Obama strikes a chord of shared identity with Latinos

OC Register ^ | July 13, 2008 | MARTIN WISCKOL

[forkinsocket]

San Diego For many Latinos on hand for Barack Obama on Sunday, attraction to the Democratic presidential candidate went beyond policy issues to the matter of identity.

"He's closer to our community," said immigrant Pietro Ferrari after hearing Obama address the National Council of La Raza at its conference in San Diego.

"He gives me the sense of somebody who has emerged without privilege," said Ferrari. "He understands immigration first hand. And he understands the promise of being American."

Obama was the first in the candidate line-up at the conference for La Raza – the country's largest advocacy group for Latino Americans -- with John McCain scheduled to address the group Monday.

While Obama echoed many of themes he's delivered to two other national Latino organizations in the past three weeks, he also unveiled a new proposal to give health-care tax breaks to small businesses.

But he started the speech to a standing-room crowd of nearly 2,000 by trying to cement his connections to the Latino community. And the audience had been warmed up to the theme by La Raza President Janet Murguía, whose introduction pointed out that Obama has worked with group on issues of the housing crisis, health care, and immigration reform.

[forkinsocket]

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[gedeon3]

Maybe with the ignorant, or the America hating latinos. He will never get the vote of this American(so called latino); nor will he get the vote from anyone in my family.

[skeeter]

I can see why Obama is the number one choice among non-Americans.

[puroresu]

So much for John McCain’s belief that he could win the Latino vote. The Stupid Party blows it again.

[Misterioso]

"Now we're closing ranks," said Antonio Ayala, a 60-year-old immigrant who lives in Perris. "We can identify with him because he understands immigrants and he's not a white person.

White candidates need not apply. The complete Balkanization of America is finished. Bye bye to the Constitution.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

..."He's closer to our community tribe,"

[kabar]

The Republicans’ Hispanic Delusion: Amnesty is not just wrong in principle, it’s bad politics.

[freedomfiter2]

“He’s closer to our community,” said immigrant Pietro Ferrari

Obama is a law breaking racist?

[autumnraine]

Yep, and either way we get a whole lot of amnesty and reward for working under the system for years.

[B Knotts]

LOL...this is laughable.

[Be_Politically_Erect]

“So much for John McCain’s belief that he could win the Latino vote.”

Perhaps if McCain squeeks into the White House and realizes what a paltry percentage of ‘latino’ votes he received he’ll turn that temper of his towards the border and employers of illegals.

Doubt it.

[syriacus]

He understands immigration first hand

Correction:
Obama understands emigration first hand.

And neither of his parents stayed in the US much longer than they needed to.

His mother even said of Americans -- “They are not my people.”

[NewHampshireDuo]

“He’s closer to our community,” said immigrant Pietro Ferrari

Shouldn’t there be an adjective or two before “immigrant” like “illegal?”

[Caipirabob]

Obama strikes a chord of shared identity with Latinos

I don't know any Latinos personally who are yellow-bellied flip-floppers...

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I am probably going to get my thread pulled because I am telling the truth. (The gods forbid.)

Overall, and please pay attention to the word “overall,” Latins and Africans (blacks) do not trust one another (especially Latins towards African descendants). Certainly there are great personal friendships between them but they are two different cultures…very different indeed.

As for myself, so you don’t think I am being nasty, I have no Muslim or French friends.

One of my two dearest friends (sisters) were of West Indian descent. They are both dead now. I miss them very much.

Point is, BO trying to endear himself onto the (overall) Latin culture is not going to work.

[ut1992]

“He gives me the sense of somebody who has emerged without privilege,” said Ferrari. “He understands immigration first hand. And he understands the promise of being American.”

WTF!!!! Without privilege???

Hmmm....yeah, he was abandoned by his wacky mother and “playa” dad, raised by his middle-class white grandparents who sent him to a private school, then on to an Ivy League school, became a “community activist” (I still haven't figured out what exactly that is), winning a state election unopposed, wife made $300k a year being an “community outreach honcho (again...exactly what is that...and I want that job), to making millions on a book and on and on.

If that is without privilege, then my family came from absolute destitution.

[Stentor]

Point is, BO trying to endear himself onto the (overall) Latin culture is not going to work.

In a workplace I know of, a Latino women gets a lot of attention from black males. The sisters would crucify her if they could. Instead they are content with making her life a living hell. The thing that amazes me is that other Latinos are too damn chicken to come to her defense.

[popdonnelly]

When it comes to promising federal money, you can never outbid a Democrat.

The Republicans who are catering to the Latino vote are in for an unpleasant surprise. And by the way, according to various polls, 65 to 75 percent of the American public oppose amnesty.

[tvdog12345]

Obama’s latino too? Wow, he really is a magic negro.

[villagerjoel]

“he understands the promise of being American.”

What’s that? You get to sponge off the hard work of generations of citizens?

[D-fendr]

“overall,” Latins and Africans (blacks) do not trust one another

That's putting it very mildly.

Hillary killed the Dali Bama among latinos, there's a reason for that. This article is wishful thinking.

BO will do worse than the usual Dem in the hispanic vote.

[puroresu]

Bingo!