GOP Candidates Alienate Latino Voters

[marmar]

from The American Prospect:


GOP Candidates Alienate Latino Voters

Republicans, who just a few short years ago were trying to court Latino voters, are going to come to regret the anti-immigration one-upmanship they've exhibited in the primary campaign.

Paul Waldman | August 15, 2007 | web only



"The spotlight is on Iowa," said the Spanish-language radio ad for a Republican presidential candidate, "and for the first time it's shining on the Latino community." Though Latinos made up only a sliver of the Iowa population (and a microscopic portion of those who would be voting in the Republican caucus), the candidate was sending a signal to the country as a whole. He wanted Latino votes, and he wanted everyone to know it.

That candidate, you will be unsurprised to learn, is not one of those running for the GOP nomination in 2008. It was George W. Bush, who aired those spots as part of his first primary campaign ad buy in the fall of 1999.

Bush and his advisors didn't forget about the importance of the Latino vote once they took office. In January 2001, Karl Rove told reporters that increasing the GOP share of the Latino vote was "our mission and our goal," one that would "require all of us in every way and every day working to get that done." If they could succeed, one vital piece of the "permanent Republican majority" would slip securely into place.

What a difference a couple of elections make. Although the 2008 nomination race still has plenty of twists and turns left, it's safe to say the Republican candidates will not be trying to outdo one another in courting Latinos. Instead, when the subject of immigrants and their children comes up, it is more likely to be greeted with a chest-thumping contest to determine just which Republican is more committed to building walls and deporting undocumented workers.

One of the early spats (and just you wait -- the GOP race hasn't even begun to get nasty, but it absolutely will) found Mitt Romney attacking Rudy Giuliani, saying that when he was mayor, "New York was the poster child for sanctuary cities." Though Romney was technically incorrect (New York never actually declared itself a sanctuary city, though it was, and is, one in all but name), the attack hit its mark. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=gop_candidates_alienate_latino_voters

[rodeodance]

1. AND another Turdblossem FAILURE

[DCKit]

2. Great. Now if poor white people would get a fucking clue.... n/t