So. Carolina Republicans cheer Romney’s opposition to amnesty bill, jeer Senator Graham’s support

The crowd at South Carolina's Republican convention cheered Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on Saturday when he criticized the amnesty legislation proposed by the Bush administration a group of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. Then they booed a key ally of U.S. Sen. John McCain who defended it.

They cheered when presidential candidate Romney told them: "One simple rule: No amnesty."

During his speech and before his remarks, Romney said the proposed new visa for immigrants amounts to amnesty if it can be renewed indefinitely."If that's not a form of amnesty, I don't know what is," Romney said.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) had worked directly on the bill, as had Hispanic immigration advocacy organizations such as La Raza and Maldef. When Graham explained his support for the bill to the So Carolina GOP crowd by saying “It's the best bill I think we can get to President Bush,” the crowd booed.