Thread: LA Mayor backs Obama at La Raza convention

This is an excellent endorsement for Sen. Obama, his position on immigration and serves to help capture the important Latino vote.

SAN DIEGO -- Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, speaking Saturday to the nation's largest Latino civil rights organization, urged its members to campaign hard for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, saying the presumptive nominee was their best hope for reforming federal immigration policies.

In his address to thousands attending the National Council of La Raza conference, Villaraigosa criticized the Bush administration for what he called its "selective enforcement" of immigration laws. He said that the federal government should focus its efforts on "criminals instead of working people," and that current enforcement practices unfairly tear families apart and punish small businesses. Instead, he said, authorities should be going after illegal immigrants who commit crimes.


Villaraigosa invoked the imagery of the Statue of Liberty, welcoming all immigrants, to counter the anti-immigrant rhetoric he said is pervasive on talk radio and cable television. He touched on the ethnic undertones of the federal barrier being constructed along the Mexican border, saying he was thankful that the U.S. never built a wall to keep out Irish immigrants or considered erecting a massive fence along the Canadian border.

For the last two weeks, Villaraigosa, who had been a prominent backer of Obama's one-time rival N.Y. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, has taken a very active and public role in selling Obama to Latino voters. A week ago, at the Obama campaign's request, he defended the Illinois senator's record after Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain of Arizona ran a Spanish-language radio ad accusing Obama of only now recognizing the importance of the Latino vote. On Tuesday, Villaraigosa flew to Washington to introduce Obama at the League of Latin American Citizens convention.

Obama's embrace of Villaraigosa comes as the candidate embarks on a delicate courtship of a Latino electorate that largely spurned him in the Democratic presidential primaries.

Villaraigosa and other Latino leaders have attributed that more to Latinos' support for Clinton than any animosity toward Obama, and expect him to receive strong Latino support in November.

Both presidential candidates are scheduled to address the three-day La Raza conference -- Obama today and McCain on Monday.

Before introducing Villaraigosa to the thousands attending the conference Saturday, La Raza President Janet Murguia urged members to be respectful of both candidates, reminding them that La Raza is a nonpartisan organization.

Villaraigosa said he had no problem taking sides.

He derided McCain's recent trip to Mexico as a "campaign ploy" to appeal to Latinos and said Obama is the only candidate who has committed to adopting balanced and humane immigration reform.

He said 12 million illegal immigrants can be brought "out of the shadows and into the light, and onto the tax rolls by electing Barack Obama."

Villaraigosa was warmly received at the convention, with Murguia praising him as a national leader and tireless advocate for Latinos, saying he "has never forgotten his roots."

Andrew Ysiano, publisher of the Stockton-based Latino Times newspaper, praised Villaraigosa for his ability to grasp the needs of immigrants and the poor while governing the nation's second-largest city.

"It's a difficult thing to do . . . and he's done it well," said Ysiano, who is a Republican

L.A.'s Latino mayor praises Obama at La Raza conference - Los Angeles Times

I wasn't aware Illegal Immigrants were allowed to vote. Why would any true american support "La Raza" knowing they just want to give citizenship away to anyone who can break the law to get here.


I'm so tired of politicians pandering to these types of un american groups.

Socialists want more socialists. Big surprise. Bring immigrants here and tell them they can become citizens and steal money from the wealthy. Sounds fucking great for America!

The thing is, I am all for immigration. I say get rid of socialism and get as much cheap labor into this country as possible. It worked for us in the past and it can work again, but as long as we have socialist piles of shit in charge who can simply buy these people's votes with other peoples money it will continue to drag our economy further down the bowl.

Maybe then Villaraigosa can go bang some more Telemundo bitches on the side?

Originally Posted by Chad750

I wasn't aware Illegal Immigrants were allowed to vote. Why would any true american support "La Raza" knowing they just want to give citizenship away to anyone who can break the law to get here.


I'm so tired of politicians pandering to these types of un american groups.

True American? I love the questioning of patriotism.

I am American I and am fully for amnesty.

Yeah it's a very promising endorsement for Obama. I'm surprised that McCain hasn't cited his immigration credentials in a big way yet, perhaps this event will spur him to be more honest regarding his historically moderate and reasonable immigration stances during his campaign.

After all this is the campaign for the political center, Hispanics and moderates are vital to both of these candidates.

Originally Posted by Think for myself

True American? I love the questioning of patriotism.

I am American I and am fully for amnesty.

Well we have all argued down this road before, I am glad you are for allowing more lawbreaking welfare seeking, healthcare collapsing and not to mention education destroying illegals who have no love for this country citizenship.

It is your right to choose whatever you want to believe.
Here is a question which candidate went to visit the Minutemen who are legal citizens of this country trying to keep illegals from stealing and destroying their land?

People that are for Amnesty are of two camps.

One, they are ignorant to the harm that illegal immigrants cause and are only going with what FEELS good, instead of what IS good.

OR

They are a politican that works for corporate America, or a democrat that wants the cheap votes.