Ignoring McCain's immigration flip-flop, Fox's Carlson doubts "straight-talk guy" would "change his opinion"

During the February 8 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Geraldo Rivera, host of Fox News' Geraldo at Large, asserted that Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (AZ) discussed illegal immigration at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) "because ... this is a real man" who "faces these issues foursquare." Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson went on to say, "It's a tough call for him, 'cause he's a straight-talk guy. I don't think he'll change his opinion." In fact, McCain's current support for securing the border first represents a reversal of his prior position that border security "must be accompanied by immigration reforms" such as a temporary worker program.

From the February 8 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): I want you to hear John McCain refer to immigration yesterday at CPAC. Let's listen.

[begin video clip]

McCAIN: Surely I have held other positions that have not met with widespread agreement from conservatives. I won't pretend otherwise, nor would you permit me to forget it. On the issue of illegal immigration, a position which --

[booing from the audience]

[end video clip]

DOOCY: OK. And he's the guy now.

RIVERA: But let me give him and -- you know how I feel about John McCain.

DOOCY: He brought it up.

RIVERA: You know how I feel about John McCain, and he brought it up because he's -- this is a real man. I mean, he's got guts, and he faces these issues foursquare, but if that party, as led by him, if he tilts to the right on the issue, and he becomes a Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, Mitt Romney, they're going to lose, because --

CARLSON: I don't think about --

RIVERA: It's 10 percent of the electorate come November -- Latinos, bigger than ever.

CARLSON: It's a tough call for him, 'cause he's a straight-talk guy.

DOOCY: Right.

CARLSON: I don't think he'll change his opinion.

—J.H.