President Bush returns to Washington after a weeklong, five-nation tour of Latin America that focused on improving relations, fighting drug trafficking and easing immigration tensions.
The president ended his tour trip in Mexico, after visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Guatemala. After talks with Mexico's President Calderon, Mr. Bush said he would press Democrats and Republicans to overhaul U.S. immigration law.
The president is hoping a measure will materialize by August. Calderon has been surprisingly blunt with President Bush — a departure from previous Mexican presidents.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bush couldn't leave Latin America without taking another question about his nemesis in the region: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
During the president's trip, the White House has insisted Chavez is not the big story. But the Venezuelan leader has tried to upstage Mr. Bush at every turn. He conducted his own tour of the region, doling out economic aid and accusing the U.S. president of plotting assassinations in Latin America.
But what dominated the talks between Mr. Bush and Calderon was immigration. After five and a half years in office, Mr. Bush said he's still fighting for a guest-worker plan that would help Mexicans who are in the U.S. illegally to obtain working status.
"I'm not a betting man," Mr. Bush said. "I don't like to bet, because when I do, I usually lose. But I'm an optimistic man in this case."
Calderon has sharply criticized Mr. Bush for approving new fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border. Today, Mr. Bush made the argument that beefing up security could win over lawmakers who are skeptical of a guest-worker program.
"Over the past year, I believe we have shown the American people there is a strong commitment to the rule of law," Mr. Bush said. "I think members of Congress are now feeling more comfortable."
Still, Mr. Bush offered no guarantees to Calderon. He noted that Congress is now controlled by Democrats, and that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) will now be leading the way for a Senate bill. In fact, Mr. Bush shifted some of the burden Kennedy's way.
"Senator Kennedy is one of the best legislative senators there is. He can get the job done," Mr. Bush said.
Calderon, for his part, fielded a prickly question from Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times.
It's been reported that you have relatives working in the United States," Dinan said. "What have you learned from their experiences? Do you know, do they want to become citizens? And do you know, are they there legally?"
Without getting into specifics, Calderon noted that he has family packing vegetables in the United States.
"These are people who work, and respect that country," the Mexican president said through an interpreter.
Calderon made it clear that while he supports Mr. Bush's guest-worker idea, he plans to focus elsewhere, on bringing Mexicans in the United States back home.
"We miss them. These are our best people," Calderon said. "These are bold people, they're young, they're strong, they're talented."
Calderon may have lowered his expectations for a guest-worker program in the United States. After all, his predecessor, Vicente Fox, had to explain to Mexicans why he was never able to produce such a program — despite what had been a cozy relationship with Mr. Bush.
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