by Alex Meneses Miyashita
Duncan Hunter
Republican presidential candidates failed to provide convincing or clear answers on issues of key importance to Latinos during an Univisión sponsored debate at 7the University of Miami Dec. 9.
Immigration was its central issue, with instant interpretation provided for the network’s Spanish-speaking audience.
Participating were Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Ron Paul, John McCain, and Duncan Hunter.
In spite of pointed questioning by anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas, the seven presidential contenders used the 90-minute forum to stress the need for border security but offered little else in specifics on how to resolve the nation’s immigration dilemma.
Fred Thompson
The general reaction was given voice by Democratic National Committee spokesperson Luis Miranda.
“They seem unable to deal with the possibility of doing anything other than forcing the 12 million (undocumented) people who are here to self-deport,” Miranda told Weekly Report. “They refuse to acknowledge that the undocumented immigrants who are already here have three million children.”
Univisión sponsored a debate by Democrats Sept. 9, with somewhat similar concerns expressed about straight answers.
John McCain
Miranda also claimed the GOP candidates promised to “continue more of the failed policies of the Bush Administration. Whether it was on Iraq, healthcare or education, they essentially promised to stay the course.”
Republican Hispanic National Assembly chair Danny Vargas offered another perspective, saying the candidates “were able to talk about values we share in common,” such as family, education and opportunity.
“We’ve got some great candidates who have a wealth of experience and are able to talk about issues that are important to the Hispanic community,” he said.
The GOP candidates concurred on securing the nation’s borders before addressing other immigrationrelated issues.
Mitt Romney
Giuliani said he sup ports physical and technological barriers along the border.
Romney called for an employment verification system.
Only Huckabee explicitly stated favoring a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants so long as they go to the back of the line and border security has been dealt with.
McCain, who introduced legislation to legalize the undocumented in the past, did not state a position other than to say the issue should be dealt with compassionately.
Ron Paul
Hunter said legalization would only create a new wave of unauthorized migration.
The candidates avoided answering whether they supported keeping some three million U.S.-born children and their undocumented: parents together.
Asked about anti-Latino sentiment as a result of the immigration debate, they referred back to securing the borders. Hunter said Latinos do not want permeable borders.
They praised the community’s participation in the military throughout the debate. Only Paul favored an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Rudy Giuliani
He received boos when he called for opening dialogue with Venezuela and Cuba.
Absent were Alan Keyes and Tom Tancredo.
Tancredo explained, “Bilingualism is a great asset for any individual but it has perilous consequences for a nation. As such, a Spanish debate has no place in a presidential campaign.
Huckabee called it a much bigger risk not to have participated at all. Hispanic Link.
