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Obama using immigration to cement Latino vote for Dems?

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    Debate over president's Hispanic outreach

  • Duration 3:54
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So as the president heads west to rally support for immigration reform there are new questions about whether he's trying to cement the Latino vote for Democrats.

In a region that's traditionally been Republican stronghold.

Mark -- back of the LA times says that's exactly what he's doing he writes quote.

The goal for Democrats is to lock in their strong Latino support and the votes of succeeding generations.

The way the party has in California so candidates can devote more time and resources to red states like Arizona and Texas.

Let's talk about it would Mercedes slap a former Spanish media spokeswoman for president George W.

Bush.

Fernando -- Monday worked on the Hispanic research and media efforts for the Obama Biden reelection team he is also a managing partner.

At Bendix and and among the -- international.

So a Mercedes do you first what do you see as the president's goal in making this announcement today in Vegas.

Well clearly it's a political law on.

Opportunity for him to go out to Nevada and talk about the immigration reform the problem is is that once again he might be polarizing.

And and really alienating a Republican we know that.

With this bipartisan plan that the senators push forth yesterday.

It was clear that both sides conceded the Republicans are talking about a legal pathway to aren't citizens earn citizenship.

While the Democrats are talking about security borders and more enforcement.

And so bill does -- positive.

Steps -- -- and their bold and I really worried that with President Obama stepping in he could alienate the Republicans.

And happy and basically -- for this immigration reform plan to fall through.

Fernando does he care if he alienate Republicans.

I think that Republicans -- run the risk of their own apparel.

Opposing this comprehensive bill I think the election results spoke very clearly about the role that Latino voters played.

Not only being part of the coalition that propelled President Obama to victory and reelection in 20120 we also saw the same phenomenon in 2008.

And more importantly don't forget the reality of what happened in 2006.

In a very successful mid term election for the Republican Party.

Latino voters particularly in the state and about -- where the president is speaking today.

Managed to allow the senate to be held and in control the democratic answer the question is not whether the president is alienating Republican voters or whether or not Republicans are going to be seen perceived as.

A roadblock when the president's intentions on passing a comprehensive immigration bill -- clear.

But what since -- have we seen bipartisan legislation passed through it since Obama's been president.

Unfortunately we saw that it during the fiscal cliff negotiations the why -- got it passed through work with McConnell and Biden in the senate.

So the president is the wrong messenger to pass -- -- to help push for this immigration reform for an and he likes senator Marco Rubio to be those messengers out talking to conservatives and Republicans.

To sell -- that he's a right leader to push this through as well as a bipartisan gang of eight.

For an -- you just heard Doug Chuck Schumer the senator from New York.

Hardcore staunch Democrats saying this is only gonna work if it's bipartisan.

Well I think it is bipartisan and in everybody's talking about the gang of eight.

I think all of us were looking at the -- of two namely -- Reilly and Hannity who came out strongly for comprehensive immigration reform.

And the tone -- that set but I think the other story here that is is going unnoticed in the sense is that you now have Republican senators.

In fort not only favor but supporting almost an immediate.

Path to legalization.

Which in essence we up put -- on the course to path to citizenship I think that's the great development that you've seen emerge.

Out of this bill in the senate -- -- something that the president has articulated all along has been consistent with the principles that he has pushed for and were all waiting to see very eagerly to see what he talks about in his speech later this afternoon.

All right we're gonna leave it there and we will hear that speech from the president in Las Vegas from -- -- on a Monday Mercedes slap thank you both.

Thank thank you John.

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