Latino Votes in 2012 - My Response to the New America Media Story

New America Media published a story today about the growing controversy surrounding White House adviser Cecilia Munoz.

While I believe the story is a fair representation of the conversation I had with reporter Elena Shore there is one area that I believe was presented without full context. I am sure that Ms. Shore will agree that my response to the question that she initiated as to whether I would tell Latino voters to stay home on election day was "no". I did say after making that clear response that if I ever thought that suggesting to voters that they should stay home would get the White House to move that I would advocate that. I do not believe that a call to stay home would move this White House.

I offered the added comment about staying home that is referenced at the end of the story to indicate that I believe that no legitimate political tactics should ever be off the table.

Since 1987 I have been an advocate for more Latino voter participation. Increasing Latino voting power has been part of my life's work. I believe that by increasing our community's strength at the polls we will eventually take a major role in the governance of this great country. In fact during the 2010 election cycle when others from all sides of the political spectrum found reasons to advocate not voting I publicly,vociferously, and repeatedly fought against those calls. Recordings of my position on the importance of voting exist in great volume.

All of us involved in this current debate must honestly acknowledge that it is not my efforts nor the efforts of those that are criticizing the White House's implementation of "Secure Communities" that has driven down the Presidents voting number among Latinos from a high of over 70% to the 49% that he now rests on. This number is the responsibility of the President's advisers. They would be well advised to look internally for answers to their current political dilemma.