"With the economy likely to improve over the next two years, President Obama has a real chance to be re-elected in 2012. But for that to happen, he needs the vast majority of Hispanic Americans to vote for him because he has lost so much independent support. The Republicans also need Hispanic American voters in states like Colorado, New Mexico and Florida. Thus immigration reform becomes perhaps the most important issue facing both parties. The issue is complicated and emotional - you can't have more than 10-million illegal aliens without unintended consequences, and the vast majority of illegal narcotics come over the southern border. This week we also learned that more than one-million foreign born people have found jobs since the recession began, and about 35% of them are illegal aliens, which obviously impacts the unemployment rate. There is no immigration reform legislation on the table, but you can be sure that President Obama will drive the issue soon. The Republican Party should be ready with its own plan, and that will be tricky because many conservative Americans want tough border controls and a crackdown on illegals working in the USA. In the end, it will take a creative piece of legislation to stop the madness. That will be incredibly difficult, but the outcome may determine who the next president is."

Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs agreed that Hispanic Americans will be a crucial voting bloc in 2012. "I think you're absolutely right," Dobbs said, "but you and I may disagree over who those Hispanic Americans are. People overlook the fact that almost 40% of Hispanic Americans voted for Republicans on November 2nd, and the reality is that Hispanics are not any more monolithic than whites or anyone else." Dobbs delineated the staggering cost of illegal immigration. "There is one study showing that one-million new immigrants pushed native-born workers out of jobs, and this occurred during a time when 6-million Americans lost their jobs. So let's have an honest and empirically-based debate in this country. The American people are sick of the nonsense!"

The Factor elicited another view of the immigration issue from FNC's Geraldo Rivera. "I just interviewed Jeb Bush," Rivera said, "the former Republican Governor of Florida. He got 60% of the Hispanic Democratic vote because he's a reasonable man who has a traditional Republican view on immigration, that it's necessary to the vitality of American business and our future. These are the young, strong, brown backs that will carry the nation forward. The tone of the immigration debate has been vile and obscene; it has offended Hispanic people from every corner of this country." The Factor differentiated between legal immigrants and those who cross the border illegally: "I want a very robust legal immigration program because I agree that we need to have this labor, but it has to be legal."

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who claimed "right wing rhetoric" was partially to blame for the Tucson murders may be recalled by Pima County voters. Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce explained why he supports a recall petition. "There are tough hurdles for a recall," Pearce said, "but Sheriff Dupnik has inserted himself and inflamed the issue. He called his constituents and the citizens of Arizona racists and bigots because they want the laws enforced and the border secured. In addition to that, he has refused to enforce the immigration law, which is a violation of his oath of office and he has also jeopardized the case against Jared Loughner. Voters are now saying, oops, maybe we made a mistake." The Factor predicted that Dupnik will be made to answer for his incendiary behavior: "You need 90,000 signatures for a recall and you're going to get them. There will then be a new election."

A new poll shows Mike Huckabee leading the field among prospective Republican presidential candidates, followed closely by Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. The Factor asked Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace to assess the Republican field. "A lot of liberals think that Fox News is going to anoint the Republican nominee," Wallace said, "and that it's going to be one of the three people who are Fox News contributors - Huckabee, Palin, and Gingrich. But I think it's exactly the opposite, that they enjoy working at Fox, they get a nice paycheck, and they're able to get their views across. If you had asked me six months ago, I would have said that Huckabee is absolutely not going to run, but he continues to do so well in these polls and there's a chance he will run. But I still don't think Sarah Palin is going to run. Her numbers among independents are just terrible."

The Factor invited Glenn Beck to opine on President Obama's lavish state diner in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao. "If you were going over to somebody's house who owed you a ton of money," Beck surmised, "wouldn't you go down a level from what you can afford? The guest would say, look, if you're having the stuffed potatoes and lobster and rib eye, you don't need my money. What are you blowing my money on? And I love the fact that Hu came on an Air China commercial airliner, while we fly over there with 14 planes and 700 limousines with the presidential seal. We're the biggest debtor in the world, but Hu is the one flying commercial!" The Factor told Beck, "you and I were not invited because they didn't want Visigoths and Barbarians there."

FNC's Dagan McDowell and Arthel Neville wound up the week by picking the stupidest people and events. Neville nominated the folks who rode the New York City subway without pants. "I actually don't think it's dumb," Neville said, "I think it's amusing. This is called a flash mob, where you use social networking to get a group of random people to gather at a predetermined location and do these acts in order to get on YouTube. I didn't say I would do it, but I find it amusing." McDowell went with the group that blamed Michelle Obama for causing a spike in pedestrian deaths. "They say the First Lady's effort to fight obesity by getting people to walk more is one of the reasons more people are getting run over." The Factor singled out the government officials who designed a stretch of fence on the border with Mexico: "Two ladies climbed the fence in 18 seconds. Where is the barbed wire on top of the fence? In this country, as brilliant as private citizens are, the government is seriously idiotic."

Lisa Marlowe Covington, Alton, VA: "Mr. O, you asked if President Obama can control the far left. He is the far left."

Ashley Fabrizzi, Chicago, IL: "I am 15 and am glad MTV is being criticized for 'Skins.' The last thing we need is another show that casts teens as the trash of our country. Not all of us do that stuff."

Sean Portersfield, Hillsboro, NH: "I am 15 and while all teens don't do drugs and other pernicious activities, 'Skins' is a reflection of our culture."

Friday's Patriot or Pinhead: Barbra Streisand, who was asked why she was invited to this week's state dinner with the Chinese President. Her reply: "I worked in a Chinese restaurant." Was the songbird/diva/quipster's joke pinheaded or patriotic? It's your call here on BillOReilly.com. Thursday's P or P featured Fox & Friends' Gretchen Carlson, who let out a howl when a furry but friendly kinkajou jumped on her shoulder. 65% of you felt her reaction was patriotic ... and perfectly reasonable.