Univision’s Political Action Committee

Univision, the Spanish-language media giant, quietly set up a political action committee in June. Network PACs are nothing new, but few networks are engaged in a citizenship and voter registration drive as large as that of Univision.

More here.

Navarrette Knocks Romney

In his weekly column, Ruben Navarrette chastises Romney:

Mitt Romney’s sin isn’t naivete but hypocrisy. This is the guy who spouts off about how immigrants should speak English and we should end bilingual education while his campaign sends out weekly dispatches to Hispanic journalists – in Spanish. One wonders: If Romney strips Hispanics kids of their Spanish, how will they read his press releases when they grow up?”

See here to read more about Romney’s Hispanic voter outreach efforts. The campaign held another event today.

McCain, McCain Everywhere

After several weeks of getting very little coverage on Latino-related topics, Senator John McCain’s name is popping up in a bunch of places.

Henry Cisneros mentioned him in an interview with the Dallas Morning News saying,

“Of the Republicans running for president, only John McCain ‘has any potential to woo Latino votes,’ Mr. Cisneros said.”

“He said the Arizona senator has been ‘very responsible on immigration. … It has cost him votes among Republicans that he’s been so courageous and balanced.’”

Ruben Navarrette talked about him in his weekly column: “Meanwhile, McCain has a history of appealing to Hispanics in Arizona and earned more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote in his 2004 U.S. Senate re-election bid. The maverick stood his ground on immigration reform and took on the dishonest arguments of those who opposed it, such as the insistence that Americans would happily do the hardest and dirtiest jobs if the wages were right. McCain dared a roomful of angry union members in the Midwest to spend the summer picking lettuce in Yuma, Ariz., for $50 an hour, much more than the minimum wage most pickers earn. There were only a few takers, who apparently know little about picking lettuce and even less about Arizona summers.”

And Immigration Talk With A Mexican American also mentions him in a positive light:“Of all the Republican Candidates, most Hispanic Voters favor John McCain. Why? He is forthright. He is a War Hero (Most US Hispanics are Pro Military and enlist in the Military at a higher rate than other groups.)

“McCain relates to Hispanics needs.
… “John McCain understands the issues and he RESPECTS Hispanic Citizens and seeks out Hispanic Voter support. “

Romney To Participate In Univision’s Republican Forum

Former Governor Mitt Romney has agreed to participate in Univision’s Spanish-language Republican Presidential Candidate Forum to be held on December 9th in Miami, Florida.

In his letter of acceptance, addressed to Univision Vice-President & Co-Director of News Division Sylvia Rosabal, Romney wrote:

“Thank you for inviting me to take part in Univision’s Republican Presidential Forum scheduled for December 9 in Miami. I very much appreciate the invitation and look forward to participating in this historic event.

“Members of the Hispanic community have made many truly significant contributions to our nation through their patriotism, hard work, entrepreneurship, faith in God, love of family and respect for human life. Their talents and ambition have helped make the United States a great nation.

“I look forward to addressing Univision’s audience and discussing my ideas to strengthen America through stronger families, a stronger economy and a stronger military. These are the values that have attracted millions of Hispanics to the Republican Party, and I believe they will continue to do so in the future.”

Senator John McCain and former Senator Fred Thompson have already confirmed their participation in the event to be held at the University of Miami.

Univision held a similar forum for Democratic candidates earlier this year on September 9th.

Washington Post Article About La Política

The Washington Post today includes an article about La Política and a comprehensive description of what we do and who we are:

“Just in time for Hillary Clinton’s bilingual Web page, Barack Obama’s three-part telenovela, Christopher Dodd’s discursos en español, Craig Romney’s Spanish testimonials for papí Mitt, John McCain’s immigration reform fracaso, Tom Tancredo’s “amnesty” outrage and the simple fact of Bill Richardson: Here comes La Política, turning it all into a beat and a business.

“The Web-based newsletter and blog debuted yesterday, dedicated to covering “the business of reaching Hispanic voters.” Published in English for a prospective audience of campaign insiders, consultants and media types, the newsletter takes its name from the Spanish word for “politics.” The blog is called Platicando — “chatting.”

“This is the moment when all the thumb-sucking and hyperventilating over the potential political power of the nation’s largest minority goes meta. Until now it was enough to figure out who Latinos are and how to reach them. Now the process of discovery and outreach is itself the subject. “

E.J. Dionne on Immigration

Prominent Washington Post columnist and author E.J. Dionne writes today, “Immigration is the issue Democrats fear because it could leave them with a set of no-win political choices.”

Dionne goes on to say:

“The issue is especially problematic because efforts to appease voters upset about immigration — including a share of the African-American community — threaten to undercut the Democrats’ large and growing advantage among Latino voters. For Republicans, the issue is both a way of changing the political subject from Iraq, the economy and the failures of the Bush presidency, and a means for sowing discord in the Democratic coalition.”

Dionne also extensively quotes Democratic Congressman Rahm Emanuel:

“The debate to date has been a debate about corporate interests, ag (agriculture), the tourist industry and advocates of immigrants,” he said in a telephone interview on Thursday. “This is a debate in which the rest of America is left out.

“This is a values issue: How does a superpower not have control over its border? You have to enforce the rule of law as it relates to the border and you have to enforce the rule of law as it relates to benefits. Then the American people will be open to resolving the issue as it relates to what industry needs and what immigrant advocates need.”

Emanuel’s earlier comments to the Post about immigration being the “third rail of American politics” already drew the wrath of progressive political bloggers. His comments today will do nothing to appease them.

Univision & Telemundo Absent From PEJ & Shorenstein Study

The Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard University’s Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy yesterday issued a study “The Invisible Primary – Invisible No Longer.” The study contains a wealth of information about how different media outlets including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, MSNBC and NBC among others are covering the race. But, there is no mention of any Spanish-language media outlet. This, even though the audience size of Univision’s evening network newscast is much larger than the number of viewers typically watching CNN or MSNBC.

Clearly, there is a language barrier. But, there also seems to be a pervasive lack of awareness of the impact of Spanish-language network news in the United States. La Política, when we launch next Monday, will squarely address this void in understanding.

Obama Asked Immigration Question

As discussed here earlier, LaVibra.com carried a Spanish-language simulcast of Senator Barack Obama’s appearance on the MTV and MySpace Presidential Candidate Dialogue Series.

Yesterday, during the program, Senator Barack Obama briefly shifted from being questioned to asking questions. He was asked about immigration by a young woman whose father had been deported. He expressed empathy and asked if her father had been able to return. No, she answered. How long ago was this, Obama asked. Three years, she said.

It was a simple exchange and not terribly important in the overall electoral race. But, it marks some kind of symbolic turning point when a young Latina openly states on national television that her father was deported and proceeds to ask an African American presidential candidate if he might have a solution for her and others facing the same problem.

Here is El Diario/La Prensa’s take on the exchange. By the way, ImpreMedia Digital CEO Arturo Durán reports a 50% jump in traffic at LaVibra.com as a result of the Obama appearance.

 

Obama

What’s In A Latina Name?

Univision news anchor María Elena Salinas is the most prominent Latina journalist in the United States. Yet, the Fresno Bee changed her byline to Monica Elena Salinas.

This summer Variety Weekly changed Jorge Ramos’s name to Jose Ramos without an accent, even.

Thanks to my friend Laura Martínez of “Mi blog es tu blog” for calling my attention to the Bee’s error.

LAT & NYT on Fire’s Impact on Immigrants

The Los Angeles Times belatedly weighed in on Sunday with a story regarding the differential impact of the wildfires on immigrants, legal and otherwise. Unfortunately, not only was the story late it included the by now discredited account of immigrants stealing from the stadium. Furthermore, the article states:

“In response to recent rumors, U.S. authorities deny that they have been rounding up illegal immigrants at evacuation centers, and Mexican Consulate officials in San Diego who visited numerous sites have found no evidence to support the rumors. ‘We are not arresting fire evacuees. It’s absolutely ludicrous to suggest otherwise,’ said Lauren Mack, spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

Except that the New York Times has been reporting and not just suggesting otherwise:

“Some of the illegal workers who sought help from the authorities were arrested and deported. Opponents of illegal immigration, including civilian border watch groups, seized on news that immigrants had been detained at the Qualcomm Stadium evacuation center as evidence of trouble that illegal immigrants cause.

“The Border Patrol also arrested scores of illegal immigrants made visible by the fires. Agent Fisher of the Border Patrol said 100 had been arrested since the fires started Sunday.

“He said that the agency never abandoned enforcing the border and that agents helped with removals and rescues. Fire blocked some access points to border areas, but Agent Fisher said, ‘We were very conscious in making sure our border security mission was met.’”

Either way, both the LAT and the NYT were late to the story compared to La Opinión.