Taking notice of Barack Obama’s Latino moves off the court
Washington, DC,_ Since winning the Democratic Party nomination outright a few weeks ago Senator Obama has been on the move since he knows that to halt or even mini vacationing could lead to disaster. The deft lefty knows his way around the basketball court and is beginning to show, though still late, a good feel and “touch” for reaching the Latino community that has evaded him for most of this political season. It seems his moves are all good these days and adding up to offensive points for his side. David Sedeno of the Star Times agreed with some of what LEL wrote last week on this newly and “just in time” found Latino direction. Meeting with the Latino caucus was a great start as was hiring Patty Solis Doyle, former Clinton campaign head who was scapegoated early on by the Clintons for their overall poor play in the early primary season as chief of staff to the yet unnamed VP selection. Sedeno adds that “Clintonistas are seeing the appointment as a slap in the face to their candidate and a clear message that Clinton, despite her pledge to support Obama, will never be on the ticket.”
As Sedeno agrees it is obvious that Solis Doyle’s value and capital is her ties to the Latino community. Add this weekend’s meeting with LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other moves to follow and you have the beginning of la nueva estategia Obama con los Latinos! The sharp minded Illinois senator will do well to continue being upfront about not having done a good job with Latinos and to reaching out to even those who most strongly opposed him or supported Clinton in the primaries. He cannot let McCain get near the 40% mark with Latino voters.
