Posted on 08/21/2002 11:48:56 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan
Mexican-American political convention ends without presidential endorsementAssociated Press
BAKERSFIELD ---- The state convention of a key Mexican-American organization known for backing Democrats ended this weekend when leaders refused to endorse a presidential candidate and some attendees walked out. Despite speculation that Texas Gov. George W. Bush might get a nod from the group, the executive committee of the Mexican American Political Association voted privately Saturday to not endorse anyone because neither candidate was present or sent a video, as the organization's bylaws require.Representatives of both campaigns attended, however, and Bush backers said the committee's vote was simply an attempt to keep the Republican from getting the group's endorsement. Backers of Vice President Al Gore accused Bush's supporters of packing the California meeting with out-of-state people.
The heated conclusion to the convention followed speculation that Bush's efforts to build support among Latinos ---- and an increase in Republican membership within the organization ---- might pay off with an endorsement. Both candidates have focused on securing support from the nation's fastest-growing minority group, especially in California where minorities are now the majority.
MAPA, a 41-year-old nonprofit organization, is one of the oldest Latino political organizations in the country and historically has endorsed Democratic candidates. The organization encourages voter involvement and frequently speaks out on racial and immigration issues.
Some MAPA members and Gore campaign officials accused the Bush campaign of sending out-of-state Bush supporters to the meeting.
"The one thing that is obvious is that this is an effort by the Bush campaign to ambush the MAPA convention and endorsement program," said Jay Ziegler, California state director for the Gore campaign.
Bush supporters, who made up about half of the approximately 125 people in attendance, insisted they were MAPA members and that the group was unfairly prevented from backing Bush.
"Today we had in our count 80 percent Bush supporters," said Josh Valdez, a MAPA member from Chino and a Bush campaign volunteer. "The leadership of MAPA didn't want that so they went in to meet and decided not to endorse anyone. In our view, George W. Bush got the endorsement today."
Bush-backers walked out of the meeting clapping and chanting "Bush! Bush! Bush!" during an exchange between attendees over who the real members were and who had the right to speak.
"They were not delegates to this convention," Dolores Huerta, a MAPA founding member and co-founder of the United Farm Workers, told the Bakersfield Californian. "They can't go in and try to take over an organization."
A Bush campaign spokeswoman denied that there was a plan to pack the convention with out-of-state supporters but said some may have been present. Lindsey Kozberg, a Bush campaign spokeswoman, "But the materials I've reviewed didn't indicate it was a California-only event."
Roberto Rubio, MAPA chairman for Imperial County and a member of the executive committee, said he understood why the Bush supporters were upset, but said he felt the committee handled things the best way possible and hoped members would continue working together.
"I'm a very staunch Democrat. We have Republicans on our executive committee," Rubio said. "What I try to do in our organization is stay together. Even when there are differences in political beliefs, we stay together."
9/11/00
Here is a PARTIAL quote from an LAT obituary, from http://www.s-t.com/daily/06-02/06-22-02/zzzddobi.htm:
GEORGE SOTELO, MEXICAN ACTIVISTBut, of course, that was THEN, and their endorsement of Bill Simon is NOW...
By ELAINE WOO, Los Angeles TimesLOS ANGELES -- George Sotelo, an early crusader for Mexican American civil rights who helped launch influential advocacy groups in California, died June 12 of cancer at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 78...
-- snip --
...He was a founding member of the Mexican American Political Association, the advocacy group founded after World War II that helped elect Ed Roybal, the first California Latino in Congress, and was influential in obtaining appointments for Mexican Americans in the administrations of California Gov. Edmund G. (Pat) Brown and President Johnson...
-- snip --
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