N.M. Gov. Responds to Bush in Spanish

Associated Press | Tuesday, January 20, 2004 | By BARRY MASSEY

[JohnHuang2]

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Gov. Bill Richardson, in a nationally televised Spanish-language speech, said Tuesday that President Bush's policies have failed to help Hispanics.

In a Democratic National Committee-sponsored response to the president's State of the Union speech, Richardson said nearly 300,000 Hispanics have lost jobs since Bush took office.

The governor's speech was broadcast by the Univision television network immediately after the president's address.

Richardson said Bush used ``very optimistic and positive words to describe'' many of the nation's problems.

``But unfortunately, he has failed to give us solutions, and he has lost numerous opportunities to present a plan that attacks our most serious problems,'' Richardson said in a translation of the speech released by his office.

The governor said Bush had ``taken a small step forward'' with an immigration proposal, but the temporary worker program ``does not help immigrant workers to obtain the golden dream: legalization and residency without impunity.''

``Instead of being a way to a better life, the Bush plan represents a dead-end for immigrants, who after three years don't have a guarantee they'll be able to stay,'' he said. ``The only thing they have to look forward to is the threat of deportation.''

Richardson's speech comes as Democrats and Republicans are courting Hispanics, now the nation's largest minority group.

``If we do not register and vote, the two parties will not continue to pay attention to us. This presidential election is more important than ever before,'' Richardson said.

Richardson, who served as energy secretary and U.N. ambassador in the Clinton administration, is the nation's only Hispanic governor.

01/20/04 23:04 EST

[dagnabbit]

Welcome to Quebec.

[annyokie]

Panderbear alert.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Richardson should have been grilled relentlessly about his holding open a UN ambassador's staff position for Monica Lewinski, and then interviewing her personally at her home, when he was up for confirmation as Energy Sec. under Clinton. Why Frank Murkowski took a pass on that, I'll never understand.

[tapatio]

El gobernador Richardson, éste es los Estados Unidos no México.

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

Last time I checked the President is not beholden to one specific ethnic group.

[chance33_98]

Gov. Bill Richardson, in a nationally televised Spanish-language speech, said Tuesday that President Bush's policies have failed to help Hispanics

What? The hispanics need special help and consideration from the government? I thought the left derided racism and such? Imagine someone from the left dividing people up based on race. Who'd have thunk it...

[annyokie]

Of course not. I was referring to the opportunism shown by Gov. Richardson.

[mhking]

¿Dónde está el baño?

(Where's the bathroom?)

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[kristinn]

Si, senor. The pander game is on.

[cyborg]

yes because hearing this crap makes me want to throw up

[mylife]

"Chupa mi"....whoops better not go there

[mylife]

;^)

[hershey]

Absolutely appalling.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The governor said Bush had ``taken a small step forward'' with an immigration proposal, but the temporary worker program ``does not help immigrant workers to obtain the golden dream: legalization and residency without impunity.''

HowardDean JohnKerrying Hispanista!

[Muleteam1]

Note that Richardson says nothing about his Party's historical inability to create jobs in the poorest State in the Union. He's definately not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Muleteam1

[tapatio]

Alarma de Barf !

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Yo estoy ralfiendo!

[PattonReincarnated]

What about all the jobs created for illegal aliens under the Bush adminstration? I think that out weighs 300,000 jobs lost.