Why Aren't Latinos Supporting Obama?
Obama did terrible with Latino voters in California. Considering how black women were bashed and negatively questioned for not jumping on the Obama bandwagon on the very first day, where are folks criticizing Latinos for not supporting the first minority president. If the Clintons have let black folks down, they have certainly not done anything to earn the loyalty of brown folks. What's up with that?
And please spare me "they don't know Obama" argument. If you don't know something, you find out, period! This is an extremely important election.
10 comments:
Hi Professor Tracey,
First; I think there needs to be a demographic breakdown of so-called Latinos. I don't think most White news agencies are willing to see Latinos as anything other than a monolithic group. The only exception is Cuban-Americans.
I think the lack of support for Obama is mainly amongst Mexican Americans. Mexico as you probably know has a racist history and present. So there lack of support isn't surprising.
Also I think many Chicanos have been fooled by the media into having a crabs in the barrel attitude.
I think though that if one were to really examine other groups of Latinos they would see support for Obama.
I think that he, Obama, will find support amongst Bariquas, Dominican Americans, etc.
Unfortunately the political analysis we get is pathetic when it comes to people of color.
I agree with MDC. Latinos are not a monolith no more than we are. When someone says Latino, they automatically mean Mexican or Chicano. No one takes into account Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Panamanians and others from Latin American, many of whom are of African descent. From what I understand, polical beliefs and affiliations vary amongst the different ethnic groups depending on their culural history and heir history in this country.
It's not just Latinos, its Asians as well. I'm from California and I recall many blacks coming together to support Mayor Villaraigosa in his efforts to become the Mayor of Los Angeles. I don't see the favor being returned by Latinos in supporting Obama. For whatever reason, this Black-Latino divide is real.
To paraphrase Pulic Enemey, I think Latinos are afraid of a black planet and an Obama presidency in their minds will further preclude them gaining already scace resources.
Give me a break . . . Latino folks consider themselves " white" don't you know. Most of them aren't even brown. They are a sub-culture of ... huh. . Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Dutch, English and lastly African. They look more like Hilliary than they do Obama. Go figure . . . they probably do not considered themselves a minority. . . yet they reap all the benefits of hard working people like Asa Philip Randolph. whose that? His was the back that ML King, Jr. stood on... and continues to do so. We need to change more than our President . . . we need to change and correct our HISTORY.
I think it's because they are as in love with the Clintons as Blk ppl were. Also, the Clinton machine didn't disrespect them and devalue their leaders.
And I know you don't wanna hear the argument, but they don't know Obama and they don't wanna do the legwork to find out who he is. For a lot of ppl, doing your own research is harder than having someone else do it for you.
Also, I think bigotry's a factor as well. And just because someone's a Black Latino doesn't mean that (s)he automatically gravitates to Blk ppl. There are plenty of them ranging in looks from Faith Evans to Djimon Honsou that'll correct you if you "mistake" them as Blk.
http://anonymissblog.blogspot.com
What the media totally misses is that Latino and black are not mutually exclusive. There are many, many black Latinos.
Here is a great discussion about the black/Latino/Asian voting issue from Stereohyped (found through Racialicious):
http://www.stereohyped.com/a-black-woman-a-latina-and-an-asian-woman-walk-into-a-bar-20080208/
He got 53% of the Latino vote in Connecticut
41% in Arizona
And he wouldn't have tied New Mexico or won Colorado without them.
"Latino" is a deceptive term. It depends on the state. Everyone forgets that the Clintons had been in California for a year, easy, prior to Super Tuesday...had strong local support and a pretty solid GOTV/Grass Roots effort throughout the state.
You'll see him make more inroads i Texas especially if Hillary can't stop the bloodbath that is Febuary.
He lost California where he spent millions of dollars. As Try Excellence noted many black supported the first latino mayor in Los Angeles. Unlike other places, California is a specific Latino group - Mexican, so the demographic stuff does not explain the lack of support for the minority candidate. California is not New York or Florida.
And folk seem to forget 50% of the Hispanic population ethnically identify as white. The other 50% are black, mestizo and indigenous.
They have the same racial issues as us Black/White folk here in the states. And California is only one place. His lowest percentage among hispanics on Super Tuesday was 35%...and that's California. He broke 40% in all other States. 60% in Illinois.
This meme that latinos won't vote Black is false. It's also generational. Spanish speaking hispanic s who primarily get there news from spanish language tv vote Hillary.
Younger generations tend to vote Obama.
He lost California where he spent millions of dollars.
He lost by 10pts. whre he was down by 20/30 points and where a third of the votes had been cast in advance. Most BEFORE the South Carolina win and definitely before any high profile endorsements.
Clinton held on to Cali because of the firewall of early votes...that's per her campaign.
My guess is he keeps his 40% in Texas and Clinton takes the 60%.
The Clintons have a long relationships with Hispanics similar as they had with Blacks. And they haven't thrown Hispanics under the bus.
Remeber prior to the Clinton's shennaigans at best Obama was polling 50/50 among Blacks. Hispanics are loyal to the Clinton's in much the similar way we were.
An interesting fact relating black woman support of Obama.
Link Below:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/104275/Black-Men-Women-Equally-Likely-Support-Obama.aspx
This analysis shows that a bias for supporting the female candidate may be in play with white and Hispanic Democratic women. However, whatever desire black women may have to support a candidate who could become the first woman president in U.S. history is muted by their apparently stronger desire to support Obama -- who could become the first black president in U.S. history.
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