Obama: Immigration issue is being 'demagogued'

President Obama is holding a backyard discussion with residents in Albuquerque, New Mexico -- including a discussion of the tricky political issue of immigration.

12:26 p.m. -- Question time, the first from a woman who asks about changes in the immigration system, a big issue in New Mexico.

Obama again endorses "comprehensive immigration reform," which tighten the borders and create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already in the United States. But he expresses skepticism about legislation any time soon because "unfortunately, right now, this is getting demagogued." But he says a new immigration policy remains a priority.

Link.

From Wiki:

Demagogy or demagoguery (Ancient Greek: δημαγωγία, from δῆμος dēmos "people" and ἄγειν agein "to lead") is a strategy for gaining political power by appealing to the prejudices, emotions, fears and expectations of the public—typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist, populist or religious themes. What qualifies as demagogy has been the subject of debate and ambiguity since Aristophanes first used the term, in reference to Cleon.