John McCain Has a Strong Showing at La Raza Unida Conference
This week Presidential hopefuls, John McCain and Barack Obama both appeared before the controversial La Raza Unida Conference in San Diego. (A complete set of videos of both candidates is on our magazine community page.)With recent polls showing a virtual tie and western states with significant Hispanic populations teeter-tottering on who they favor there is much at stake. Both candidates discussed the need for immigration reform and how their economic proposals would help Latinos. There was a however, a notable difference in their approach.
Senator Barack Obama , who spoke first, specifically refused to hold a town hall session with members of the audience attending the conference and even refused to be questioned by officers of La Raza in a public forum. The next day John McCain apologized to the audience for the “insults” to Hispanics from the Republican Party and discussed how he had almost committed political suicide by joining with Senator Ted Kennedy in sponsoring the failed comprehensive immigration reform after which he received a standing ovation. After his address he volunteered to to hold a town hall type meeting and take questions from the audience. In fact, according to Carla Marinucci of the San Francisco Chronicle, he walked away from his secret service agents right in to the crowd. He was asked questions about the “shame of raids that take children (American citizens) away from their parents (illegal aliens)” and whether immigration reform will come in one bill. He answered the questions and kindly asked the questioners if they had any follow-up.
Although I was not there, watching the video it seems to me that John McCain was being very sincere. He did not make promises in the clouds but pointed out a reasonable path for immigration reform. Mr. Obama still has a lot of work to do if he wants to get a majority of the Hispanic vote including learning to listen to Hispanics not just talk to them. John McCain, at least on this day, showed himself to be the “Maverick” we respect and perhaps took a step forward in winning more Hispanic votes.
