Will Obama shift on Latino and Latin American strategies?

Polls indicate that Barack Obama has a lead over John McCain among Latino voters, perhaps a substantial one.

But the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is still formulating his positions on a number of key issues of particular interest to Latinos and Latin Americans, writes Miami Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer, who is anticipating a "shift to the center" in the coming weeks in Barack Obama's "Latin American rhetoric, including a less strident opposition to the Mexico and Colombia free trade agreements, and a more persistent criticism of Cuba and Venezuela's authoritarian regimes."

Oppenheimer writes: "There is a fierce behind-the-scenes battle for influence over presumptive Democratic candidate Barack Obama's Hispanic and Latin American agenda, and some Democratic strategists say that its outcome could determine the result of the November elections."

"Some Obama backers in South Florida, in particular, are especially miffed at what they see as excessive power by labor-union-tied, left-leaning Mexican-American leaders at Obama's Chicago headquarters over the campaign's nationwide Hispanic and Latin American policy strategies."

Oppenheimer further notes: "Obama's stands against NAFTA and the free-trade deal with Colombia have been applauded in some Midwestern industrialized states that have lost factories to Mexico, but are supported by Florida's business community and many of the state's Hispanics."

"Similarly, Obama's support for farm subsidies has been welcomed in U.S. farm states but is decried as unfair by virtually all Latin American countries and many U.S. Latinos."

-- Reed Johnson in Mexico City

[Updated: 7:40, 10:04 p.m.]

Photo: Barack Obama with Janet Murguia, head of the National Council of La Raza, in San Diego this month. Denis Poroy / Associated Press

Comments

[Manuel Lopez]

As a latino who had voted for Hillary Clinton, I must say that I will be now supporting John McCain. I originally voted for Hillary instead of McCain because Hillary's viewpoints were the more conservative of the two. However, after Barrack Obama cheated Hillary out of the nomination, I was horified to see how liberal his viewpoints. That left McCain now to be the more conservative of the two choices so I have switched from the conservative Hillary Clinton to the somewhat conservative John McCain because I cannot bear to vote for the liberal Barrack Obama.

Some people may be voting against Obama because of racism but my viewpoints are stated here and should be clear.

[bot_feeder]

I think Obama and McCain are both dead wrong on the issues.

The reason I support Obama is that I don't believe he has "principles" like McCain.

Obama will adjust his policies to his political self-interest as well as the realities of our society and the world. Obama knows the radical left agenda represented by his voting record in the Senate would lead to a Presidency that would go down in flames if he does not drastically move to the center.

(hint: Obama does not want to be a failed President)

McCain, on the other hand, would stick with his principles even if his policies were reducing our society to a pile of rubble.

For example, McCain's obsession with passing Ted Kennedy's immigration agenda, which would create a 100-200% increase in population growth in the US, that obsession will never go away.

Obama, on the other hand, might back off his support for such destructive legislation either because he is smart enough to recognize it is overwhelmingly disliked by the public, or by recognizing that it is just flat out horrible policy from a public-interest standpoint.

Obama is an intelligent guy, and there is a decent prospect that he will step back from the precipice. McCain, on the other hand, will run right over the cliff with great zeal, and will pull our whole society down with him.

[RealAmerica]

Thank God 'Ron Paul' is an easy name to remember when it comes to writing in who to vote FOR! You may not like everything that he stands for, but you KNOW what he stands for. At this point in the game Obamanation and McAmnesty will say whatever it takes to get votes, as their corporate backers have already (mostly) written the checks.

This year, don't waste your vote. Tell the Democrats and the Republicans NONE OF THE ABOVE!!!

[Bobby]

Forgive me for a last comment about Obama and liberals in general. Obama also wants free health care for illegal aliens. THE HYPOCRISY OF LIBERALS IS AMAZING. ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT GET FREE HEALTH CARE--ALREADY, AND OBAMA KNOWS IT!!!

[Sally White]

Obama is a great candidate and I hope he wins. Please support Obama. visit WhyObama08.org!

[Bobby]

When will the Los Angeles Times be honest? When will they allow an honest, non-partisan reporter, tell it like it is. We have an economy in ruins. The Democrats have been part of the problem, whether it is the war, the illegal alien mess, or the breakdown of laws in general for the last twenty to thirty years. There can be no Latin American/Mexican policy with the U.S. that involves the importatiion of millions of uneducated, wellfare dependent people,--unless the Democrats, the Los Angeles Times, or even the Mexican Nationalists at heart, want to see this nation go down in ruins.

Example: California is flat out bankrupt due to liberal policies of the last forty years. Whether it's big business or the local barbershop, no one wants to pay the increasing taxes that the Democratic party under Nancy Pelosi and the California Democrats are hell bent on burdening people with. NOBODY!!

[Stephen C.]

Poor and middle class Latin@s aren't going to be picked apart by the corporate media and GOP this time. What you're discussing isn't about Cuban-Americans vs. Mexican-Americans it's about rich vs. poor/middle class. Obama's coalition is made up of many Cuban-Americans, Chican@s, and countless other people of Latin American and Carribean heritage. You can fit the facts to an old script or you can do a little research and learn about the Latin@ community from the community itself. Latin@s who are against Obama in Florida don't just happen to be rich, it's the reason for their opposition.

[James McDouglas]

Uhhh... what?

Latinos care a lot more about real healthcare, schools, keeping our economy afloat, and getting out of Iraq than the naval gazing issues you speak about above.

Latino Americans are American, and they care about the above issues a lot more than they care about how strongly we criticize Chavez or whether Mexican latinos have more influence than Cuban ones.

Is a guy named Reed Johnson who comes from NY and studied in England the best the LA Times has to discuss Latino issues? Is quoting Andres Oppenheimer the conduit to the Latino soul? Apparently... according to Reed.

Slap a huge clownish mustache on that guy, and call him an expert!

I hope the above article is a caricature ala The New Yorker, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was sincere... such drivel is "all white" with the LA Times.

[Savvy Wit]

So Hussein now has to have a special agenda for hispanics? Will the LA Times ever let racism go away?

[Test test]

Could obama's slogan "change" be interpreted as a command rather than a noun? And if so, is it a racial insult coming from an affirmative action beneficiary?

[Jim]

Mr. Barack Obama's has opinions on many subjects, but has been in very few positions in government where his ideas have been put to the test.
This gentleman, whom I regard in high esteem, is an intellectual who does not have the practical experience required to be Commander in chief or CEO of the United States of America.
This person has one qualification, at this particular time in his life, he can talk, and discuss in a charming manner.
Let him continue his Senate role, gain the practical application experience, then in future years, run for the top job in America.
Talking and promising, is all very well, it has it’s place certainly, but the President of the United States has to consider Congress and the Senate, so the golden voice of Senator Barack Obama does not qualify him to move into the White House with disregard for practical experience of which he has not yet attained.
I wish him well in his future endeavors, but advise him to sit out this particular endeavor and await a future date to continue.

[Guillermo]

I like Obama's Latino issues office, 'Temo is one of the best in the business, we dont need the hard core Cuban "Derechistas" we can win with out selling out to them, FL is important but they have sold thir soul to the GOP,

too bad...

[Dr. Dave]

Obama: The Great Re-formulator

With little or no national political experience, Obama, the Chicago-based & Chicago-styled politician, mixes & matches "policy" for each & every constituency. Since he stands for very little and promises everything he is being correctly nailed as a flip-flopper.

Ultimately it boils down to how many Americans want a genuine candidate like McCain, who has a track record of integrity and sticking to his guns or a flashy new celebrity.