Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Road to the “Casa Blanca” – Tidbits on the U.S. presidential candidates

* In an editorial piece in the Miami Herald, Barack Obama advocated modifying the U.S. embargo towards Cuba by easing restrictions on travel and remittances. "The primary means we have of encouraging positive change in Cuba today is to help the Cuban people become less dependent on the Castro regime in fundamental ways," wrote Obama while also criticizing the Bush administration’s “posturing” towards the island.

* Mitt Romney strengthened his anti-immigration stance in a new radio ad that will air in Iowa and New Hampshire. In the ad (which can be accessed here), Romney takes aim at Rudy Giuliani by calling New York City one of several “sanctuary cities... that encourage illegal immigration and undermine secure borders.”

* Speaking of anti-immigration rhetoric, Tom Tancredo encouraged the families of three teens killed on August 4th to sue the government of Newark, New Jersey. Much like Romney’s ad, Tancredo blamed Newark as a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants after at least one of the suspects in the slayings was without papers.

* So far only one of the Republican candidates has confirmed his presence to a Spanish-language debate next month: Senator John McCain. As we mentioned in June, the televised debate will air on Univision on September 16th for Republicans and one week before that for Democratic candidates.

* An aid for Bill Richardson quit last week after it was revealed that she used to work for a Nevada brothel. "We did not know about all of this," admitted a spokesman for the Latino governor of New Mexico.

Sources- AHN, USA TODAY – On Politics, CNN, Asbury Park Press, NJ.com, USA TODAY, The Latin Americanist, Modesto Bee

Image- Destination360

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