by Luis Carlos López & Charlie Ericksen
For those with stunted memories: as the presidential primaries began unfolding in 2008, Hillary Clinton was the Hispanic candidate of choice. When Barack Obama became the Democratic Party’s standard- bearer, some Eastern pundits questioned whether Mexican-American voters could get really excited about a black candidate.
They found out. Lopsided Hispanic majorities in swing states proved decisive in Obama’s historic elevation to the White House. Crucial in their trust was Obama’s “guarantee” — his own chosen, oft-repeated word — that, if elected, he’d drive a bill through Congress in his first year as occupant of the Casa Blanca.
His effort wasn’t a convincing one, and he blamed his failure on the Republicans.
A Gallup Poll last month showed who Hispanics are coming to believe. Their support for Obama dropped 12 points since January and an unhappy 21 points for those interviewed in Spanish.
President Obama’s July 1 speech on immigration reform at American University — his first since taking office — introduced nothing new. It drew reactions that ran the gamut from ridicule to fawning praise. Not unexpectedly, most Latino leaders continued to profess their trust in the President’s ability to usher, eventually, something through Congress.
“What you won’t see is us throw more dirt on our president. We are disillusioned, but we are not going to throw in the towel,” said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, spokesperson for The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.
Other leaders moved in lockstep to protect Obama’s back,
Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund president Thomas Saenz offered, President Obama has reaf- firmed the urgency of enacting progressive immigration reform…”
National Council of La Raza president Janet Murguía called the address “a necessary step in the right direction (but) speech alone is not enough.
Center for Community Change executive director Deepak Bhargava; “This is the kind of strong leadership on immigration reform we’ve needed to see and hear from the President…”
William C. Velásquez Institute president Antonio González: “A down payment on immigration reform…This represents a path to success in the near term and a needed addition to the President’s views…”
League of United Latin American Citizens Rosa Rosales signed off on a press release stating, “LULAC praises the President’s efforts being done on getting comprehensive immigration reform passed…”
The President’s speech was terrific,” critiqued pro-immigration America’s Voice executive director Frank Sharry. “He has engaged the country in a long overdue debate, and made the choice clear…”
Hispanic columnists weren’t nearly so generous. Esther Cepeda of Chicago led off after Obama’s speech, “I wish I could get the last 45 minutes of my life back.
Andy Porras, publisher of the journal Califas in Northern California, quoted Obama the candidate on “fixing” immigration: “I cannot guarantee that it’s going to be in the first 100 days. But what I can guarantee is that we will have in the first year an immigration bill that I strongly support and that I’m promoting and that I want to move it forward as quickly as possible.”
Porras added: “That first year has long come and gone, and there is no such bill in sight.”
Finally, Hispanic Link/ Scripps-Howard syndicate columnist José de la Isla: ”Weren’t Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan a whole lot more effective at getting things moving? It’s hard to tell what difference (Obama’s speech) makes, except of course to those who make a living from delay politics, checkmate rhetoric and blaming the other side for inaction.”
As another advocate framed the Hispanic dilemma: “With Republicans already kissing Hispanics off, he’s the only game in town for us.” Hispanic Link.
(López and Ericksen are Washington-based editors with Hispanic Link News Service, Email: carlo se@hispaniclink.org)
