Are you accusing him of "playing up" his Hispanic side just for political gain?
Originally Posted by CurlyMireya
Yes, I am. But it's deeper than than. I think ALL politicians will use anything they can to get voters of all ethnic identities, religions, economic levels, employment status, etc. to identify with them and get the votes.

I don't care about the ethnicity of a candidate, I only care about their stance on issues. That's what I want to hear about. I don't vote down strict party lines; I vote on the candidate whose stance on issues I most identify with.

I do think it's really sad though that some people will not vote for a candidate just because of race or religion. I can't believe we haven't gotten past that in parts this country.
Originally Posted by godgivenperm
I don't get how a politician can "use" their race to get voters. Is simply mentioning your race a ploy to get voters? I don't see politicians discussing race very often unless it's brought up. In fact, I've only seen Obama do it after constant pressure from the Wright mess - and I don't think it scored him any points at all, from anyone.

I think it's sad you think ALL politicians use their race to get votes. I actually think it would be nearly impossible for a white politician to overtly use his/her race without getting pummelled by the media. You are what you are, and your race can make you more appealing to certain people of the same race, but I don't get how a candidate would intentionally, overtly use his or her race. A Hispanic politician will naturally have an advantage over a white/Asian/black person in a heavily populated Hispanic area, but using your Hispanic-ness (if that is even possible, which I'm not so sure) could lead to isolating yourself from other voters. The media is everywhere now. For example, Obama can't very well target his message to black people when talking to a mostly black crowd because non-black voters will see it, and many will see it as exclusionary.

I know of a local black politician who was a big supporter of black-owned businesses, and did a lot for programs for black people. He came from an urban, largely black area, but I wouldn't accuse him of solely supporting these things to win black voters. For one, he would have to know that when he went for a larger position that covered a larger, whiter portion of the state, that the other party would paint him as an urban black politician to scare rural white voters (which they did and seemed to be successful from the response I've gotten from talking to these voters).