Immigration back on the burner on Thursday, at least

(Washington) The White House conceded Monday that getting comprehensive immigration legislation on the President Obama's desk is going to be tricky under present circumstances."I can see the president's desire for it to happen, but understanding at the current -- currently where we sit, the math makes that more difficult than -- than the discussion," said press secretary Robert Gibbs.

The concession comes before a big meeting at the White House on the topic scheduled for Thursday. The meeting, which will bring together bipartisan members of Congress, has been twice postponed -- an indication that the economic crisis and the administration's big push for health care reform have trumped it.

Last Friday, Mr. Obama brought up the topic at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and reminded the audience that he is in fact committed to reform. "For those who wish to become citizens," Mr. Obama said, "we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical and promising way forward."

Gibbs characterizes Thursday's upcoming meeting as an "ongoing and continued conversation," and says Mr. Obama, "hopes that [immigration reform ] will happen soon, but doesn't have a crystal ball as to when that might happen."