Powerline:

"In response to a question I asked, McCain revisited the immigration battle, which he believes was a massive blow to his campaign. He attributes the political problem to his inability to convince people that the government would actually enforce our borders. Significantly, I think, McCain showed a good understanding of why people lacked that faith (he pointed to the 1986 experience, for example). He said that "next time" he'll include measures designed to create more confidence in enforcement, including perhaps a requirement that border state governors certify that enforcement is working before other elements of comprehensive reform go forward."

It's just amazing that McCain had no perception of the passion coming from the base about the necessity of border enforcement prior to any amnesty deal.