outlined a moderate compromise. The elements on the right that want to deport every illegal immigrant won't be pursuaded by the speech, but they were never the audience that Bush wanted to convince. The question I am left with, is will those on the left (particularly those blinded with anti-Bush hatred) get behind this moderate policy?"

"Bush confirmed that the National Guard will be hands off. Just eyes and ears. UAVs! Some contractor feels good. Catch and release is over. Good. As of when?"

"Well, absolutely nothing new tonight. The usual, typical canards..."

"The down the middle pitch does not fly across the plate with me! It is like a lame John F Student Kerry pitch [sic]! "

"It was a pretty good speech and I agree with much of it. A secure border, comprehensive immigration reform, a limited amnesty/legalization for those who have been here for an extended time, and assimilation/acculturation are all things I think make plenty of sense."

"...the complaint that I and many others have about President Bush on this issue is that he is not just one man bravely fighting this battle against entrenched bureaocracy and thirty years of bad policy and a corrupt Congress. No. He is actively working against any efforts to slow the invasion. He's already apologizing for the illegals. They’re outside the "reach and protection" of American law only because they choose to be."

"This was not an impressive speech. He said he'd send the National Guard to the border for a year, where they wouldn't be actually apprehending any illegals, but everything else is this same old same old. So, in my view, this isn't even an olive branch to people who are serious about defending this border and dealing with illegal immigration. Overall grade for the speech: F"

"'To secure our border we must create a temporary worker program.' While I agree with the policy, it's absurd to think this adds to our security. He's right that it would have a whole lot of anciliary benefits. Oddly, exactly the same benefits would acrue from legalizing illicit drugs that are smuggled across our border..."

"We will not militarize the border. Catch and release is not acceptable. Jobs Americans won't do!!! Drink!!!"

"Not militarizing the border; 'Mexico is our neighbor and friend'--- Our friend needs to remember to mow his lawn and take care of his property, a fence would help."

"This was the speech that we needed to hear from the president. Absolutely. This presented a rational, clear problem definition as well as a well-outlined solution. This speech has the potential to unite not only the House on this issue, but also the Senate and actually produce some results. This speech was the necessary statement that clearly communicated the very things that most people want."

"I give Bush an F Told us almost nothing new....6K National Guard troops does not warrant a primetime speech from the Oval Office. He did nothing to win over conservatives who want him to get serious. He proposed nothing that will even begin to solve the problem."

"All in all, a short and sweet speech that tries to put Bush firmly above the fray and on the middle ground. I have a feeling that it will give the President a bit of a bounce, just for speaking out on the issue."

"Working with Mexico? What shall we do, print their step-by-step pamphlets at no cost? Have the Guard notify the Mexican Government of their positions? This is absolutely laughable."

"THE PRESIDENT HAS BLOWN IT. He just couldn’t bring himself to endorse a real, long fence."

"Outlining the five points and appealing to Congress to pass a strong bill isn't making me feel like Bush understands what the majority of America wants to see happen. Secure the border now. Send the illegals back home."

"President Bush tried reaching for the center -- a position he has occupied on this issue all along. He tried a one-from-column-A, two-from-column-B approach that probably will leave all sides more or less dissatisfied. His declaration that catch-and-release would end was the most welcome news in the entire speech. He delivered that well and sounded forceful and presidential, but most people will wonder why this practice didn't end on September 12, 2001."

"This seems to be a pro immigrant speech...Too little too late, same crap...."

"When he talks about a period of transition from National Guard soldiers patrolling the border to handing it off to the Border Patrol, it sounds like the Border Patrolization of the borders much as we are trying to hand off the policing of Iraq in an Iraqification policy there."

"I only wish there was more details on the fence and I would, personally, like to see the border permanently monitored by the military, not a temporary stint by the National Guard..."

"To some extent, the President fudged the distinction between "virtual security," (that is, the "high tech fences" that he prescribed for urban areas) versus the "barriers" that would be directed toward rural areas. It matters how much of which goes where -- and just how that determination will be made and exactly what it means isn't clear. The fact that he alluded to "manpower and technology" at the speech's outset doesn't engender a lot of confidence that he's thinking in terms of substantial, numerous physical impediments. This matters -- but we'll have to wait and see."

"It's just more boob-bait for the bamboozled Bushbots. But there is no more substance to it than Bush's miraculously vanishing '10,000 new border patrol officers,' or his 'high tech fence' made out of 100 percent all-American vapor. (Imported from Red China)."

"That was stupid."

"Bush's position on immigration seems surprisingly reasonable to me. But it's still kind of fun watching him bob and weave and choose his words with such delicate care in order to avoid the 'first fully televised political suicide in history,' courtesy of the wingnut base he's spent his life pandering to."

"In an effort to find middle ground in the debate over illegal immigration, President George Bush followed last night's nationally-televised speech with an announcement this morning that the U.S.-Mexican border would be moved up to Missouri..."

"Eh. An uninspired attempt to buy off immigration conservatives with a temporary National Guard deployment and talk of 'technologically advanced' border security. If conservatives are impressed by this, they're the cheapest dates around."