Should Mitt Romney emphasize his Mexican heritage for the Hispanic vote?

[High_Gravity]

Ok apparently Mitt Romney's father was born in Mexico, according to Mexican law that gives Mitt Romney the option to claim dual citizenship with Mexico if he pleases. Should Romney mention this in his campaign to try and swing some Hispanic votes his way? I haven't really heard him mention it yet.

 

[Unkotare]

He need not. It would just come across as the pandering that it probably would be.


On a related note, how painful is it to watch some of these 'I took Spanish in Jr High so I'm down with the peeps' politicians try to regurgitate a few lines in Spanish for commercials and campaign speeches to show solidarity with Latino-Americans?

 

[High_Gravity]

He need not. It would just come across as the pandering that it probably would be.


On a related note, how painful is it to watch some of these 'I took Spanish in Jr High so I'm down with the peeps' politicians try to regurgitate a few lines in Spanish for commercials and campaign speeches to show solidarity with Latino-Americans?

LMAO! What next, Ron Paul spitting a free style and sporting an afro for more black votes?

 

[uscitizen]

Naah he is doing fine empahaizing his wealth and privilege heritage to attract republican voters.

he will try for the hispanics if he wins the primary.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

No, he should focus on his ability to turn the economy around and his plans for our future.

When you pander to one voter you alienate another.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Just read about this on a CNN Op-Ed. The guy is saying Romney could be the first Hispanic President. I don't think Romney should try to push this. Romney is not Hispanic. His great-grandfather was an an illegal American immigrant to Mexico, and never gained citizenship. Romney doesn't have a drop of Hispanic blood in his veins. His great-grandparents were US natives. His grandparents were US natives. His father was an American born abroad, who grew up most of his life in the US. His mother was a US native. Romney is NOT Hispanic, and any attempt to cast himself as such will only make himself out to be a flaming liar.

 

[Contumacious]

Naah he is doing fine empahaizing his wealth and privilege heritage to attract republican voters.

he will try for the hispanics if he wins the primary.

Yo Vern, he does not try to become electable.

All we want to do is restore the Constitution and the enforce upon the continuing criminal enterprise known as the US of A.

He emphasizes LIBERTY

if parasitism is your cup of tea then vote for a candidate who likes to loot, plunder and confiscate.

.

.

 

[High_Gravity]

Just read about this on a CNN Op-Ed. The guy is saying Romney could be the first Hispanic President. I don't think Romney should try to push this. Romney is not Hispanic. His great-grandfather was an an illegal American immigrant to Mexico, and never gained citizenship. Romney doesn't have a drop of Hispanic blood in his veins. His great-grandparents were US natives. His grandparents were US natives. His father was an American born abroad, who grew up most of his life in the US. His mother was a US native. Romney is NOT Hispanic, and any attempt to cast himself as such will only make himself out to be a flaming liar.

I'm not saying you are wrong but how does one become a "legit" Mexican than? there are Blacks that live in Mexico now, descendants of free slaves that moved there, and there are whites who are born and lived in Mexico their whole lives, as well as numerous Arabs like Carlos Slim who's parents are Lebanese, are they not "real" Mexicans? not every Mexican is a Meztizo btw.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I don't think that Romney wants to mention his Hispanic heritage, because then all the other GOP idiots are going to start jumping on him about his immigration policies.

And.........after what he went through on his lawn care fiasco, I think it's a subject he wants to stay away from.

 

[Unkotare]

He need not. It would just come across as the pandering that it probably would be.


On a related note, how painful is it to watch some of these 'I took Spanish in Jr High so I'm down with the peeps' politicians try to regurgitate a few lines in Spanish for commercials and campaign speeches to show solidarity with Latino-Americans?

LMAO! What next, Ron Paul spitting a free style and sporting an afro for more black votes?

I wouldn't put anything past him. I can picture him trying to 'get down' in his ill-fitting suit and odd speaking cadence.

 

[Unkotare]

What 'type' of blood one has (among other things) is not and never should be a factor in choosing our President.

 

[jaybags]

once he gets through the primary, i dont see how it could hurt him if he mentions it

 

[Vengeance]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

 

[Decepticon]

Si.

And his diarrhea dog.

 

[High_Gravity]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

What are Hispanic "characteristics", there are Hispanics of every shade and color.

 

[Caroljo]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

His Polygamist background??? I do understand that Mormon, or most, have more than 1 wife. But i don't think he ever has. I could be wrong, but i've never heard this. What i've been told there are different "kinds" of Mormon, just like there are different "kinds" of Christians. Some don't believe in more than 1 wife....
I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong

 

[Vengeance]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

His Polygamist background??? I do understand that Mormon, or most, have more than 1 wife. But i don't think he ever has. I could be wrong, but i've never heard this. What i've been told there are different "kinds" of Mormon, just like there are different "kinds" of Christians. Some don't believe in more than 1 wife....
I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong :#

First, the mainstream Mormon church (Correctly called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) no longer endorses polygamy, but several splinter groups of it still endorse and practice it.

Mitts family roots in Mexico are a result of his lineage having been comprised, at one time, of members of one of these splinter groups fleeing to Mexico in the pursuit of religious freedoms they were not afforded in the States. I have no reason to believe that Mitt does or ever has endorsed present day polygamy though I would wager that if pressed he would defend its practice when it was mainstream church doctorine...

More on the Mexico/polygamist connection- NBC's Taibbi Highlights Mitt Romney's Polygamist Ancestor and 'Controversial' Mormon Faith

That said, guilt by association is very much well and alive in American politics and this is something he'd do well to avoid if he can.

 

[Avatar4321]

I don't think that Romney wants to mention his Hispanic heritage, because then all the other GOP idiots are going to start jumping on him about his immigration policies.

And.........after what he went through on his lawn care fiasco, I think it's a subject he wants to stay away from.

He doesnt want to mention his hispanic heritages because he doesn't have any. His father might have been born in Mexico, but that doesn't make him hispanic. Does being born in Africa mean your black? No. The idea is crazy.

 

[Avatar4321]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

In what way would having roots in Mexico hurt him with any voters?

What exactly is wrong with being a decendent of polygamists?

 

[Vengeance]

The fact that his family roots pass through Mexico would do him no good with Americans of Hispanic extraction since he carries no Hispanic blood or characteristics, would be an obvious pander to them, and could only hurt him with the main body of the voter pool.

Further, it would serve to draw attention to his polygamist background which is a tremendous negative to the 'values voter' in the rep party.

What are Hispanic "characteristics", there are Hispanics of every shade and color.

I should have been more explicit and said no obvious ie, visually recognizeable Hispanic characteristics, sorry. Without them, his potential appeal to voters of Latin extraction is probably negligibly greater than that what it is to the larger electorate.

Like it or not racial identity politics, largely a visual phenomena, is alive and well today and not just among Anglo Americans. A meaningful discussion of that topic is a major swerve from the topic of this this thread however.