Obama Talks Health at Latino Convention
SAN DIEGO, Calif.--During a speech emphasizing his shared values with the Latino community, Barack Obama unveiled another aspect of his health care plan at the annual convention of the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States.
Obama announced yesterday that his plan would assist small business owners in providing health benefits for their employees by providing tax credits to employers.
"An idea, by the way, that was championed by my friend Hillary Clinton," said Obama in front of a crowd of 2,000, many of whom applauded at the mention of Clinton.
In his speech, which covered many issues important to Latinos, including immigration, education, health care and women's issues, Obama criticized John McCain's health care plan, saying that many people would lose the health care they already have, and it would increase taxes on the middle class.
"It's about the Latino families who are the first ones hurt by an economic downturn and the last ones helped by an economic upturn," he told the audience gathered for brunch at the San Diego Convention Center. Obama argued that Latinos could not afford to live under the Bush economic policies that the McCain camp is supporting.
"Make no mistake about it -- the Latino community holds this election in its hands," Obama said. He named Florida, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico as states that hinge on the participation of the Latino vote.
The Latino population nationwide is estimated at about 46 million, but because many are not citizens or old enough to vote, they make up only 9 percent of the eligible voter population. However in New Mexico, Latinos make up 37 percent of eligible voters, according to the Pew Research Center.
"I'm not taking a single Latino vote for granted in this campaign," Obama said.
To make his point clear, he reminded the audience of the 2004 presidential election, when 40,000 registered Latino voters in New Mexico did not turn out at the polls, and Democrat John Kerry lost the state by less than 6,000 votes.
"I know how powerful this community is," Obama said. "And by the way, so does John McCain."
McCain will address the La Raza audience Monday. The visits to La Raza by both presidential candidates marks the third time they have attended Latino conventions in the past three weeks.
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Once again, media people aren't doing their homework. On page 7 of his Blueprint for Change, it mentions giving exemptions and tax breaks to small companies who have trouble affording some of the requirements of his health plan.
Just because he mentions Hilary in the same sentence doesn't mean he's grabbed an idea that exclusively belonged to her. It just means he's trying to build party unity.
Actually, what his mention of Senator Clinton is, is an attempt to get those who voted for her to vote for him. You can call it "unity" if you like, but it is an attempt to get more votes. Nothing more.
Isn't attempting to get more votes when running a campaign is all about?
Dwight Eisenhower was really not a particularly good general as far as strategy or tactics,
What he was really, really good at, and what allowed Ike to win the European war, was that he knew just th perfect person to put in each job,. and which were the best ideas.
Thats what all the best execs do. Hire people better than you. Use the better ideas as your own
I think he should lte Mrs. Edwards and ZKennedy have a swing at it. Leave Clinton out f it. I get the feeling if she is involved some how they will manage to make millions at the expense of us nder the guise of good health care.
Clinton: GOP Should Apologize to America
"Our president goes to Japan four months before the election that will finally show him the door and says he's going to take global warming seriously," Clinton said. "Then as he's leaving the G-8 conference, says to people around him, 'Goodbye from the biggest polluter world in the world.' You've got to ask yourself, how did this happen to our country?"
Clinton said the last eight years had many "highlight
"A vice-president who shoots somebody in the face, you couldn't make that up," Clinton said to laughter.
She added, "the Republicans should hold a press conference and apologize to the country and say they're just not going to run anyone for president.
http://blo
The GOP and its media cheerleaders are amazing. The GOP will blame anyone except their own leaders for the terrible direction the United States is headed toward.
Clinton is right about this. The GOP should admitt their mistakes and apologize to the voters.
I love Hillary Clinton. She feels like an aunt to me. If not some motherly figure. She's not perfect by any means. But, I love her just the same. She's funny, too. Probably one of the funniest politicians ever. Well, she doesn't have anything on Al Franken. Nonetheless, she can rip good jokes and can make me laugh out loud. Not to mention, she has a penchant for ripping republicans very well.
This was one of the main reasons I supported her. She has both the incentive and the temperment to inact some major "payback" to the repube party...an
Sen. O -
Just give it to Liz Edwards.
Period.
I feel an endorcement of Hillary'a proposals are a major mistake. Hillary ia schemer. Remember she never conceded, she simple suspended her campaign, and with Obama giving her so much praise her for her polices only adds fodder to her cause. When she tries to turn the tables on him, she will use the fact that he acknowledged thatt her proposals and policies were exceptable. Obama should distance himself from the Clinton's. To overcome him at the convention would be right up her alley.
Her "Yes We Can" mantra would prove out and her minions would be right on track to serve her purpose. Obama 08'
right on!
The Clintons with the help of the Limbaugh Republican pseudo Democrats can turn the Obama apple-cart upside down at the Convention; that's the plan that is obvious considering all the innuendoes' the Clinton's are spreading through surrogates.
I agree with you.
In my view, Obama is completely enamored of Hillary, in that he admires her tremendously. Her fight and spirit and even, perhaps, her name. And it is that which makes him fall into these kinds of mistakes. And she knows it.
...Enamore
suspending a campaign is just a legal status that allows her to continue rasie money to pay down her debt. she isn't in ithe campaign anymore
Your too paranoid. No, he should no distance himself from the Clintons. There not evil and they have probably done more for this country than you ever have.
O hardly needs to "distance" from HRC. Everyone knows they were rivals.
I think he should use them in places where it will help -- Latino areas, women, etc.
stop with the hillary hate. she's a brilliant woman. there' s a reason she gave him a run for the money and why he's selected many of her advisors and Bill's...n
Dear rosalala:
I think you are trying to rewrite history. Obama is the one that gave Hillary the run for her money and WON. He initially was the underdog and relatively unknown. Obama was going up against a legend..th
So, let's not rewrite history and pretend Hillary was the underdog and gave Obama a run for "his" money when the election began with her in the lead and everything going for her and she NOT he was considered the inevitable
Excellent idea. As much as I wanted to stop HRC in her tracks because of her being a pro-NeoCon, I always liked her healthcare plan better.
Good move by 0bama. Take good ideas from wherever they come.
.
Come on, Hume. HRC is not pro-neocon. Where do you get this garbage?
Her vote and continued support of the war in Iraq long after it began. Her statements about "nuclear umbrella in the Middle East" and "obliterating Iran." Her statements that she does not believe in talking to our enemies. These ideas can be interpreted as neocon.
Hume is right; as most of the time.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead
PUMA POWER
Obama get your own SOLUTIONS asap. We are watching you steal Hillary's ideas and stances after you, Dean and DFA smeared her with propaganda and lies.
New Rule
No one is allowed to CHANGE America until they can show they changed something for the better.
FYI, Hillary is working with him and has asked him to do this.
Oh yeah, Margaret Mead would find your cause completely PATHETIC and counter-productive so please don't use her quotes!
Obama has always stolen from Hillary's play book. Its the only reason hes gotten as far as he has.
I'm a huge Hillary supporter but thank you Obama, you acknowledge where you got it from and if that's what you're going to do, it thrills me to no end. Take the best of everybody and make it for all Americans. Yeeehaw.
LOL!!! keep telling yourself this . . . .
If that were the case he would be out of the race like she is. Granted they both have the same position on alot of issues but that is to be expected being that they are both dems. however Obama has a better, drama free, more organized approuch. his own mind and strategy got him this far.
If Obama did not stolen from Hillary's play book which is actually the "Karl Rove" latest edition. He did not use her Bosnia lies that was spoken four times before the video came out to dispute her recollection of truth ..she on the other hand acted just like a republican against him. She praised John McCain who is the ultimate one to defeat and spoke irreverently against a fellow democrat demonstrating she has too narrow of a vision to be president. The race was for the white house in Novemeber and all she could see was the primaries. Quite dangerous for even Huckabee and Romney of the Republican party never lost sight of what the stakes were--it was bigger than their own ambition to be elected. Hillary on the other hand ONLY saw her ambition and did not care if she bought down the democratic party in the process. Tell me in what way did Obama use this technique for I was following this election from its conception. I think we have a case of misplaced facts that is desperately in need of revision with truth.
What are you talking about? I've been working with HRC supporters because we want a better nation and committ to action rather than perpetuate a lie. Even my Mom, a Hillary supporters, said the Clintons plaid the politic game-im being nice. Get over it because we working for a better work instead of just bitching about it. Nobody stole anything.
I believe the PUMA people will never vote for Obama for whatever reasons so there is no reason on earth for Obama or his supporters to spend any time on them.
Nothing like a presidential contender pandering to one of the biggest racist groups in the U.S. today, doing nothing meaningful for Hispanics but advocating open borders and more amnesty. LaRaza is a joke being taken seriously by the politicians who have now legitimized them and will make sure more tax dollars will be funneled to them. La Raza is racist , has always been racist and shame on Obama and McCain. Shame on them.
I think Americans need to be ashamed of THEM. They marginalize our English language and our sovereignty and somebody needs to tell them the majority of Hispanics DO NOT belong to these open groups. Hispanics who have immigrated legally are actually being impacted more than anyone else because the low wage jobs are being pushed down even further.
Shame on Obama and shame on McCain. They're disgusting. What other anti-American plans are they both hatching out ? When they embrace the illegal invasion and talk down to Americans , they aren't looking out for America.
Shame on you for pandering to us.
If it was up to me, all our illegal immigrant friends would get unconditional and immediate amnesty. We need them.
Did you know that the US military will accept most any able body as a soldier?
military = si se puede
IMO - you have more to worry to fear from Washington, D.C. than you do from the brown person working for less than minimum wage. I'm just saying pay no attention to that man behind the curtain
Absolutely, because Washington is allowing the paying of below minimum wages to illegals and not enforcing our laws. Thereby driving down wages for the rest of America.
You wouldn't be staying awake nights worrying about the Hispanic invasion if the United States hadn't taken more than 50% of the territory of Mexico in a war in 1848. As they say, those chickens come home ...
Yeah, that set us straight. Do you even know what the war was about? Apparently not. I guess it had nothing to do with the State of Texas wishing to secede from Mexico and join the U.S. Furthermore they lost other areas in a treaty that the Mexican government signed and agreed to. Perhaps if the Mexican government in the 1800's didn't act like dictators with mandatory planting of crops and religion that wouldn't have had problems. Your comment is delusional and simple do come up with something better next time. The people of those areas received exactly what they wanted freedom from the Mexican government.
Like fine art, if you can't have the real thing a copy will have to do. Adopting elements of Clinton's health plan may be part of a negotiation between Hillary and Barack, but my concern is that the centerpiece of Clinton's proposal - mandatory enrollment similar to SS - may not be negotiable. The President proposes, but Congress disposes, and enacting a comprehensive universal plan will be a major battle with special interests. In my view, Obama has no deep-seated passion for this or any other revolutionary change, and will not fight for it.
It may be a negotiation and it may be a copyright infringement. I would bet it is the latter. Obama is a big con, he never helped anyone. His political tactics expose a competitor that makes you cringe that a person with so little ethics could possibly affect the lives of millions. Go back to your district Obama, THEY need you to help them change it.
PUMA
You are stupid and a fraud. Hillary has fought for 36 years to better the lives of the American People. She has asked Barack to take this on and instill her people and policy advisors in to his campaign. He did so. Hillary is campaigning for him and wants to pass this landmark legislation. What you are suggesting would destroy her life's work. You are either a terrible supporter or a GOP Operative. Either way it is pathetic.
You cannot copyright an idea, only an expression of that idea. And how pathetic to whine about whose idea it was. Do you really think Hillary's off pouting somewhere because the big bad man stole her idea? What is this, preschool?
Man, I read these boards and I just think it's hopeless for the Democrats. I certainly wasn't nuts about Dukakis or Mondale back in the day but I got my butt into that booth and pulled the lever for whichever Dem got the nomination because I care about the larger issues and the fate of this country, not about some MSM-created popularity contest, or whose candidate is a rock star or a loveable daddy or a mean mommy figure. Can't we just all agree that McCain's a basically nice guy who is utterly friggin' clueless and will continue the failed Bush policies that are destroying this country? Can we just do the right thing and vote Democratic and encourage others to put the petty crap aside and do the same?
In my view it is one of his biggest passions and on his list of the three things that he will begin working on the first day in office. He has promised a major role to Hillary and has hired her team at her bequest. He will make this come to pass!!!!
Let's show some cojones to the McSame camp come November that we are all Democrats and "Sin, si puede"
HRC for VP. Enough said.
Umm....no. Enough said.
Agreed.
Don't agree. Enough said.
Yes.
What in the world is Mccain going to have to say to Latino voters? I can't wait to read that exchange.
Obama and Clinton have moved forward together for the good of our nation. We should, too.
Actually, I would characterize them as both moving backward together.
Well it makes sense that he would borrow from her plan as he has hired her advisors and promised her to promote her agenda. This is the exact reason she wants her supporters to support him, so that all her hard works get passed and enacted!!! This is why we are coming together as a party!!!
Agreed-- this is definitely a positive. People forget that one reason the primary got so heated was the lack of significant differences on policy. This is not such a dramatic shift for Obama, and it is an improvement, both politically and in terms of policy.
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