Obama's Visit to the Border
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- Barack Obama took a break from the usual campaigning today, making a stop at the Texas-Mexico border and a local neighborhood festival. He was in the southern Texas town of Brownsville, courting Hispanic voters and addressing issues affecting the community.
"We seem to have consistently made inroads," Obama said referring to the Latino community.
"Obviously we've got a lot of catching up to do in Texas generally. But we seem to be making progress."
Obama and Texas state representative Eddie Lucio, made a brief stop at Hope Park, where they stood near the bank of the Rio Grande River and looked across the Texas-Mexico border. Reporters asked Obama if he had ever been to the border before.
"This is the first time that I've been this close here, in Texas. I've been in Mexico when I was in college and was going to school in Southern California. I can't entirely talk about it," Obama joked.
He also made an unexpected stop at the Sombrero Festival, where some festival-goers seemed to be surprised by his appearance. As Obama walked in through the gates, crowds flocked ot him asking for autographs and pictures.
One man asked Obama to sign his sombrero while another asked "Are you for real?"
"Of course I'm for real," Obama said, "That's why I'm here."
He then headed to a nearby taquito stand where he bought a torta and posed for the press as he took a big bite out of the sandwich. Unfortunately for Obama, a piece of beef was wedged between his two front teeth as the cameras snapped away.