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The San Francisco Chronicle
Bush Swings Through State In Effort to Woo Latinos.
He insists Republicans have `corazon'
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John Wildermuth
Chronicle Political Writer
Thursday, July 6, 2000
San Diego - Texas Gov. George W. Bush was back in California yesterday, making his case again to the Latino voters who in recent years have turned their back on Republican candidates.
``I've got a lot of work to do in California,'' the GOP presidential candidate admitted. ``The Republican Party here is viewed in some quarters as anti-immigrant, unfriendly to newcomers, so I know I have an image to battle.''
But in politics, sometimes, close can count. And if Bush can get close -- or even just closer -- in the scuffle for the state's Latino vote, it could make a big difference in November.
``If we do north of 30 percent (of California's Latino vote), Bush is the next president,'' said Gary Mendoza, a co-chair of the governor's campaign in the state. ``Since we're now between 25 percent and 32 percent in the polls, it's very doable.''
While polls show that Bush has made few inroads among California's Latinos, it hasn't been for lack of trying. In recent months, he has been a regular visitor to the state and has included events with the Latino community at many of his stops.
Yesterday, for example, he flew in from his home in Austin, addressed a luncheon meeting of more than 1,500 members of the National Council of La Raza and then was back on his plane to return to Texas by 3 p.m.
``I like to be seen in neighborhoods sometimes where Republicans aren't seen,'' Bush told the Latino organization. ``I like to fight the stereotype that somehow we don't have the corazon (heart) necessary to hear the voices of people from all political parties and from all walks of life.''
Bush tailored his message to his audience, talking about the need to reform the Immigration and Naturalization Service, cutting down the time it takes the organization to process immigration status applications and making it easier for foreign citizens to visit relatives in the United States.
He repeated the pledge he made last week to split the INS into two agencies, with one focused only on serving immigrants, and promised to spend an additional $500 million over five years on improving the agency's efficiency.
He also managed to neatly straddle the Mexican election results, congratulating President-elect Vicente Fox for his surprise victory, but also praising outgoing President Ernesto Zedillo for the reforms that he said made the country's election far more fair than in the past.
Bush promised to continue the United States' strong relationship with Mexico and to fight to keep trade and commerce between the two countries as free and easy as possible.
``There are many who want to build walls between Mexico and the United States,'' Bush said. Switching to Spanish, he promised, ``I will build bridges, not walls.''
Bush's campaign hopes the emphasis on high-visibility Latino issues can pull a good chunk of those voters away from Vice President Al Gore's side of the presidential ledger, which could lead to a wide- open campaign for the state's 54 electoral votes.
That's not the way Gore's backers see it. As far as they're concerned, former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson's public support for such wedge issues as the anti-immigration Proposition 187 in 1994 poisoned the well for Republican candidates in the state and moved the fast-growing Latino minority solidly into the Democratic camp.
While Bush has been willing to spend time in the spring and summer chasing after Latino votes in California, that could change when the campaign moves into high gear after the political convention ends August 3. When time and money starts running short in the fall, both Bush and Gore can be expected to shift their focus to the states (and ethnic and demographic groups) that they believe they have the best chance of winning.
California Latinos won't back Bush, Gore boosters believe.
``The fact is that the Latino community has worked closely with Al Gore over the years, and they trust in the state's Latino leaders, who are behind Al Gore,'' said David Chai, a spokesman for the Gore campaign.
Gore was in San Diego Monday to speak to the same convention of Latino activists. He talked to a smaller but more enthusiastic crowd and spent much of his time attacking Bush on his record as governor.
``Obviously, Bush's rhetoric doesn't match his record in Texas,'' said Chai. ``He's ignored Hispanic families living in Third World conditions in parts of his state.''
Gore accused Bush of ignoring Latino health problems in Texas and of failing to be out front on such issues as prescription drug benefits for seniors and children's health concerns.
The criticisms stung Bush, who denied the charges and responded forcefully yesterday when reporters asked him about Gore's jibes.
``It's just like the vice president to spend a lot of time and effort trying to diminish my very strong record,'' the governor said, arguing that the problems the vice president is citing occurred while Gore was in office. ``He's trying to pass the responsibility on.''
©2000 San Francisco Chronicle
Bush Swings Through State In Effort to Woo Latinos.
He insists Republicans have `corazon'
---
John Wildermuth
Chronicle Political Writer
Thursday, July 6, 2000
San Diego - Texas Gov. George W. Bush was back in California yesterday, making his case again to the Latino voters who in recent years have turned their back on Republican candidates.
``I've got a lot of work to do in California,'' the GOP presidential candidate admitted. ``The Republican Party here is viewed in some quarters as anti-immigrant, unfriendly to newcomers, so I know I have an image to battle.''
But in politics, sometimes, close can count. And if Bush can get close -- or even just closer -- in the scuffle for the state's Latino vote, it could make a big difference in November.
``If we do north of 30 percent (of California's Latino vote), Bush is the next president,'' said Gary Mendoza, a co-chair of the governor's campaign in the state. ``Since we're now between 25 percent and 32 percent in the polls, it's very doable.''
While polls show that Bush has made few inroads among California's Latinos, it hasn't been for lack of trying. In recent months, he has been a regular visitor to the state and has included events with the Latino community at many of his stops.
Yesterday, for example, he flew in from his home in Austin, addressed a luncheon meeting of more than 1,500 members of the National Council of La Raza and then was back on his plane to return to Texas by 3 p.m.
``I like to be seen in neighborhoods sometimes where Republicans aren't seen,'' Bush told the Latino organization. ``I like to fight the stereotype that somehow we don't have the corazon (heart) necessary to hear the voices of people from all political parties and from all walks of life.''
Bush tailored his message to his audience, talking about the need to reform the Immigration and Naturalization Service, cutting down the time it takes the organization to process immigration status applications and making it easier for foreign citizens to visit relatives in the United States.
He repeated the pledge he made last week to split the INS into two agencies, with one focused only on serving immigrants, and promised to spend an additional $500 million over five years on improving the agency's efficiency.
He also managed to neatly straddle the Mexican election results, congratulating President-elect Vicente Fox for his surprise victory, but also praising outgoing President Ernesto Zedillo for the reforms that he said made the country's election far more fair than in the past.
Bush promised to continue the United States' strong relationship with Mexico and to fight to keep trade and commerce between the two countries as free and easy as possible.
``There are many who want to build walls between Mexico and the United States,'' Bush said. Switching to Spanish, he promised, ``I will build bridges, not walls.''
Bush's campaign hopes the emphasis on high-visibility Latino issues can pull a good chunk of those voters away from Vice President Al Gore's side of the presidential ledger, which could lead to a wide- open campaign for the state's 54 electoral votes.
That's not the way Gore's backers see it. As far as they're concerned, former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson's public support for such wedge issues as the anti-immigration Proposition 187 in 1994 poisoned the well for Republican candidates in the state and moved the fast-growing Latino minority solidly into the Democratic camp.
While Bush has been willing to spend time in the spring and summer chasing after Latino votes in California, that could change when the campaign moves into high gear after the political convention ends August 3. When time and money starts running short in the fall, both Bush and Gore can be expected to shift their focus to the states (and ethnic and demographic groups) that they believe they have the best chance of winning.
California Latinos won't back Bush, Gore boosters believe.
``The fact is that the Latino community has worked closely with Al Gore over the years, and they trust in the state's Latino leaders, who are behind Al Gore,'' said David Chai, a spokesman for the Gore campaign.
Gore was in San Diego Monday to speak to the same convention of Latino activists. He talked to a smaller but more enthusiastic crowd and spent much of his time attacking Bush on his record as governor.
``Obviously, Bush's rhetoric doesn't match his record in Texas,'' said Chai. ``He's ignored Hispanic families living in Third World conditions in parts of his state.''
Gore accused Bush of ignoring Latino health problems in Texas and of failing to be out front on such issues as prescription drug benefits for seniors and children's health concerns.
The criticisms stung Bush, who denied the charges and responded forcefully yesterday when reporters asked him about Gore's jibes.
``It's just like the vice president to spend a lot of time and effort trying to diminish my very strong record,'' the governor said, arguing that the problems the vice president is citing occurred while Gore was in office. ``He's trying to pass the responsibility on.''
©2000 San Francisco Chronicle