Republican Senate hopeful Marco Rubio's criticism of Arizona's law attempting to curb illegal immigration represented a break with many conservative base voters. It also highlights a spirited debate on the right over the law and immigration policy.
The Washington Examiner's Byron York says those, like Rubio, who have qualms about the Arizona law's "reasonable suspicion" language are ignoring the fact that the law allows police to act on that suspicion only if they have already initiated "lawful contact" with a person, such as for a traffic infraction.
But conservative operative and National Review contributor Cesar Conda says the law gives "enormous discretion" to police and will "cause more problems than it solves."
Conservative blogger Hugh Hewitt, meanwhile, says Rubio struck "exactly the tone national Republicans ought to take on the debate."
