McCain Amnesty Is Nothing To Hispanics

From the "Hispanic Affairs writer" at the Associated Press:

Obama, McCain and their awkward Hispanic outreach

By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ, AP Hispanic Affairs Writer

ORLANDO, Fla. – Like eager but awkward suitors, Barack Obama and John McCain are working hard and sometimes fumbling in their efforts to court Hispanic voters who could swing November’s presidential election.

For the African-American Obama and white Anglo McCain, the problem is less one of language than of trying to understand a group whose own diversity can make it a mystery to others. It’s not a simple matter of saying, "Take me to your leaders." …

"They just come to me and say, ‘Who are the bosses of the Latin community?’" said Patrick Manteiga, who runs a family-owned newspaper for Hispanics in Tampa’s historic Cuban neighborhood of Ybor City. "That’s like coming and asking, ‘Who are the bosses of white America, of the soccer moms?’" …

McCain is respected by many Hispanics for refusing to pander to anti-immigrant sentiment over the years. Yet he is viewed in some Latin quarters as a sequel to the unpopular President Bush, a problem he has with voters at large, too…

The McCain campaign is counting on [non-committed] voters, hoping they will judge him as an individual and not a fixture of the Republican Party.

But the Republicans are seeing their own defections among Hispanic voters, especially in Florida, where for the first time more are registered as Democrats than Republicans…

Jesus Mendoza, 51, owner of the Tijerazo barber shop in Tampa, explained his change of heart as he wielded his scissors.

I’m a true Republican," said the Puerto Rican native. "I believe people should work hard and get less help. But the Republicans have been in power for eight years, and I don’t think things are better. Obama, he’s a young candidate, but he’s intelligent. Even though I’m a Republican, I’m not blind."

In Orlando, Angie Thillet, 38, who voted twice for Bush, is leaning toward Obama because he proposes to get the country close to universal health care…

She doesn’t like the hype surrounding Obama, especially comparisons to John F. Kennedy. Still, she says, "I won’t be voting for McCain." …

Mathews was one of many Hispanic voters, among dozens interviewed by The Associated Press, who said they wanted more of a direct pitch from the candidates…

Manteiga, a Democrat, said Hispanics want more than Obama’s stadium speeches or McCain’s town-hall meetings.

"No one is meeting with the 40 Latin ministries, as they would in the black community," he said. "Latins want a hug. They want a touch. If 300 or 400 people shake the candidate’s hand, that translates exponentially into votes when they talk to their family and friends."

Manteiga said a personal connection is most important for Obama because he must convince Hispanics who are uncomfortable voting for a black candidate.

Many Hispanics interviewed by the AP acknowledged tensions on that front, because of competition over jobs and services or because of prejudice. Yet many also said these issues would not be the deciding factor for them, especially in a year when the economy and the war in Iraq loom large.

"To me, being Hispanic, the government caters to blacks," said Eddie Martinez, 51, of Las Vegas. "Anything the government is giving away goes to blacks first."

Even so, Martinez plans to vote for Obama because he believes the Illinois senator would be the best at bringing jobs to the area…

So it looks like Mr. McCain’s willingness to give away the country through amnesty for illegal aliens was all for naught.

It turns out all that matters to Hispanic voters are "hugs" and getting things for free. (Views expressed even by the AP’s usual cadre of "lifelong Republicans.")

By the way, does the AP have a "Anglo Affairs Writer"?