The Simple Case to Latino Voters

 

 

Earlier this week Romney insiders said that they needed 38% 0f the Latino vote in order to have a chance at ending the Obama Presidency. If that is true last night’s speech by Julian Castro provides reason for the GOP to follow their standard bearer’s money and immediately head to the Caymans.

Unlike any of the efforts up to that point the real case for moderate and liberal Latino voters by the Obama camp had only been made piecemeal. Over the last few years Axelrod, Plouffe and company had shown a deep level of amateurishness and at times even slight disdain for the group of voters that will put them over the top in their reelection bid.

The approach of the Administration up until last night was to tell Latino voters that they should be satisfied with the generic efforts brought to the table by it’s appointees and operators. The problem with that approach is that while Latinos may on the surface want the same things as average Democratic and Independent voters we want them for different reasons. Last night Mayor Castro outlined why Latino voters desire more of the distribution of opportunity in America that created the middle class and why we need a President that “gets” that. But the power and impact of the message was not in it’s plea but in it’s rationale.

In his delivery Castro reflected one of the key Latino cultural values – gratitude. Unlike the approach taken by Sen. Marco Rubio Castro did not hide the fact that he has prospered because of a series of policy decisions made by the greatest generation. Like most Latino voters Castro deeply understands his history and is so grateful for it he wishes it extended to the next generation. Unlike the petulant entitled demands of the Romney campaign which believes that the prosperous owe nothing to America’s constant investments Castro respects the meaning of those down payments and gratefully understands their importance to the future of our community and the entire country.

For Latino voters the reason for good paying jobs today is for America’s future generations. The reason for Medicare is respect for those that built the country we all love. The reason for education is to forward the dream for others by living the dream ourselves. The reason for the DREAM Act is the dream itself.

A simple look behind the cold numbers of Latino polling will indicate why Castro is such a good messenger and why, if the Castro message is taken further by Obama, Romney will not succeed. The beauty of Castros speech was that it made the simplicity of the key to Latino voters easily apparent to anyone willing to take notice. In fact I bet more than on political consultant is scratching their heads this morning and saying “why didn’t I think of that?”