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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Good article, Mike. I am an Obama supporter and I am glad the DNC moved him closer to being the candidate. But the Clinton press in Puerto Rico and resulting lopsided victory has lessons for us and the general election. Baracks weakness among Latinos is a real weak spot. I think it can be overcome with some work, not just be dancing the salsa, though that is important.
First, he needs to learn more Spanish, more than si, se puede. He must know some and spending a couple of hundred hours or so in the next couple of months doing some immersion would have a big payoff, both in election campaigning in the SW and California, for his image as a man of the people and if elected, to avoid the pidgin tex-mex of GWB.
Also, get latinos for neighborhood organizing in the campaign, not just idealistic white kids. Hispanics trust their own, la raza, la familia, first. Florida appearances with latin musical icons, speaking Spanish on the podium would get a lot of votes and break through latino skepticism, who dont trust politicians, but are won over by personal contact.
Many Latinos have a latent and not so latent suspicion of "blacks" ,partly from the explicit racism of the Spanish conquerors and also from the history of the African slaves coming in and taking the jobs of indigenous workers, an old tactic.
However, the great majority of Mexicans and a significant minority of other Central and South Americans are mestizos,mixed blood. Barack is definitely a mixed blood with his white mom and African dad. His multicultural background increases his mextizoness or mestizaje. He also looks like a mestizo and could easily pass as a Mexican in the southern Mexican place that I live, San Cristobal de las Casas. His height would only get him more respect.
In the election maybe he is concerned about calling too much attention to his blackness and mestizaje, his mixed bloodness, among the general white US population. I think that this would be a mistake. Many Democrats would consider this a plus. Many other Americans, Republicans and Democrats are neutral on race or cultural background and will only look at his strength and knowledge and where he stands on the economic, foreign policy and social issues that affect them.
The 20 percent of white voters who voted race in Appalachia are probably mostly lost except for the ones convinced by his bread and butter proposals for their areas and his personal appeal.
I am just an old white guy retired in southern Mexico but speak Portuguese and Spanish and spent much of my life living and working with latinos. I am also a fervent supporter of Barack and want him to win big in November and take this country back from the scalawags who have ruined it.
Your cockamamy attempts at libeling her are derivative and echo the attempts of the 'vast right wing consipiracy' to do the same to your own candidate. That makes you pathetic! No true Democrat will fall for your Repug, Rape-ublican bullshit.
BTW, Shawn, since you are always going on about the nut left--why don't you suck my left nut, you turd!
Mike:
Lets face it. The reality check is really for the press. If the situation was in reverse after the Texas Primary. Obama would have been written off and Hillary and the press would have been expecting Obama to forfeit the nomination. It has been the press that has lived in an "alternate reality". Thanks to the press Hillary actually still believes she is going to win the nomination...sigh...Glad you finally figured it out Mike.
Masterdel
Salon's bias is towards apes hurling ASCII feces at each other.
Obama, Clinton and McCain are all pretty much the same. As usual, hype and sizzle over substance and beef.
Dude. Seriously. Either you're going to have to stop with the colorful descriptors such as "Nobama parasites" and "rodentesque Nobama trolls"...or, I'm going to have to stop drinking my morning java while reading them.
I can only endure just so much coffee coming out of my nose.
Mike, after this show of incredible disloyalty to Hillary's campaign, to Salon, and to -- drum roll please -- JOAN WALSH -- I have to say, I'm concerned about you.
I'm concerned about your employment future, in particular, your employment future here at Salon.
Have you not gotten the dozens of memos Joan has sent out?
Have you not gotten the hundreds of emails, IMs, and voice mails from Joan, indicating that Hillary is the victim of sexism, elitism, pro-biracialism and eloquentism, and none of it is fair to Hillary Clinton!
Joan will tell that that most would agree that Hillary has been robbed, and it's up to Salon -- Joan, you, and your colleagues, to make that case to America, and in particular, to the superdelegates.
It's not too late. Most would agree that the superdelegates can still turn this around, aided by committed delegates who can uncommit and recommit to the RIGHT candidate.
I'm concerned about you, Mike. If Joan reads this piece, you may be looking for a new job.
You appear to be affected by reality, much like Obama, and the Obama supporters. This is not a good thing for the old, white women -- much less racists and Republicans. And that means it's not good for Joan.
And what's not good for Joan eventually won't be good for you.
Yes, I'm very concerned.
But don't forget-- there's always a job for you at Salon: the Parody...
Interesting point - I'd respond that black Americans voting for a black candidate is a unique circumstance (and different from whites voting for a white given the nation's history). Much like Catholics coming out for JFK. So the fact that this is the first black candidate with a shot at winning does buck the trend. Same with women and Hillary, as you note.
But as for the point on Hispanics, I think I'm right. In terms of Hispanic media you are citing the mass-market Spanish-language networks and publications. If you look tactically you'll find that Spanish media in a given market is skewed to its population, and will vary based on the country of origin. A Spanish newspaper in LA will have more Mexican news. A Spanish newspaper in NY will have little Mexican content, and more Puerto Rican skew. Miami will be Cuban. There may be more than one in a market. All of these blocks have their own POV and interests. No better example than FL Cubans, who are upscale educated Republicans. Contrast that with NYC Puerto Ricans, who vote Democrat.
I do remember those protests. But I also remember that Philadelphia and Boston and many other large metros saw minimal protests from Hispanics. NY, LA, CHI, PHO saw larger ones because of the situation of that specific geography. These protests were locally coordinated, harnessing the passions and fears of local populations based on conditions there at the time. One group felt like they were gonna be deported, the other felt nothing for 'the cause'. There is not the kind of 'pan Hispanic' movement, as the populations remain too fragmented. Just as there is not much of a "Pan Asian" movement among Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese - although that is more apparent due to differences in language. The fact Hispanics share the same language - and thus gravitate to the same media - is not really an indicator that there is a larger movement afoot.
Other than looking at the older population segments of mainland Puerto Ricans, I don't see how one could draw anything from the islander vote.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
