Obama Courts Texas Hispanics
EDINBURG, TEXAS -- Barack Obama catered to a predominantly Hispanic crowd in southern Texas by speaking about Mexican-American labor leader, Cesar Chavez.
"When Cesar Chavez was in the midst of the fight to organize agriculture workers, Dr. King sent him a telegram and said our cause is the same," Obama explained to the crowd.
"What Chavez and King and every other freedom fighter understood is that there is a time, there is moment in the life of every generation when that spirit of hope has to come through."
Obama began using Chavez's motto "Si se puede" in Nevada when he spoke to large Hispanic crowds. In Edinburg, he used the line several times throughout the outdoor rally. Obama has been making a strong effort to appeal to Hispanic voters in Texas, stressing issues that have a direct impact on the community.
Obama emphasized his immigration plan, saying that "we can be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants." He was deeply critical of the Republican position on immigration, saying that it is becoming an issue of race.
"I don't like what the Republicans are doing, talking about this as if it is a racial issue, just a southern border issue," Obama said, "We are going to have to change that."
Prior to the rally, Obama spoke to Hispanic students about the high cost of college. He spoke of his early education and said that he was often a "goof off."
"When I was coming out of high school, I didn't know what I was going to do. I was kind of a goof off when I was in high school."