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With both sides eying one of the fastest-growing blocs in the American electorate, President Barack Obama's re-election campaign on Wednesday announced an aggressive outreach to Latino voters, pushing Democrats' reform proposals and casting Mitt Romney as "extreme" on immigration issues.
Not only do Latinos account for 16 percent of the total U.S. population, they are also a formidable presence in many of the swing states like Colorado, and Arizona that could make the final difference in November. Obama campaign deputy manager Stephanie Cutter discusses.
The new "Latinos for Obama" effort includes on-the-ground volunteer and staff outreach as well as Spanish-language ads slated to air in heavily Hispanic swing states Colorado, Florida, and Nevada.
Backers of the president hope that Romney's embrace of Arizona's controversial immigration law as well as his pledge to oppose the DREAM Act -- which would offer a path to citizenship for some children who were brought to the United States illegally at an early age -- will mobilize Latinos against the presumptive Republican nominee.
"This election is an opportunity in this country for the Latino community to send a message," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., on a conference call announcing the new push. "The reality is that we look at this as the civil rights issue of our time."
Opposition to the DREAM Act is "insulting" to Hispanic families, added San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who -- echoed by campaign manager Jim Messina -- labeled Romney's positions "the most extreme nominee that the Republican party has ever had on immigration."
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida has pushed for a "conservative alternative" to the DREAM Act, which would allow some young illegal immigrants to stay in the United States but would prevent them from attaining citizenship. Messina said Wednesday that the president has been focused on reviving the original legislation, which failed in the Senate by a narrow margin late in 2010, but added that the White House would work to "find common ground" with those on the other side of the aisle.
The Republican National Committee announced its own Latino-focused program earlier this week, launching community outreach directors in Florida, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia. A key part of their message, said chairman Reince Priebus, is to highlight the impact the nation's sluggish economy has on the Hispanic community.
Hispanic voters favored Obama over Republican John McCain by an almost 2-1 margin in the 2008 presidential election. Nationally, the Hispanic vote in 2008 rose to 9 percent of the electorate, up from 8 percent in 2004, but turnout jumped by five points in swing states Colorado and Nevada and by nine points in New Mexico.
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Yeah it is amazing, there was no illegal immigration problem before 2008.
There was no "socialist" entitlements before 2008.
The economy was thriving the whole time GW Bush was in office.
The two wars weren't on the books, so no problem there.
The Bush tax cut's weren't payed for, as well as medicare part D, but hey let's just pass those debts on and blame Obama.
This convenient amnesia only fools the loyal faux noise viewers, these aren't the drones your looking for, move along! LOL
While you are humming please feel free to use the "spell check" feature on Newsvine.
I believe Obama and the Dimocrats extended the Bush Tax cuts? So when does Obama become President and stop trying to blame the past administration for his failures?
Pelosi and Reid ran the congress, remember? The GOP was thrown out in '08. the Dem's in '10 and '12.
Mr. Obama, as they say in golf. Advance the ball. It's not your caddies fault, the clubs has been in your hands.
People that use the anonymity of the Internet to pose as U.S. Military veterans are disgusting. They do a real disservice to the REAL veterans.
Therman.....you disgust me for tell a vet he is a disservice to other vets because he doesn't kneel at obama's alter. I don't know what service you were in ....cost guard.... but you didn't learn anything when you were there.
whats he going to do, say if he had a second son he would look like George Zimmerman.
No, he would look like Juan Valdez,that is what the scorpion Obama would say.
Obama has had 3 years and done nada for the latinos,2 years he had a super majority and did nada,now he wants you to waste you vote again for him? He is a scorpion do not waste you vote again.
Obama the Illusionist! Haven't we heard enough well spoken empty rhetoric already? Promises, promises. Nothing accomplished of merit in his entire tenure. 1 in 6 living in poverty, an unfortunate new record. Over 5 Trillion added ( a new record for any presidency) to the nearly $15.7 Trillion debt. 23 million unemployed, 19% underemployed! Romney 2012!
Opposition to the DREAM Act is "insulting" to Hispanic families
-------------------------------------------------
Are all immigrants Hispanic? - HOW PRESUMPTIOUS
You get what you pay for - invest money in Americans, not foreigners with allegiance to another country
"Opposition to the DREAM Act is "insulting" to Hispanic families, added San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro"
The so called DREAM Act is an affront to US citizenship.
Why should Hispanics expect, let alone get any special treatment, are they some kind of superior form of life?
As a US citizen I am appaulled by these shills touting their false outrage and false political correctness.
Immigration is being used as a weapon of mass destruction on the value of US citizenship, most of which seems to have now been eviscerated.
Checkout numbersusa.com
In pandering to the idiot, xenophobic base of his party, Romney has had to express hatred of Mexicans and a desire to punish them for the crime of being here, even legally. This has not gone unnoticed, even if Romney himself does not actually feel that way. He'd better hope his base doesn't find out.
yeah like obama has done anything about immigration, legal or not.....he is a huge phony.....
Why is the President going after one particular skin color of voter? I thought all that kind of stuff was supposed to be wrong?
I guess MLK Jr's. dream of people not noticing skin color hasn't been reached yet.
Mitt Romney thinks that he can lie his way into the White House,and all of the Repukes in Congress are telling him"Dubya got away with it,just look at how many lies Dubya told and those dumbasses even re-elected him".
Hey McTallywonker-President Obama has deported three times as many illegals as ole "Dubya".How much money did "Dubya" and the other Repukes "waste on that dang fence".
If Obama gets elected again and he runs the country farther into the ground can I stand up and say told you so to all you libtards or will you still blame Bush?
The Obama administration has addressed immigration with the following multistep plan.
1 - Made the politically correct term for "illegal aliens" to be "undocumented immigrants"
2 - Granted Aunt Zeituni Onyango citizenship, after she ignored a judge's order to leave the country
3 - Granted Uncle Onyango Obama a get-out-of-jail free card, which was used to be released from being held by ICE, even though he is in violation of a deportation order from 1992.
4 - Issued a presidential order which granted backdoor amnesty to as many as 300,000 illegal aliens in order to pander to Hispanics and Latinos.
5 - Filed lawsuits against every state attempting to legally address the illegal alien issue
6 - Created and proliferated a lie that they are deporting more illegal aliens that any other administration
Operation Wetback again.
Send all the ILLEGALS back home.
If you oppose the dream act and support Arizona then you have my vote Mit. This issue is the most important issue to me in this election and seeing presidential ads in spanish is an insult. I sure did not fight in a war for this crap.
born Latino but i consider myself an American first. after all i am a citizen and a vet. my one comment why would i support O bama after 3 years of doing nothing for Latinos. he does not even care about blacks.
Hispanics can SEE and HEAR lies the same as women who are under unfair attack can.
That's why LATINOS and WOMEN will join white moderate unaffiliated voters like me in re-electing the POTUS.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Follish- many smart and informed women and latinos do not buy into the fabricated stories of the liberal democrats and know its only a smoke screen to ditract voters from Obamas Hitler/ socialist failed policies and record which has put this country on the brink of ruins.
Foolish it appears that you are supporting a Fourth Reich which is against this nation and its constitution.
Hitler in the second page. You guys aren't even trying anymore.
the latino votes will be close- you have the liberals who don't care and you have the well informed that do care.
i am in Arizona and have many Latino friends who are citezens who do not like or care for those who do not want to go through the legal process of citezenship
they say the illegal problem is taking money away from them and their children and they don't like how open the borders are either and say it needs to be secure.
Arizona and Texas has a severe problem with cartel violence- Families in Phoenix,Mesa,Chandler,and Glendale of been shot and killed by cartels. ranchers at the border live in fear.
Obamas attack on the Catholic Church religion will also play a part in the vote as many Latinos are of the Catholic faith.
The politics of immigration extend well beyond the border states. I live in the midwest and know that if it weren't for undocumented workers, a lot of Americans wouldn't be able to afford fresh vegetables.
I grew up up north and there the biggest immigration problem was people coming down from Canada to work temporarily and overstaying their work visas. Mexicans aren't an issue up there.
We know that there's a drug problem coming across the southern border but we don't define blocks of people by the worst they have to offer....that's what conservatives do.
Obama will carry the brown vote because many of those working class folks will see that he stands for them, not their bosses or the people looking to deport their friends and family. They (like most minority groups) get upset when conservatives try to lump all of them in with the cartels in an effort to make them all seem scary.
as obama has created division using class warfare and envy - now he turns to race baiting - appealing to illegals - there is NOTHING too low for this prancing arrogant fraud not too try
Class warfare isn't resonating outside the extreme right.
Obama platform=everyone should get a fair shot
Romney platform=we have to help the job creators
Obama platform=anyone can be successful
Romney platform=only a businessman is suitable to be president
I think most people who look past the bumper sticker politicking can see which of these guys stands for all Americans and which stands for a subset of Americans based on financial success.
Obama platform = illegal aliens deserve jobs more than america's unemployed citizens
And now you know why Romney isn't doing so well with the Latino vote. He comes from the party that doesn't draw a distinction between "illegal aliens" and Hispanic.
Very aware of the difference. Just a coincidence that 77% of illegal aliens are hispanic and since taking office Mr Obama is deporting on average less than 1/2 the number of illegals deported per year in the previous decade. Illegal aliens are estimated to hold over 8 million non-agricultural jobs.
And no proof or link to back up your statements, NH_Shellback.
How convenient.
Oops, I've uncovered your poop.
Bosslimo
Average deportations during 1998 - 2008 was 1,569,611 per year, 2009 - 2011 under the Obama Administration has been 747,294. Information courtesy of the Dept of Homeland Security.
YEAR - TOTAL DEPORTATION (RETURN & REMOVALS)
1998 - 1,744,940
1999 - 1,757,977
2000 - 1,864,343
2001 - 1,538,397
2002 - 1,177,284
2003 - 1,156,392
2004 - 1,407,241
2005 - 1,343,351
2006 - 1,324,355
2007 - 1,210,772
2008 - 1,171,058
1,569,611 average 1998 - 2008
2009 - 981,329
2010 - 863,647
2011 - 396,906
747,294 average 2009 - 2011
Even gave Mr Obama all of FY2009 and that didn't help much
SOURCES:
fiscal years 1998 - 2010
www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2010/table36.xls
fiscal year 2011
www.ice.gov/news/releases/1110/111018washingtondc.htm
Obama will get the illegal vote, the deceased vote, and the uneducated vote.
If you're so much smarter than others, why don't you know that illegals can't vote?
Please don't tell me you believe the right wing rhetoric.
These illegals just show up at the polls and pull a lever?
Please, show me a link that isn't a right wing blog or news site that shows a sugnificant amount of illegals are running to the voting booths. The best you have is voter fraud what percentage is that?
The republicans are constricting voter rights under the guise of fear that illegals are voting so they can suppress the democratic vote.
Is some politician tried to buy my vote by giving me favors I would vote against him. But, Hispanics are mostly ignorant and can be bought and Obama knows it.
Article omitted references to statements that "Obama failed to deliver on his pledge.." by Romney or his supporters.
Seems cheeky to me to criticize someone for something you (or your party) blocked and prevented.
Under DOD cover, he already has a foreign intelligence service handling organized crime to keep me safe from the bad guys...
Hell, his whole re-election and criminal defense -just like that of animal whoop-is holding a larger and larger segment of people who he took rights away from (by forcing them to be part of the same program whose deeper spectrum is responsible for the war crimes their lighter fabricated pretext is suppressing) responsible for the consequences of more pointless and horrific using them...
Its the most shameful predicate that the animal whoop relies on saying our increasingly shameful and horrific activity will give the bad guys ammunition and that's why it needs to get more shameful and horrific against innocent citizens giving them more hypothetical ammunition to legitimize even more shameful and horrific and pointless activity that is well beyond what a dictatorship would ever engage in because somehow the accountability is transferred to the lighter victims under the ultimate pretext of keeping me safe from the bad guy and that somehow they are responsible for anything that happens if how they were abused was revealed...
But this predicate only legitimized the most sickening destruction of any citizen he pleases always against the back drop being held accountable for the most sickening activity will give the bad guys ammunition...
But concealing it only means they won because we are living in one of the nastiest nations on earth now...
Under DOD cover, he already has a foreign intelligence service handling organized crime to keep me safe from the bad guys...
Hell, his whole re-election and criminal defense -just like that of animal whoop-is holding a larger and larger segment of people who he took rights away from (by forcing them to be part of the same program whose deeper spectrum is responsible for the war crimes their lighter fabricated pretext is suppressing) responsible for the consequences of more pointless and horrific using them...
Its the most shameful predicate that the animal whoop relies on saying our increasingly shameful and horrific activity will give the bad guys ammunition and that's why it needs to get more shameful and horrific against innocent citizens giving them more hypothetical ammunition to legitimize even more shameful and horrific and pointless activity that is well beyond what a dictatorship would ever engage in because somehow the accountability is transferred to the lighter victims under the ultimate pretext of keeping me safe from the bad guy and that somehow they are responsible for anything that happens if how they were abused was revealed...
But this predicate only legitimized the most sickening destruction of any citizen he pleases always against the back drop being held accountable for the most sickening activity will give the bad guys ammunition...
But concealing it only means they won because we are living in one of the nastiest nations on earth now...
Under DOD cover, he already has a foreign intelligence service handling organized crime to keep me safe from the bad guys...
Hell, his whole re-election and criminal defense -just like that of animal whoop-is holding a larger and larger segment of people who he took rights away from (by forcing them to be part of the same program whose deeper spectrum is responsible for the war crimes their lighter fabricated pretext is suppressing) responsible for the consequences of more pointless and horrific using them...
Its the most shameful predicate that the animal whoop relies on saying our increasingly shameful and horrific activity will give the bad guys ammunition and that's why it needs to get more shameful and horrific against innocent citizens giving them more hypothetical ammunition to legitimize even more shameful and horrific and pointless activity that is well beyond what a dictatorship would ever engage in because somehow the accountability is transferred to the lighter victims under the ultimate pretext of keeping me safe from the bad guy and that somehow they are responsible for anything that happens if how they were abused was revealed...
But this predicate only legitimized the most sickening destruction of any citizen he pleases always against the back drop being held accountable for the most sickening activity will give the bad guys ammunition...
But concealing it only means they won because we are living in one of the nastiest nations on earth now...