Sens. Clinton and Obama, their supporters and the media may talking about the racial politics of Black and White, but the campaigns on the ground are focusing on what Brown can do for them.
Reading Jay Cost’s otherwise fine analysis of how Clinton and Obama will battle over various voting blocs on Super-Duper Tuesday — which I highly recommend — the one omission that leapt out was the Hispanic vote.ÂÂ
In my post-NH look toward February 5th, I noted that very little had been written about “Hillary’s Hispanic firewall.” Clinton has mounted an extensive outreach campaign in the Hispanic community, from the political connections of campaign manager Patti Solis-Doyle, to her endorsement by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (with benefits most fail to consider), to her ties with Hispanic media giant Univision (which, coincidentally enough, has been engaged in a voter registration campaign). A December piece by John Judis cited a poll from the Pew Hispanic Center showing a huge Clinton lead among Hispanic Democrats.ÂÂ
The firewall reappears at the end of Ryan Lizza’s New Yorker piece on racial politics:
Racial politics have been refreshingly absent from this campaign, partly because of the lack of diversity in the first two states and partly because Obama has never made his race central to his campaign. That’s about to change, as Nevada, with its large Hispanic population, and South Carolina, with its large black population, prepare to vote. Obama has an interest in downplaying his race in both states. There are lingering tensions between the Hispanic and black communities which he doesn’t want to inflame, and some residual skepticism among black voters concerning Obama’s electability among whites. Interestingly, in the final days of the New Hampshire campaign, when defeat looked certain for Clinton, it was Hillary’s aides who started talking privately about racial politics. They argued that on February 5th, when twenty-two states vote, Hillary’s fire wall would be Hispanic voters in the largest states, such as California and New York.
On the morning after Clinton’s victory, I talked to Sergio Bendixen, one of her pollsters, who specializes in the Hispanic vote. “In all honesty, the Hispanic vote is extremely important to the Clinton campaign, and the polls have shownâ€â€and today is not a great day to cite pollsâ€â€that even though she was slipping with women in Iowa and blacks in South Carolina, she was not slipping with Hispanics,†he said. “The fire wall doesn’t apply now, because she is in good shape, but before last night the Hispanic vote was going to be the most important part of her fire wall on February 5th.†The implications of that strategy are not necessarily uplifting.
When I asked Bendixen about the source of Clinton’s strength in the Hispanic community, he mentioned her support for health care, and Hispanic voters’ affinity for the Clinton era. “It’s one group where going back to the past really works,†he said. “All you need to say in focus groups is ‘Let’s go back to the nineties.’ †But he was also frank about the fact that the Clintons, long beloved in the black community, are now dependent on a less edifying political dynamic: “The Hispanic voterâ€â€and I want to say this very carefullyâ€â€has not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates.â€Â
Whatever the results of the campaigns’ internal polls may show (and note that Clinton has hired a pollster who specializes in the Hispanic vote), both Clinton and Obama are pursuing the Hispanic vote with a vengance. Both immediately went to the Hispanic media in Nevada.
Clinton personally canvassed Hispanic neighborhoods in Las Vegas. She once was the candidate who talked tough about deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes without legal process (apparently being in the US illegally is not enough lawbreaking). She was the candidate who famously floundered over the a question about giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. Now she is the candidate who says, “No woman is illegal” to a man speaking through a hole in a wall in Vegas — and decries those who view America’s problems as “guacamole and chips.â€Â
Obama’s approach — perhaps for the reasons cited by Ryan Lizza – has been more subtle; so subtle, in fact, that Lizza missed it. And the Washington Post blog linked above claimed that Obama’s Vegas rally with the Culinary Workers Union was only “meant to show his organizational strength.”
Reports like this overlook Obama’s newest campaign slogan: “Yes, we can.” He has used this phrase at least as far back as the Democratic debate in Manchester, NH. It was a focal point of his concession speech in that state:
“When we have faced down impossible odds, when we have been told we are not ready or that we shouldn’t try or that we can’t, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people — yes we can,” Obama said, the crowd shouting “yes we can” back at him.
He said that phrase was what kept Americans hopeful as they struggled to end slavery. It was important to new immigrants, to those who pioneered the West and in every other great national struggle, he said, adding that it applied too to his campaign. (Emphases added.)
When Obama hit Vegas, he translated his new rallying cry into Spanish:
“We are ready to start the next chapter in American history, starting with those three words: SÃÂ, se puede,” Obama said.
“SÃÂ, se puede” — which means “Yes, we can” — was the slogan of the huge pro-immigration rallies that mobilized Latinos in Los Angeles and around the country two years ago.
I suspect that is less than purely coincidental.
si se puede dat, Obama
link
I can’t tell you how much the SÃÂ, se puede thing raises the hackles … while it was the “rallying” cry of Cesar Chavez in the 70’s, it was last prominently screeched in California during the marches (with lots of Mexican flags) demanding “rights” for illegal aliens … indeed, Jesse Jackson invoked it when he declared “No human is illegal”
Obama might get the crowd that fawned over Ted Kennedy’s performance but it sure is going to cause those of us that suffer due to uncontrolled borders to back away from such pandering.
BTW…. Obama is opening a campaign headquarters in downtown San Bernardino. Good luck with that one.
Here’s the article on Barry’s San Berdo offices.
Mrs. Clinton would like some guacamole and chips, together, Pedro!
Yes, we can! except in Iraq.
Yes, we can! tax you some more.
oh, I could go on for a while maybe…. after my coffee.
Yes, we can! stop you (gun owners, entrepreneurs, etc.) from doing what you used to could.
OMG, they just booed the girl that represents the Patriots and won the kickin’ contest. You stay classy, Indy! sorry, I’m can’t stay on topic.
Yeah, real sports fans…all about the love of the game…banging on a little girl who won her competition. Nice.
““SÃÂ, se puede† which means “Yes, we can† was the slogan of the huge pro-immigration rallies that mobilized Latinos in Los Angeles and around the country two years ago”
Its been a left-hispanic organizing slogan for awhile before that.
“si se puede dat, Obama”
Although, it is nice to see the non-racist people who talk about the hispanic and black voting blocks by what gang members do.
Take that, bitches. I just love seeing that look on Peyton’s face.
Shut up, actus.
aw, no, Pablo. I wonder when JD will show up? heh.
andy,
A significant part of Hispanic antipathy for blacks is related to stereotypes about crime. It’s not pretty, but real. And if there’s a disproportionate amount of Hispanic-Black gang violence in L.A. at the moment, it doesn’t help Obama.
Then again, I would expect andy to cry racism whenever the topic is race.
God you’re stupid. The point is that these voting blocks don’t like each other, and the lowest common denominator among them exemplifies that pretty graphically here in Los Angeles. Obama’s exploitation of the bepigmented is made much more complicated because of this, as was noted above by a Clinton operative…
oh. stupid = andy, just so we’re clear on that.
I can’t imagine anyone not getting happyfeet’s equation.
I don’t know. I think andy is fucking stupid. That’s an important adjective, if you ask me.
andy has no clue about the racial dynamics in So. Cal, especially when it comes to gang activity.
like…I’m soooooo surprised.
“A significant part of Hispanic antipathy for blacks is related to stereotypes about crime. ”
I’d say a significant part of most racial antipathy is related to stereotypes about crime. Like people thinking it is the lowest common denominator between to minority groups.
“The point is that these voting blocks don’t like each other, and the lowest common denominator among them exemplifies that pretty graphically here in Los Angeles.”
You really dont mean to call gang activity the “lowest common denominator” between blacks and hispanics.
“andy has no clue about the racial dynamics in So. Cal, especially when it comes to gang activity.”
I do know black and hispanic gangs are gonna fight. I dont know so much about people who consider this the “lowest common denominator” between black and hispanic members of the electorate.
andy,
Someone not looking for racism at every turn would have read “lowest common denominator” as meaning “the worst members of each bloc,” which would include street gangs, afaik.
Exactly as Karl said, the lowest common denominator referenced is the criminals, not the crime.
“Someone not looking for racism at every turn would have read “lowest common denominator†as meaning “the worst members of each bloc,†which would include street gangs, afaik.”
But that is not really what “lowest common denominator” means. It means, in part, what they all share in common. So he’s either a racist or a moron. I’m fine with letting him pick. I did tell him what I picked for him, by telling him he didn’t really mean to call them that, that he didn’t mean to say something racist. Either way, I don’t know so much about listening to that person.
andy,
Based on your contibutions here, I’m sure that will be taken as a compliment.
I don’t know about y’all, but when I think “lowest common denominator”, I think actus/andy.
I want to race the truck, what it’s not that brown?
BTW, here’s an example of how two senses of the term “lowest common denominator” play out, one referring to the worst of a group.
Of couse, if I was andy, I’d be watching that “moron” thing. It’s grossly insensitive to those with Down’s syndrome and learning disabilities.
“But that is not really what “lowest common denominator†means. It means, in part, what they all share in common.”
No fucking shit? Common means what they all share in common? I’ll be damned! Now how about taking a shot at what “lowest” means, Einstein.
And, of course, a lot of the black community sees illegals as direct competition for blue-collar jobs.
From the survey I linked @ #14:
Oh jeez. Thanks for covering that, guys. I’m thinking that was an easy out for andy to avoid addressing the Clinton person’s admission that managing “black and hispanic members of the electorate” is tricky in today’s Democratic party. The media will downplay inter-ethnic discord as much as possible, but ever since the last riots they’ve run with and developed the theme that gangs are primarily a response to racism and oppression, so, yeah, when the lowest common denominator among two distinct victimized groups starts killing each other, narratives collide.
[…] on the ground. Yet the NYT piece also fails on that level. The article opens with Obama’s Hispanic dog-whistle, but the two journalists bylined do not even hear it. Nor does the article address Sen. Hillary […]
[…] raging in the Democratic campaign now involve not only black vs. white and men vs. women, but also black vs. brown and black vs. […]
[…] Although this latest flare-up of identity politics was also blogged by major media, including the New York Daily News, Newsday, ABCNews, CBS News, TIME and AOL News, none of them has yet to identify Obama’s Hispanic dog-whistle. […]
[…] out women and older voters, who edged out Obama’s support among young and black voters. Hillary’s Hispanic firewall held; Obama’s dog-whistle fell on deaf ears in Vegas. Even with Obama’s endorsement by the Culinary Workers’ Union, Clinton took 43% of […]
[…] in Nevada, which is influencing his analysis of the delegate issue, means he needs to stop by here more often. Posted by Karl @ 9:04 pm | Trackback Share […]
[…] cynical view might be that Obama is trying for a softer Sister Souljah moment in hopes of denting Sen. Hillary Clinton’s Hispanic firewall, which held up quite well in Nevada […]
[…] article also cites Clinton’s aggressive courting of the Hispanic vote, as noted here on Jan 13. Organization was key to Clinton’s effort, just as it was in New […]
You got two minority groups battling against the same power base. Why not come to some kind of understanding and form a coalition that gives you serious political power. With such, you can sit on the main table and be represented. As a result of real political muscle, you get more say so about things and ofcourse a cut of the real pie not crumps. Think about.
[…] of the black and Hispanic votes in the Super-Duper Tuesday states (more than making up for his prior omission of the Hispanic vote in analyzing the February 5th races). Based on Cost’s analysis, I […]
congratulating you
I have entered as accident but this site so funny