|
 |
|
|
|
Este informe no está disponible en español. THE NEW YORK TIMESGore Praises The 'Values And Virtues' Of Hispanicsby JAMES DAOJuly 1, 2000 WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Mixing praise for Latin American culture with appeals to Hispanic "values and virtues," Vice President Al Gore asserted this evening that his approach to education, health care and the economy would "unleash the promise of every brave young Latino in this nation." "The values and virtues that are at the heart of the Latino experience -- honor and responsibility, faith and family, caring and community -- are the same values that are most important in keeping America strong," Mr. Gore said in a speech before the League of United Latin American Citizens. "I want to give all hard-working Americans of all backgrounds the chance to live out their values and reach for their dreams." In a 30-minute speech liberally salted with Spanish phrases, Mr. Gore made a handful of policy pledges specifically intended for Hispanic voters, including affirming his support for bilingual education. "I say to you tonight, Todavia no han visto nada," Mr. Gore said. "You ain't seen nothing yet." But he focused more heavily on the broad themes that are central to his candidacy and that he repeatedly suggested have special value for immigrants and their children: improving education, safeguarding the booming economy, extending health care to all children and strengthening the Social Security system. "We can create a future where new Americans and all Americans can open the doors to their own homes and swing open the wrought-iron gates to education and opportunity and live out their lives in peace and plenty," he said. Mr. Gore's speech came at the end of the organization's weeklong convention, which opened on Monday with a speech by the vice president's likely Republican rival, Gov. George W. Bush. In a much shorter address, Mr. Bush called for splitting the Immigration and Naturalization Service into two agencies and for making it easier for relatives of permanent residents to enter the country. The competition between Mr. Gore and Mr. Bush for Hispanic voters has stepped up in recent days, when some recent polls have shown Mr. Bush cutting into the Democrats' historic domination among Hispanic voters. In a poll from interviews 2,721 likely Hispanic voters released today by The San Jose Mercury News, Mr. Gore was shown winning 50 percent of the Hispanic vote, compared with 34 percent for Mr. Bush. In 1996, President Clinton won more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote. Nationwide, Hispanics are projected to represent 5.4 percent of the electorate. But their numbers are significantly greater in the states with the most electoral votes: Texas, New York and California. Douglas Hattaway, a spokesman for the Gore campaign, said polls showing Mr. Bush making inroads among Hispanic voters are meaningless so early in the campaign. "You can't compare poll numbers this far out from an election with results of previous elections," he said. "Hispanic voters see that Al Gore is focused on issues they care deeply about, like education and health care," he continued. "And the more they learn about both candidates the wider this margin will grow." Mr. Gore was accompanied tonight by several Hispanic members of the Administration, including Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and Aida Alvarez, the head of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Gore did not mention Mr. Bush in his remarks. But he criticized Senate Republicans for holding up the nomination of Enrique Moreno to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. "I believe that it is time to call upon Congress to stop playing politics with judicial nominations and confirm Enrique Moreno," he said to loud applause.
|
