It’s no big secret that a lot of Latinos like Senator John McCain. In fact, rumor has it that some Latinos will actually switch parties to vote for the Arizona senator if their candidate of choice isn’t selected as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Latinos like McCain’s military service and the fact that McCain’s own son is serving in Iraq. With so many Latino families in his same shoes, it’s no wonder they feel a kindred spirit with the man.
McCain’s efforts to try and get Congress to reform the immigration issue did not go unnoticed either. Regardless of how imperfect the proposed legislation was, it was more than what most members of Congress have done.
The fact that he’s from a border state and is intimately familiar with the Latino culture doesn’t hurt either.
So why isn’t McCain reaching out to Latinos, especially if he’s been invited?
Last fall, Latina Lista invited the presidential candidates of both parties to blog at Latina Lista. To date, all the major Democratic candidates accepted the invitation. Of the Republican candidates, only Mitt Romney accepted.
When it became clear that Sen. McCain was the Republican nominee for President, the invitation was extended again to him …and again, and again. Latina Lista has been trying to get Sen. McCain to post a guest blog for several months now. An email to the person handling his press queries told Latina Lista that the request had been forwarded.
No word yet as to whether or not Sen. McCain will accept.
Is it because the immigration issue is too highly connected with Latinos? McCain even admitted in August that his stand on illegal immigration angered a lot of people to the point he received death threats.
“It is unbelievable how this has inflamed the passions of the American people,” the Arizona senator said in remarks at The Aspen Institute, a public policy forum. In an interview, he declined to elaborate on the threats he had received.
But you don’t ignore one segment of the population to appease another.
And the Republican Party wonders why it might be hard to attract more Latino voters to their side.
It’s one thing to be ignored. It’s another to act like we don’t exist.
A simple acknowledgement can work wonders.
- Marisa Treviño, Latina Lista
Marisa Treviño is a Dallas, Texas-based freelance opinion journalist whose writings focus on Latino and social justice issues pertaining to education, immigration, women and families. Visit her online at www.latinalista.net
| Michael, NC |
April 11th, 2008 5:29 pm ET Maybe since they only had stone tabs and chisels when he grew up he just never learned how to use a computer…I mean, they are relatively new right? Na, it doesn’t make any sense to me either. He should be trying to build himself up as much as he can while all the attention is on the Democratic nominees. He needs to make sure he has all of his bases covered, and it sounds like he doesn’t. As a McCain supporter, I hope he rethinks that decision. |
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| Diane |
April 11th, 2008 6:02 pm ET I don’t think that John is meaning to neglect anyone. He is extremely busy trying to get his party back together. Give him time and a break! |
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| Judi Smith |
April 11th, 2008 6:28 pm ET Because he is too old and stupid to even know who they are!! |
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| Chris from texas |
April 11th, 2008 7:21 pm ET he doesnt care, he’s a politician. Anyone will say anything |
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| Warren Mabie |
April 11th, 2008 7:53 pm ET By his remarks at The Aspen Institute regarding how “unbelievable” the American citizens’ reaction to his immigration proposals were, Senator McCain showed how out of touch he, and probably the rest of Washington, is with the vast majority of the country. |
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| Madeline |
April 11th, 2008 8:00 pm ET He’s not interested in Latino’s |
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| Jessy |
April 11th, 2008 8:01 pm ET John Mccain doesn’t know about the Latino Community. John Mccain is not the universial candidate like Obama. To bad the Latino community doesn’t get it. |
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| Jessy |
April 11th, 2008 8:04 pm ET Maybe if they blogged him and told him they were interested in enlisting in the military he would respond other than that he’s not interested. How may times are they going to knock on the door before they realize nobody’s home. |
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| sue |
April 11th, 2008 8:06 pm ET John doesnt have Latino’s in his plan. He’s not interested, the latino communtiy is alway dwelling were they don’t belong. John Mccain does not speak spanish. |
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| Tammy |
April 11th, 2008 8:22 pm ET Instead of whining about him not blogging (I mean Hillary Clinton still refuses to talk to certain staff at CNN, and I don’t see lots of teeth gnashing over it), why don’t you look at what he has done for the Latino people, what his policies will do to help them versus Obama and Clinton’s socialist agendas, and then complain if you then feel he is disenfranchising you or ruffling feathers or whatever. Look at his record and his platform, not whether or not he has time to write on every blog (or more likely the case get some junior staffer to do it for him and sign his name to it-you can bet that’s what the others did). This seems like much ado about nothing and another attempt by CNN to slam McCain in favor of the all Obama network policies you keep. |
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| Suzanne P. |
April 11th, 2008 8:28 pm ET As a McCain supporter I hope McCain will reach out to the Latinos I’m sure as busy as he has been with the campaign so far that its very possible he just has not had the time yet. I’m sure his to-do list is miles long. Hopefully, he will reach out to the Latinos very soon. Suzanne P. |
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| Stephen Wilmington,NC |
April 11th, 2008 9:42 pm ET WHO CARES, HERE YOU GO AGAIN TRYING TO STIR UP SOMETHING AGAIN CNN. |
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| Daniel Gonzalez |
April 11th, 2008 10:14 pm ET I’m latino but no way I’m voting for McCain. |
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| Ernie Puto |
April 11th, 2008 11:16 pm ET Whenever I read blog comments on the presidential race, the McCain supporters seem a whole lot more reasonable than the Obama supporters. |
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| Art Vigil |
April 12th, 2008 3:52 pm ET In regards to the Obama “bitter” remark, shows me as an mexican-american just how out of touch McCaine and Hillary are by pouncing on this statement. Obama now has my vote. I am a person who has become bitter not a person who is bitter being an american. I have had to sell (2) homes prime-loans when my jobs went to MALAYSIA, I see an economy that is in a free fall , I am bitter when four thousand + have been killed and tens of thousands of others physically and mentally disabled because they have been tricked into a war (when we were on the heels of Osama) now forces in Afghanistan are there basically to defend some of its cities and not to mention the spiraling rate of foreclosures. He is wrong on illegal immigration, changed his stance on Bush tax cuts (only to get their vote), does not understand economics but he is willing to keep our forces in Iraq for a 100yrs and has joked about bombing Iran. SURE SOUNDS LIKE A WARMONGER TO ME. Is he trying to maintain this toughguy image (like Bush wanted dead or alive) or are these because of his shortfalls in Vietnam? |
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| Taj |
April 14th, 2008 10:17 am ET McCain is a typical white American & I do not believe he cares so much for latino’s & other cultures. It is like one of those things that lot of white americans do not like democrats no matter how good they are. They are closed minds unwilling to see the realities & make a wise choice. His unwavering support about Iraq war is an example. So we go for Democrats Obama or Hillary, not McCain. Latinos & Hispanics should go for a Democratic president, not McCain. |
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