McCain: I've Earned Hispanics' Trust; Obama Hasn't

WASHINGTON — John McCain says he has earned the trust of Hispanic voters by championing an immigration reform bill that nearly killed his presidential bid.

The Republican presidential candidate also says, in remarks prepared for delivery Monday in San Diego, that Democrat Barack Obama failed to take a similar stand on the politically explosive issue of illegal immigration.

McCain will speak to the annual convention of the National Council of La Raza. Obama appeared before the group on Sunday, another indication of the fierce jockeying for a critical pool of voters, a quarter of them undecided in a recent poll.

McCain, a senator from Arizona, saw his White House bid nearly collapse from conservatives' anger over his effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform, which opponents branded "amnesty" for millions of illegal immigrants.

"I took my lumps for it without complaint. My campaign was written off as a lost cause. I did so not just because I believed it was the right thing to do for Hispanic Americans. It was the right thing to do for all Americans," McCain said in the prepared remarks.

"I do ask for your trust that when I say, I remain committed to fair, practical and comprehensive immigration reform, I mean it. I think I have earned that trust," McCain said.

Since the defeat of the immigration reform bill, McCain has tried to make peace with critics in his party by stressing the need for border security before creating a path to citizenship.

While he worked with Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy on immigration reform, McCain said, "Senator Obama declined to cast some of those tough votes. He voted for and even sponsored amendments that were intended to kill the legislation."

Hispanics could play a critical role in the voting in such battleground states as Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico.

A recent AP-Yahoo News poll showed Obama leading McCain among Hispanics, 47 percent to 22 percent, with 26 percent undecided.

On Sunday, Obama told La Raza he would push a tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees, a program he hopes has special appeal to Hispanics and other minority groups.

"Make no mistake about it: The Latino community holds this election in your hands," Obama told the group.

Comments

[kenbomc]

This guy votes like Bush 95% of the time. McSame uses the philosophy of repeating a lie and it will eventually become truth.

[BADEN]

Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny OH!

You are SOOOOOOOOOO not of this reality world.

They see you struttin' down the street and smile as you walk by....then they flip you off to your back.

Johnny - muskets are passe, tropy wives are pathetic, the old RAT PACK is dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EkB0CdZMlU&feature=related

[GOP4MoreTears]

Bottom-line the GOP has *NOT* shown themselves to be trust worthy, McSame, flies *NO* new colors.

[TheOneironaut]

Ha! Good luck with that one!!!

[rabprevent]

THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE EARN IS DISTRUST SINCE YOU FLIPFLOP MORE THAN ANY FISH OUT OF WATER. WE WOULD NOT TRUST YHOU AS FAR AS WE COULD THROW YOU.

WHEN WILL THIS COUNTRY GET SMART ABOUT THEIR POLITICIANS?

IF YOU HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE TO TRUST YOU, YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST THEIR TRUST

[TrueIndy08]

yes... I'm sure they can trust him... the guy who wouldn't even vote now for his own immigration bill...

HAHAHAHAHA... what a joke!!!

[seenitall]

why? because Arizona didn't have a Cesar Chavez holiday for him to vote against???

[nativeeyes]

You earned a trip to the looney bin thinking that Democratic Hispanics will ever vote for a Republican relic...

It's time retire Mccain. Your time came 40 years ago...

[Brittanicus]

La Raza is a insurgent dangerous organization that would swamp America with a continuous influx of poor from third world countries. The race as it's called has seditious ideas to return the Southwest to Mexico. Fanatical this might seem this is their philosophy they preach, amongst the Latino people's

Understand that this is a war, that must be won! Otherwise illegal immigration will bring America to a necrology stand-still of overpopulation. Uncensored facts at NUMBERUSA

We must enact the Federal SAVE ACT(H.R.4088), as all jobs, and our childrens future is in peril.

[BabsfromKS]

You need to get your DNA tested.

[NickNas]

I am 46 years old and ONE thing I have learned for sure in my years of Business and global travel.

You can't trust ANYONE who constantly trys to convince you and others by saying "YOU CAN TRUST ME!" People who are truely trust worthy don't have to advertise that fact ..you will hear about it through others who know and trust them. It is called a REPUTATION! McCains Reputation is well........different.

[Colmore]

When is he going to do something to benefit AMERICANS? If he is so worried about the Mexicans, let him go there and run for office. He will destroy Social Security, along with other benefits for working people. Wht doesn't he just have his wife hand out $100 bills at the Latino Centers?

[StephenBarry]

No one can trust you, you hack.

[Bluesue]

"I do ask for your trust that when I say, I remain committed to fair, practical and comprehensive immigration reform, I mean it. I think I have earned that trust," McCain said.

Would this be a flip-flop-flip? How did he earn it? By appeasing his critics and saying he wouldn't even vote for his own bill. He's only saying he's committed because he's speaking before that group. He'll say something else to his right wing critics.

[Grunty1]

By being for the pro-business (not pro-immigrant) side of the issue, before being against it.

[ebanks84]

Too stupid to even respond to.

[nerakami]

McFlip Flop thinks we are all idiots... yes, he championed the comprehensive immigration bill, but then he abandoned it while trying to secure the Repugnant's nomination..... now that he has it, he has again taken up the cause to buy the Hispanic votes....

trust in McFlip Flop? when we never know which McFlip we'll get on any given day....