White House eyes 2014 midterms in push for immigration reform -- By Susan Crabtree, The Washington Examiner

The Obama administration has found itself on the defensive over the botched Obamacare rollout and allegations of National Security Agency spying against allies.

But President Obama, fresh off the shutdown fight, is going on the offensive over immigration reform, seeing a chance to further split already-divided Republicans and boost Democrats ahead of the 2014 midterms.
Obama has urged lawmakers to deliver a bill to his desk by the end of the year.

A bipartisan Senate bill passed earlier this summer, but efforts in the House stalled with Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., opposing a comprehensive bill and Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, vowing to only push legislation backed by the GOP caucus.

The White House insists Obama “firmly believes” immigration reform can pass and the president is pushing his case.

Republicans, though, are skeptical of Obama’s commitment to negotiate with them on immigration, charging him with trying to score political points with Hispanic voters.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has said chances to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill this fall are all but dead and cited Republicans' “lack of trust” in Obama as the reason.

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