Obama "Tired" of Immigration Being a "Political Football"
LOS ANGELES -- Barack Obama told a predominantly African-American and Latino crowd at a Los Angeles technical college that the government is designed for all people and said there is an "anxiety" among voters that it is not.
"They feel like the education system isn't designed for people like us, and the job market isn't designed for people like us. And trying to get a mortgage isn't designed for people like us. And health care is not designed for people like us," Obama shouted.
"Well let me tell you something, this is our country. America should be designed for people like us. That's why I am running for president of the United States of America, for all people, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight all people," said Obama.
"Over the past few weeks, we've heard some cynical talk about how black folks and white folks and Latinos cannot come together. We've heard it before," Obama said. "We've heard talk about the so-called black-brown divide, and whenever I hear this I take it seriously because im reminded of Latino brothers and sisters that I worked alongside on the streets of Chicago more than two decades ago."
Obama campaigned in south central Los Angeles this morning, and directed his message towards the predominantly minority crowd. He spoke at length about the economy and immigration reform.
"We have to stop letting those in power turn us against each other. No place do I see this more than in our immigration debate. I am tired of people of people using this as a political football," Obama said. "We need to solve this problem."
He said that he worked on comprehensive immigration reform with both Ted Kennedy and John McCain.
Obama did his best to identify with the Latino voters in the crowd, telling them that he should learn Spanish and speaking to them about his father's emigration to the U.S.
"My father when he came here, he didn't look like you know - he didn't look like he stepped off the Mayflower. But we have to remember the history of immigration in this country. When the Irish first came, people were anti-Irish, when the Italians first came, people were anti-Italian and so we've got to remember our own past history," Obama said, "And let me remind everybody that not everybody who came in through Ellis Island had their papers in order."
Obama took several questions from the crowd, which he has not done since campaigning in South Carolina. The questions were typical of most of Obama's town hall meetings except for a question from a young boy in the audience who asked what Obama's daughters think about him being president.
"They are very excited although my nine-year-old and my six-year-old, I'm not sure they want to move, they like Chicago," Obama said, "But what we've promised them that we'll get them a dog."