(Update Correction (6/25/08): When originally posted, we failed to notice that the referenced article was an Associated Press article and not one originally reported on by El Nuevo Herald staff. Our apologies. Yet, the basic premise of the post is correct and today, the Associated Press, issued a correction of their own on the article.)
LatinaLista — With the race between Obama and McCain barely begun, the issue of the Latino vote and who will get it is already on the minds of both parties.
On the one hand, we have Obama huddling with the Hispanic Congressional Caucus to persuade Clinton supporters to now support him.
On the other hand, we have McCain who is stealthly going after the Latino vote by way of private Town Hall meetings.
So far, according to poll after poll after poll on Latino presidential voting preferences, Obama is edging out McCain — in most cases by a lot.
So, it was interesting that an article in Miami’s El Nuevo Herald sees the polls from a totally new lado (side).
The article is titled “Democrats continue courting Hispanic voters.”
It was all about how for the first time the organizers of a national party convention, in this case the Democrats, were conducting a live transmission via the Internet for the Spanish-speaking press in Spanish about what to expect at the Denver Democratic Convention in August.
Other than that, nothing particularly newsworthy until we get to the end of the article where it’s reported that “According to some surveys, the Hispanic vote appears to favor now the Republican candidate John McCain, who has a more favorable position than Obama to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.”
Unfortunately, something got lost in the translation for this reporter.
There is no clearer evidence that this statement is false than a quick check of the ABC News political blog Political Radar where it is reported that McCain is still receiving grief from his party for meeting with Latinos in a closed door meeting.
As reported on the ABC blog, McCain assured Republicans during one debate that:
…McCain explained to Republican voters in debates that he had gotten “the message” and would work to secure American borders before pursuing a pathway to citizenship.
“Giving Americans “Straight Talk” –- telling them what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear – demonstrates leadership, and as you have correctly pointed out many times in the past, that is what America needs now more than ever,” he said.
Newsflash: Since the border is not secure, it’s a safe bet that no plan for pathways to citizenships have been finalized, let alone, created.
McCain’s statement about telling people what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear also applies to ethical journalism where the truth is what needs to be told, regardless of personal preference.
It’s one thing to tote the “party line” of a newspaper but facts aren’t to be made up to support a false claim — that’s not journalism, that’s propaganda.
To maintain journalistic credibility, this newspaper needs to clarify the statement and/or produce the polls that show where this is true.
Otherwise, it clouds the real issue of which direction the Latino vote is leaning towards and creates false analysis for outcomes to scenarios that aren’t true in the first place.
Whether it’s to be believed or not, this isn’t about pushing one candidate over another — it’s about presenting the truth as best we know it — not how we wish it.
This newspaper should know better.
Comment(20)
Evelyn
It’s just another lie by the GOP.
Posted on Mon, Jun. 23, 2008
Poll: Obama leads in South Florida
BY BETH REINHARD
In a sign that Democrat Barack Obama will be competitive in the nation’s largest swing state, he is beating Republican John McCain comfortably in South Florida and has a slight edge among Hispanics, according to a new Miami Herald poll.
Obama is ahead 46-30 percent over McCain in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in the survey of 807 people conducted by Zogby International. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
”Obama’s 16-point lead in South Florida could springboard him to make it a competitive race statewide,” said pollster John Zogby. “I really think Florida is in play.”
About 24 percent of South Floridians favors another candidate or haven’t made up their minds — a large group that could tip the race in the coming months.
Obama was perceived as being behind in Florida because he did not campaign in the state for nine months and lost the Democratic primary to Hillary Clinton. But two statewide polls released last week showed him with a narrow edge over McCain. The Zogby poll was conducted June 18-20, just as Obama’s first television ads in South Florida went on the air.
South Florida traditionally votes Democratic, but Obama’s lead in Miami-Dade is wider than the narrow margin of victory posted by 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry.
Among Hispanics in the three counties, Obama leads McCain 40 to 35 percent. Until the tide started to turn against the Republican Party in 2006, Hispanics in Florida have long favored the GOP.
“That shows the depth of anger that Hispanics are feeling toward the Republican Party,” Zogby said. “If Democrats walk away with 65 percent of the Hispanic vote in Florida, that will be almost insurmountable for the Republican party.”
more…
http://www.miamiherald.com/campaign08/story/580609.html
Grandma
I don’t know why you care. Either one of them is going to give the illegals amnesty.
Evelyn
For your information I care about all the other issues, just like any other normal American. I have witnessed the down-hill spiral this country has been taken in the last eight years. I have seen this country go from the greatest country in the world to the most hated country in the world and that pains me.
El Loco
Marisa, that’s the typical “according to unnamed sources” article. They cite some polls but don’t reference them. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.
Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time Nelson Ikeda is accused of distorting the facts:
http://www.narconews.com/Issue26/article567.html
The statement seemed clear enough. After a total of 25 hours of negotiations that framed this past weekend, the Organization of American States – representing 34 governments – released a much-awaited declaration on the crisis in Venezuela. The OAS rejected any solution that is not consistent with the Venezuelan constitution – which went into law with the support of President Hugo Chávez in 1999 only after the entire nation approved the text in a referendum – and “fully support(s) the democratic and constitutional order of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, whose government is headed by Hugo Chávez FrÃas.â€
But the Associated Press (AP)’s Nestor Ikeda, who until yesterday had not written on Venezuela since the coup last April, doesn’t seem to get it. And looking at the coverage AP has provided on Venezuela for the last two weeks, this is hardly surprising; the reports, especially those of a certain writer we will get to in a moment, have been a steady stream of dishonest spin.
Despite a short, uncomplicated, essentially unambiguous declaration (making it something of an anomaly in diplomatic literature), Ikeda apparently felt the need to bend over backwards trying to prove that the OAS had, in fact, “given no direct support to Chavez.†What could have been more direct than the above statement? A photo of the 34 ambassadors wearing red berets shouting “viva la revolución bolivariana?†An international force sent in to squash the opposition? How long can people like Ikeda deny that the opposition has lost the bulk of the international support that it once had?
Ikeda goes on to quote the US Ambassador to the OAS, Roger Noriega, who says “this resolution supports the secretary general’s efforts, unequivocally and energetically,†giving the impression that Noriega was quite pleased with the resolution. Here may lie the key to Ikeda’s bizarre slanting of this important story.
IMHO, I’d take any article authored by Nelson Ikeda with a grain of salt.
Dee
Grandma, The issue is Comprehensive Immigration Reform. McCain promises more of the status quo, meaning NOTHING but pandering to Big Business! This means more crony owned private prison Detention Centers. More Private Security Contractors like Blackwater. More Sweeps to populate the prisons for ore payola to the private prison owners while pandering to the ANTIs.
We need CHANGE! We need Comprehensive Immigration Reform! The end to Detention Centers! No Private Contractors patrolling over us and Racial Profiling us through Massive Sweeps!
Dee
Marisa, Evelyn,
I recommend we all go comment on that paper to show them the error in their ways!
You know how McCain is conducting these secret meetings with various Latino politicos. Who knows what he is doing “under the table!” A mordida here and there so misprints like this happen! Anything to sway the Latino vote!
We need to nip this in the Bud!!
Challis
I’m sure you meant to say neither, but I like the way it reads now ;).
‘Either one could give amnesty.’
Lissette
The Herald is known for not researching very well, and they’re a VERY conservative paper, always favoring with Republicans. Frankly I’m not surprised, and truthfully most Latins in Miami probably will vote McCain simply because he is Republican instead of voting on the issues, as sad as this may sound.
Frank
From what I understand McCain promised in that “private” meeting with prominant Latinos to pursue CIR if he becomes president. Where is the status quo in that? Even if CIR is passed, there will always be those who will still try to enter illegally afterwards. Are we suggesting that they will also fall under CIR or that from that point forward they will be detained and deported thus the continued necessity for some detention facilities.
There was no secret about the meeting because what was discussed in that meeting was published afterwards. If one feels snubbed because the entire Hispanic community wasn’t invited, why don’t they take it up with those who attended it, rather than blaming McCain? They weren’t forced to attend that meeting.
Horace
“Are we suggesting that they will also fall under CIR or that from that point forward they will be detained and deported thus the continued necessity for some detention facilities.”
Why bother asking the question, Frank, as these people haven’t a clue as to how this preposterous plan will work. Their horizon lies just beyond the ends of their noses.
Evelyn
I wouldn’t expect either one of you to be able to figure it out. It wont matter one way or the other. You dont have a dog in this fight.
Now that Gilchrist has announced in public that people like you wont be around in 6 mo., (well maybe in jail) but not out in public, it wont matter.
Frank
No, people like those of us in this blog will be around for a long time as we aren’t some so-called MM with a violent nature nor are we racists. We are merely law abiding Americans wanting our immigration laws enforced.
Oh, that’s right you and your ilk call ANY white American who wants our laws respected and no rewards for violating them, racists.
Evelyn
The show is over. Using broken immigration laws that cant be inforced as they stand to hide behind ‘rule of law’ has been exposed.
Those broken laws didnt work from 86 to 07, and they aren’t going to work now.
Cant you come up with something that is a solution rather then a regurgitation of the same old same old.
Frank
Our immigration laws were never broken, they just weren’t enforced as we were promised with the last amnesty. There is no need to hide behind the rule of law on this issue or any others. Our laws are our laws and must be respected.
Yes, I have a solution. Go after the employers (mandating e-verify), secure our borders and continue with internal enforcement and stop making a mockery of our immigration laws and the soveriengty of this nation.
Where do you get off calling us racists for not wanting another amnesty? Do you have ANY IDEA how much another amnesty and chain migration of MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of uneducated and poor immigrants will cost this nation? If you feel so strongly about this, then volunteer to have your paycheck docked to provide for these folks. Every pro-illegal can pay for 100 illegals and their families. The Catholic church can provide free educations, too. The rest of us can then be off the hook.
Frank
Speaking of regurgitation, that is all we hear from the pro-illegals also. Same ole, same ole. Along with the word racist being used a half dozen times in one post.
Evelyn
Frank :
Our immigration laws were never broken,
~
Explain how employers are suppose to know if potential employees are here legally using only SS cards.
That is how the law stands now. The law is broken. We need a screening system that will tell which immigrants are here legally.
~
Immigration Laws Broken, Says Bloomberg, Suggests Biometric Employment Cards
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s office today issued a release of the mayor’s prepared testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s field hearing on federal immigration legislation.
“Today, we remain a nation of immigrants,” said Bloomberg. “People from around the world continue to come here seeking opportunity, and they continue to make America the most dynamic nation in the world. But it’s clear we also have a problem on our hands — our immigration laws are fundamentally broken.
“It’s as if we expect border control agents to do what a century of communism could not,” continued Bloomberg, “defeat the natural market forces of supply and demand and defeat the natural human desire for freedom and opportunity. You might as well sit in your beach chair and tell the tide not to come in.”
He went on to say the New York City is home to more than 3 million immigrants, with half a million coming illegally. “And let’s be honest: they arrive for a good reason — they want a better life for themselves and their families, and our businesses need them and hire them!
“Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders or overstaying their visas — and our businesses broke the law by employing them — our city’s economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported. The same holds true for the nation.
“We absolutely must have a federal database, said Bloomberg, “that will allow employers to verify the status of all job applicants. But for this database to have any value, we must also ensure that the documentation job applicants present is incorruptible. That means we need to create a biometric employment card containing unique information — fingerprints or DNA, for instance.”
Bloomberg continued, saying that job seekers would be required to have such a card, as relying on Social Security cards is “way behind the times.”
The mayor’s complete testimony is online.
Frank
Many of the employers don’t know if they have legitimate documents or not when hiring someone. Many of these fake documents are pretty authentic looking. That is why we need the e-verify system implemented and MANDATED! That will end that part of our so-called broken immigration system. But all we hear from the pro-illegals is b@tching about the e-verify system. I am all for a National ID card also. Anything that helps identify a citizen from an illegal and a worker who has the right to work in this country and one who doesn’t.
Alex
You are right Frank, our immigration laws were not enforced and we did not mind all these people coming to work and do the nasty jobs nobody wanted to do here. The government and the majority of us did not care because of the good economic times we lived through the 80’s and 90’s. Plenty of jobs, lots of opportunities. They became, and are now, part of our economic system and members of our society. Mayor Bloomberg is right, the economy will collapse if we listen to the KKK, Minuteklan, Fair, and these other racist, neonazis groups. Persecuting and separating children, who are U.S. citizens, from their families, is not the answer. It is not what Jesus Do, as the slogan used some time ago so people, specially the young ones, think of their actions and consequences before doing anything. They just want to work, for God’s sake.
Frank
Alex, who is this “we” you keep referring to that didn’t mind people entering our country illegally? It wasn’t your everyday hardworking American and we are the majority in this country. It was the greedy employers who wanted them here and our government didn’t secure our borders and promised. “We” aren’t going to pay for this betrayal of the American people.
I couldn’t care less about what the KKK has to say in this matter and I oppose ALL racist groups and that includes the Klan with a Tan groups.
ICE and other law enforcement do have the right to jail law breakers with or without children. Do you not think that many of our own citizens in jail for a crime are being seperated from their families and children also? So what! If you can’t do the time, then don’t do the crime! We are a nation of laws.
Our economy will not collapse without illegal aliens. There might be a bit of a downturn due to replacing illegals with citizens on jobs but we would rebound quickly. We are a resiliant nation and even made it thru a depression to bounce back economically. The economy doesn’t mean squat to me anyway in the grand scheme of things. My priorities are protecting U.S. citizens and remaining a nation of laws.
Dont’ throw your stupid fake religion crap at me either. We are the most generous nation of earth as far as importing legal immgirants into it. We can’t take in the whole world’s poor anyway without commiting national suicide. Is that what you want for this country and it’s citizens, all in the name of some misplaced compassion? That isn’t your real agenda anyway. We know the true agenda of most ethnocentric pro-illegals and it is downright racist on it’s own.
Evelyn Chavez
Alex is reffering to the millions of Americans who have voted for CIR by way of Senator McSame and Senator Barack Obama which ever one becomes president!
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