"Is Julian Castro the Latino Obama?" at The Week

[applegrove]

Is Julian Castro the Latino Obama?

at The Week

http://theweek.com/article/index/231355/is-julian-castro-the-latino-obama

"SNIP..............................

Julian Castro, the little-known mayor of San Antonio, Texas, will be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in September, party officials announced this week. Castro, 37, is the first Latino chosen for the honor, "a clear sign of the importance of the Hispanic vote to President Obama's re-election math in November," says Sean Sullivan at The Washington Post. Considered a rising Dem star, Castro resembles in many ways another once-obscure politician who gained national prominence by giving the DNC keynote address in 2004: Then-Senate candidate Barack Obama. Castro has even been dubbed the "post-Hispanic Hispanic politician," a nod to the post-racial model Obama has cultivated. Here, a guide:

Who exactly is Julian Castro?
A native of San Antonio, Castro grew up in a political family. In the 1970s, his mother, Rosie Castro, was a leader of Texas' Chicano political movement, which sought equal rights for Latinos. Castro's twin brother, Joaquin, is a state representative in Texas. Castro earned an undergraduate degree from Stanford, and, like Obama, attended Harvard Law School. Upon returning to Texas, he was elected mayor of San Antonio in 2009, at just 34. He was re-elected in 2011 with 82 percent of the vote.

What's he like?
"He is cerebral, serious, self-contained, and highly efficient," says Zev Chafets at The New York Times. "If he were an energy source, he'd be zero-emission." John Podesta, a longtime Democratic operative, says Castro is a "super smart, effective, innovative leader," and "young and Latino" to boot. "What's not to love?"

..................................SNIP"

[Tx4obama]

1. Here's another link with more info/links regarding Julian Castro and a family photo too

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101637089

Photo is down in the comments.

[Marzupialis]

9. He's a moderate/liberal

I can live with that I guess. Clinton was a moderate; turned out to be a pretty good president, IMO. I have to check out all of his positions though.



http://www.ontheissues.org/Julian_Castro.htm

[WCGreen]

2. they are probably grooming him for Texas Governor or for the Senate....

As soon as I heard then Senator Obama's speech at the 2004 convention, I turned to Mrs. WCGreen and said that dude is running for president...

The difference is Obama showed he could win state wide in a pretty democratic state while Castro has been elected as Mayor to a growing and large city. It still isn't enough since the eye is to flip Texas as soon as the hispanic vote hits a certain level. If he succeeds with that, he will be a formidable candidate on the national level.

I do see this coming in the next decade or so. The GOP is facing some really poor demographics coming up in the next decade.

This is why there is such a push on the GOP side to make it harder to vote.

[freshwest]

3. I'd love to see him as the Texas governor first... To undo the damage by Perry.

But he's very impressive from the discussion I saw here earlier, no matter where he decides to go.

[WCGreen]

4. Grabbing the keynote speech is a real good way to make a splash on the national level...

You get a prime time slot, the people listen and the folks on the floor are introduced to a rising star.

[freshwest]

5. Keeping my fingers crossed for the Lone Star State. I'm looking forward to his speech.

I hope it's in English and Spanish!

[Rosco T.]

6. He's a brilliant man, but CAN YOU HEAR the Re'thuglican's now???

"CASTRO! Geeze then anti-American DemoRATS got's them a Cub'n Commie to speak!"

Just be ready my friends...

this is in NO way defaming or putting down Julian Castro in any way or form, just anticipating stupidity and hatred

[Chan790]

7. Expecting that.

Those were the same people that tried a similar tactic with Obama when he was a Senate candidate and they wanted to make word association out of his name sounding like Osama. It failed so miserably that they went back to that well when he was running for President thus proving the GOP hasn't got the good sense of a turnip.

[mucifer]

8. Did you think President Obama would win when you heard his middle

name is Hussein?

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. I like him!

[cr8tvlde]

11. In a word ... Yes !!!

Love how it will require the American public to properly pronounce Latino names. He is "whooleeahn" and his brother is "Waukeen"...Red Staters repeat after me...

I look forward to watching them ascend. In one of the videos I saw, Joaquin jokingly said that the way to tell them apart is their ring finger...Julian has a wedding ring, he doesn't.

[Arkana]

12. Let's see him win a statewide race.

If he can win the governorship or a Senate race, then he'll be ready for prime time.

Until then, he's the guy doing the keynote.

[cr8tvlde]

13. Agreed. The Keynote is a major step in that direction...

...and introduction on the national state.

Not from Texas, but he's got incredible charisma, as does his twin brother. Be interesting to see.

[applegrove]

14. Nice that there are two of them.