FOX: I see some Americans sitting on their couch watching TV and hearing Vicente Fox saying we’re going to open up that border to people. Wow, that’s a shock. But I think it will have wisdom. If we have a long-term view, we can accomplish that.
DONALDSON: At some point, would you like to see a totally open border?
FOX: Yes, 10 years from now.
DONALDSON: I mean, people come across whenever they want?
FOX: Yes, sir. Like it’s happening in Canada and the United States. Why not Mexico and United States? [LA note: Fox is using the same argument as GWB about the Dubai ports deal: what reason could there be there to favor Britain over UAE?]
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DONALDSON: So, 10 years from now an open border, back and forth just like Canada and the United States. Are you for that?
BUSH: Well, I haven’t talked to President-elect Fox yet. I’d like to hear—you know I’d like to hear—I’m sure you did a fine job of asking him questions, but I’d like to hear from him what exactly he means. We can’t have open borders right now. And I’m not sure we could ever have open borders. The United States must enforce its border. I’m not sure if Mr. Fox was talking about, you know, traffic back and forth within the region.
As Fox had already said “what exactly he means” there is nothing more Bush needed to hear. Bush wonders if Fox means “back and forth within the region” as if Mexicans, who make a joke of the visible boundary, are going to restrain themselves from traveling beyond some invisible boundary defining the region. I guess we know what Fox will be asking for in Cancun when Bush meets with him there this month as Fox’s 10 year plan has only four years remaining.