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Este informe no está disponible en español. Latino.comPolitical Conventions Show Latino Coming of Ageby RICARDO VAZQUEZAugust 17, 2000 Regardless of their party affiliation, Latino leaders agree that the Republican and Democratic Conventions have clearly shown the coming of age of Hispanics as a formidable force in national politics. Both parties have bent over backwards to court Latinos, and neither is taking their votes for granted. "We know we have to work for every single Latino vote," said Janet Murguia, deputy campaign manager for the Gore-Lieberman ticket. "And you know what I say to that: ‘Good for [us].’ It shows that Latinos have come to a point of genuine political power and each candidate has to earn their votes." But she drew a clear contrast between what she called the Republican’s "illusion of inclusion" in their convention and the significant role Latinos have played in the Democrat's big party -- both behind and in front of the cameras. "Republicans made news because for them putting a few Latinos in the podium was historic," Murguia said. "But for the Democrats, Hispanics are no strangers. We’ve been partners for years and Al Gore has worked closely with them on the issues important to the community." In fact, the consensus among Democrats is that if the voters make their choice based on issues and the record, Gore will win the presidency. Just ask delegate and Massachusetts State Representative Jarrett Barrios, who insisted on talking about "results." "When you talk about the creation of 22 million new jobs and record numbers in home ownership, you realize that the Clinton-Gore policies have benefited many people, especially many Latinos," Barrios said. That’s not to say that the convention has been free of squabbles. Some Latino and black leaders expressed their concerns regarding vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman’s past criticism of affirmative action. But according to Barrios, the issue of affirmative action has been resolved. He said Lieberman has consistently supported affirmative action programs. As proof, "jubilant," is how Barrios described the mood of Latino officials when Lieberman addressed the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Wednesday. "He had no fewer than six standing ovations," said Barrios, who added that the candidate’s moral rectitude and "his story as a Jewish American resonates with Latinos who are religious and pro-family." Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) concurred. "The mood among delegates is pretty upbeat that the Democrats have a strong ticket and a lot of support from the Latino community," he said. And although he believes the Democrats have been traditionally the party of inclusion, Wilkes emphasized that "just the fact that Republicans tried to include Latinos in their convention is a remarkable change." Barrios, however, was less sanguine about the Republican's intentions. "Gore’s message on saving social security and universal healthcare is going to resonate more with Latinos than the silver-plated rhetoric of the little brown nephew of George W. Bush," he argued. Even if that were true, there is near universal agreement that Vice President Gore's speech tonight is the most important of his political career. Murguia said that in it, Gore will lay out his vision and tell the country why "he’s inspired to be President." She added the address will be substantive and focus on the issues. "He will reiterate his commitment to fight for families. He will explain why we’re at an historic time and how the voters’ decision will influence future generations," she said. According to Murguia, Gore will highlight the booming economy that in the past eight years has benefited more Latinos than at any other period in history. "There are more Hispanic homeowners today than at any other time. The rate of Hispanic business ownership is higher than at any other period. And Latinos have the highest average income per family than at any previous period in history," said Murguia. The aim of the convention, she said, is to provide information on Democratic accomplishments and ideas so that voters may be able to judge for themselves. Said Muguia: "Gore welcomes comparisons on the record on every issue that’s important for the Hispanic community."
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