Republican presidential candidates made a major miscalculation this week by skipping the nation's largest gathering of Hispanic elected officials, local party representatives and event organizers said.The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed officials opened its 24th annual convention Thursday at Walt Disney World, with top billing for a Democratic presidential candidate forum Saturday.
Friday's Republican forum? Canceled. Only Rep. Duncan Hunter of California agreed to show. The other candidates cited scheduling conflicts, including a Saturday debate in Iowa, which Hunter also planned to attend.
"The Republican candidates have blown off Hispanics in Florida," said state Rep. Juan Zapata, a Republican who helped bring the NALEO event to the state.
Zapata hoped the conference would provide a plum opportunity for candidates to court Florida's Hispanics. Instead, he and others say it has become an embarrassment for the party.
SuperDestroyer, if I could address a question to you since you've stated before that more Hispanics will lead to a one-party Democratic rule -- Why do you think the Pub candidates, except for Hunter, who's a non-factor, skipped this event. Just 3 years ago, they made major inroads with Hispanic voters, but now they act like they're radioactive. Or do you think that the whole immigration/amnesty bill fuss has made the whole thing too hot to handle?
Comments (3)
I recently read that 92% of the elected state and local Hispanic ares Democrats. If the vast majority of the crowd were elected Democratic leaders, it makes sense to skip it. Maybe the Republicans have decided to implement the "Fox New s Protocol" where candidates will avoid any hostile environment. It is the same as why Democrats would avoid any Southern Baptist gathering or a Mormom gathering.
It is also the same reason that Republican avoid going to places like the NAACP meeting. Why go speak to a group that will hoot at you and never, ever vote for you.
1. Posted by superdestroyer | June 29, 2007 5:53 PM
Posted on June 29, 2007 17:53
That may be true, and certainly Bush avoided NAACP meetings for several years, but it looks bad nonetheless. You'll never make any inroads if you never try.
And I wanted the Dems to show up for the Fox debate...
2. Posted by Paul Hamilton | June 29, 2007 9:26 PM
Posted on June 29, 2007 21:26
Blame in on you tube. A politician cannot risk being in a setting where he will be jeered, booed, or hooted at. In the past, if a crowd was rude to a speaker it just matter to those preent. These days it will end up on Youtube and be replay a million times.
There may come a time where a polticians will stop speaking to general audiences to limit their risk.
3. Posted by superdestroyer | June 30, 2007 8:42 PM
Posted on June 30, 2007 20:42