Obama Courts Hispanics In Texas
The Obama campaign has announced a new Spanish-language radio ad to air in Texas.
"Barack Obama is talking to me. He’s faced many of the same challenges that we’ve faced in my family," an announcer says in the spot. "His parents weren’t rich, but through hard work, he earned a scholarship and found his way — graduating from Harvard Law School. And instead of accepting job offers that paid a lot of money, Obama decided to work with churches, giving a helping hand to those less fortunate in his community."
The spot includes snippets of Obama speaking, but otherwise it's entirely in Spanish. It closes like this: "Obama is talking to me...That’s why I’m talking to others — my parents, my uncles, and my friends — because politics isn’t just for those who like to fight, it’s for those who want to build a better future. Obama is talking to me, and he’s talking to you too."
If your Spanish is up to snuff, you can listen to the ad here.
The Obama campaign is hoping to land a knockout blow on March 4th, when voters have their say in Texas, as well as Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, sees the day as a chance to recover after what is expected to be a tough February. Both campaigns began airing television ads today in Texas and Ohio.
Obama has struggled to attract Hispanic voters, though he has done increasingly well since the group broke for Clinton in large numbers in the Nevada caucuses. Some observers, among them Clinton pollster and Latino expert Sergio Bendixen, believe that Latino voters are not predisposed to support a black politician; Bendixen said "the Hispanic voter -- and I want to say this very carefully -- has not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates." Critics counter by pointing to black politicians who have done well with Hispanic voters, among them Los Angles Mayor Tom Bradley and New York mayor David Dinkins.
"Barack Obama is talking to me. He’s faced many of the same challenges that we’ve faced in my family," an announcer says in the spot. "His parents weren’t rich, but through hard work, he earned a scholarship and found his way — graduating from Harvard Law School. And instead of accepting job offers that paid a lot of money, Obama decided to work with churches, giving a helping hand to those less fortunate in his community."
The spot includes snippets of Obama speaking, but otherwise it's entirely in Spanish. It closes like this: "Obama is talking to me...That’s why I’m talking to others — my parents, my uncles, and my friends — because politics isn’t just for those who like to fight, it’s for those who want to build a better future. Obama is talking to me, and he’s talking to you too."
If your Spanish is up to snuff, you can listen to the ad here.
The Obama campaign is hoping to land a knockout blow on March 4th, when voters have their say in Texas, as well as Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, sees the day as a chance to recover after what is expected to be a tough February. Both campaigns began airing television ads today in Texas and Ohio.
Obama has struggled to attract Hispanic voters, though he has done increasingly well since the group broke for Clinton in large numbers in the Nevada caucuses. Some observers, among them Clinton pollster and Latino expert Sergio Bendixen, believe that Latino voters are not predisposed to support a black politician; Bendixen said "the Hispanic voter -- and I want to say this very carefully -- has not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates." Critics counter by pointing to black politicians who have done well with Hispanic voters, among them Los Angles Mayor Tom Bradley and New York mayor David Dinkins.
