McCain, McCain Everywhere

After several weeks of getting very little coverage on Latino-related topics, Senator John McCain’s name is popping up in a bunch of places.

Henry Cisneros mentioned him in an interview with the Dallas Morning News saying,

“Of the Republicans running for president, only John McCain ‘has any potential to woo Latino votes,’ Mr. Cisneros said.”

“He said the Arizona senator has been ‘very responsible on immigration. … It has cost him votes among Republicans that he’s been so courageous and balanced.’”

Ruben Navarrette talked about him in his weekly column: “Meanwhile, McCain has a history of appealing to Hispanics in Arizona and earned more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote in his 2004 U.S. Senate re-election bid. The maverick stood his ground on immigration reform and took on the dishonest arguments of those who opposed it, such as the insistence that Americans would happily do the hardest and dirtiest jobs if the wages were right. McCain dared a roomful of angry union members in the Midwest to spend the summer picking lettuce in Yuma, Ariz., for $50 an hour, much more than the minimum wage most pickers earn. There were only a few takers, who apparently know little about picking lettuce and even less about Arizona summers.”

And Immigration Talk With A Mexican American also mentions him in a positive light:“Of all the Republican Candidates, most Hispanic Voters favor John McCain. Why? He is forthright. He is a War Hero (Most US Hispanics are Pro Military and enlist in the Military at a higher rate than other groups.)

“McCain relates to Hispanics needs.
… “John McCain understands the issues and he RESPECTS Hispanic Citizens and seeks out Hispanic Voter support. “

McCain & Romney on Immigration

A couple of Republican candidates spoke out on immigration issues over the weekend.

According to this AP write, Senator John McCain squared off against an angry New Hampshire resident yesterday who said

“Do the people in Washington — the politicians and the lobbyists and the rich people writing the checks — do they understand the amount of anger the average European Christian, native-born American feels when they see their country turning into a multicultural chaos Tower of Babel?” he said.

McCain started to answer but was interrupted again by the same man. This time the Senator was accused of promoting amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Finally, McCain repeated his promise — “I think for the 15th time” — that he would secure the borders to stop illegal immigration before attempting anything else.

He also strongly objected to the man’s argument about the nation’s future and the impact of legal immigration.

“I believe the greatest strength of America is the lady who holds her lamp behind the golden door that says send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses,” he said, referring to the Statue of Liberty. “And I am grateful to live in a nation that has been enriched by people coming to our nation from around the world.

“I will do everything in my power to secure the borders, but I love this nation and I love the people who have come from around the world,” he said to loud applause.

In Michigan, Mitt Romney proposed increasing temporary work visas to seasonal workers

“If our employment sector needs additional immigrant laborers, then issue the visas necessary to provide that work force.”

… During a campaign stop later in Grand Rapids, Romney said he favors a system that would identify people who legally entered the United States to work. Employers that continue to hire illegal immigrants would face government penalties.

“That’ll stop the flow of people into this country for work because they won’t be able to get work,” Romney said.

… “I’m not going to leave America’s employers without the capacity to meet the needs of our consuming public,” he said.
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McCain’s Hispanic Biz Expo Address

Senator John McCain last week addressed the 2007 Hispanic Business Expo and Economic Summit in Detroit. I am not in Detroit but his press folks sent round the Senator’s prepared remarks. Assuming the remarks were delivered as prepared, there is one interesting aspect to a speech that breaks little new ground.

The first graf of the prepared text contains the obligatory nod to the Latino audience

“Hispanics comprise the fastest growing ethnic group in the Michigan workforce.  In Michigan, as elsewhere, Hispanics are notable for their commitment to starting new businesses - almost 7 percent of our businesses are Hispanic-owned.  Almost three-quarters of Hispanic business owners staked their personal savings on their success, and only one-and-half percent took the security of a government loan, the lowest percentage of any group in the country.  The American economy is stronger for your courage, hard work and vision.”

That’s it for specific references to Hispanics whether business owners or employees. The remaining 2208 words of the Senator’s prepared remarks address taxation, trade and health care. But, nothing else that deals primarily with Latinos. Not a word about immigration, for instance, despite an audience presumably sympathetic to the Senator’s stance.I am not saying the Senator should have gone on and on about Hispanics this and Latinos that. In fact, I sometimes cringe when I hear candidates or their spouses stretch to try and build some bond with the Latino community. (Here’s a classic example and a more recent gaffe.)  

I find it telling that Senator McCain passed up an opportunity to include an applause line in a speech before a sympathetic audience. Right now many of the Republican candidates are clearly jockeying to position themselves as the single-most aggressive opponent of illegal immigration. The latest example of this is Giuliani’s endorsement yesterday by former California Governor Pete Wilson, which hardly seems designed to drum up Hispanic voters.