"TODOS SOMOS AMERICANOS" - Barack Obama addresses the National Association of Latino Elected Officials

TRANSCRIPT
I'm proud to be here today not just as the Democratic nominee for President, but as the first African American nominee of my party, and I'm hoping that somewhere out in this audience sits the person who will become the first Latino nominee of a major party. You know, being here today is a reminder of why I'm in this race. Because the reason I'm running for President is to do what you do each day in your communities - help make a difference in the lives of ordinary Americans. And that's what I've been working with Latino leaders to do ever since I entered public service more than twenty years ago.

We stood together when I was an organizer, lifting up neighborhoods in Chicago that had been devastated when the local steel plants closed. We stood together when I was a civil rights attorney, working with MALDEF and local Latino electeds to ensure that Latinos were being well represented in Chicago. And we marched together in the streets of Chicago to fix our broken immigration system. That's why you can trust me when I say that I'll be your partner in the White House.

And that's what you need now more than ever. Because for eight long years, Washington hasn't been working for ordinary Americans. And few have been hit harder than Latinos and African Americans. You know what I'm talking about. You know folks like Felicitas and Fransisco, a couple I met in Las Vegas who were tricked into buying a home they couldn't afford. You know about the families all across this country who are out of work, or uninsured, or struggling to pay rising costs for everything from a tank of gas to a bag of groceries. And that's why you know that we need change in this country.

And while I respect John McCain, it's not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create jobs at a living wage, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college. That isn't change.

Now, one place where Senator McCain used to offer change was on immigration. He was a champion of comprehensive reform, and I admired him for it. But when he was running for his party's nomination, he walked away from that commitment and he's said he wouldn't even support his own legislation if it came up for a vote.

If we are going to solve the challenges we face, you need a President who will pursue genuine solutions day in and day out. And that is my commitment to you.

We need immigration reform that will secure our borders, and punish employers who exploit immigrant labor; reform that finally brings the 12 million people who are here illegally out of the shadows by requiring them to take steps to become legal citizens. We must assert our values and reconcile our principles as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. That is a priority I will pursue from my very first day.

And we can do something more. We can tear town the barriers that keep the American dream out of reach for so many Americans. We can end the housing crisis and create millions of new jobs. We can make sure that the millions of Latinos who are uninsured get the same health care that I get as a member of Congress. We can improve our schools, recruit teachers to your communities, and make college affordable for anyone who wants to go. And we can finally start serving our brave Latino fighting men and women and all our soldiers as well as they are serving us. We can do all this. Si se puede.

But I can't do this on my own. I need your help. This election could well come down to how many Latinos turn out to vote. And I'm proud that my campaign is working hard to register more Latinos, and bring them into the political process. Because I truly believe that if we work together and fight together and stand together this fall, then you and I - together - will change this county and change this world. You know, a few years ago, I attended a naturalization workshop at St. Pius Church in Chicago. And as I walked down the aisle, I saw people clutching small American flags, waiting for their turn to be called up so they could begin the long process to become U.S. citizens.

And at one point, a young girl, seven or eight, came up to me with her parents, and asked for my autograph. She said she was studying government in school and wanted to show it to her third grade class. I asked her what her name was, and she said her name was Cristina. I told her parents they should be very proud of her.

And as I watched Cristina translate my words into Spanish for them, I was reminded that for all the noise and anger that too often surrounds the immigration debate, America has nothing to fear from today's immigrants. They have come here for the same reason that families have always come here, for the same reason my father came here - for the hope that in America, they could build a better life for themselves and their families. Like the waves of immigrants that came before them and the Hispanic Americans like Ken Salazar whose families have been here for generations, the recent arrival of Latino immigrants will only enrich our country.

Ultimately, then, the danger to the American way of life is not that we will be overrun by those who do not look like us or do not yet speak our language. The danger will come if we fail to recognize the humanity of Cristina and her family - if we withhold from them the opportunities we take for granted, and create a servant class in our midst.

More broadly, the danger will come if we continue to stand idly by as the gap between Wall Street and Main Street grows, as Washington grows more out of touch, and as America grows more unequal. Because America can only prosper when all Americans prosper - brown, black, white, Asian, and Native American. That's the idea that lies at the heart of my campaign, and that's the idea that will lie at the heart of my presidency. Because we are all Americans. Todos somos Americanos. And in this country, we rise and fall together.

FOX News no es "news"

FOX News continues to paint Barack Obama as foreign, un-American, suspicious, and scary. As usual, they're trying to send Americans the message that our country's first viable black candidate for President is not "one of us."

We've seen this before from FOX. They won't stop until it becomes too painful to continue—until the public calls them out and advertisers start getting worried. Now is the time to draw a line in the sand by putting FOX on notice that their behavior won't be tolerated. Nearly 200,000 Americans have already expressed their outrage. We encourage you to express yours by adding your name to this message:

"FOX must stop injecting racism, prejudice, and fear into our political dialogue. We intend to hold FOX, its advertisers, and its personalities accountable for FOX's attempts to smear the Obamas." Clicking here will sign the petition.

FOX's longtime pattern of smearing Obama and the black and Latino communities is well documented. But the outrageous moments have increased in the last month....First, a paid FOX commentator accidentally confused "Obama" with "Osama" and then joked on the air about killing Obama. Next, a FOX anchor said a playful fist bump by Barack and Michelle Obama could be a "terrorist fist jab." And then, FOX called Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama"—slang for an unmarried mother of a man's child, and a clear attempt to associate the Obamas with negative stereotypes about black people.

If you know others who'd find FOX's recent actions despicable, please ask them to sign the petition too. The more people who sign, the bigger our impact will be.

Latinos For Obama would like to remind voters that that there are MUCHISIMO MAS legitimate and balanced news sources than FOX, among them MSNBC, NY Times, National Public Radio and the Washington Post.

Celebrando Obama...Latin Artists Sing Out

A wide and diverse range of Latin artists have demonstrated their support for Barack Obama in song. Below are some of our favorite tracks. Enjoy!

Miami-based rockers Guajiro put a punk rock spin on Barack Obama’s “Sí, Se Puede” message of empowerment and positive change. The group has also launched a new music site called Latins For Hope


“Viva Obama” is our favorite new Regional Mexican song. This is a clever mariachi tune featuring English subtitles.


“Podemos Con Obama” is a great celebrity-driven tune featuring stars like Alejandro Sanz, Paulina Rubio, George Lopez, Jessica Alba and John Leguizamo.


Latino-Jewish urban collective Hip Hop Hoodíos shows that the Latino and Jewish communities are both coming together on behalf of Barack Obama with this infectious reggaeton track.

Barack Obama Wins the Democratic Party Nomination; Hillary Clinton Unites Millions of Democrats and Puts Her Support Behind Obama

FELICIDADES to Barack Obama on winning the Democratic party nomination. Now is the time for supporters of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards to unite as Democrats and help take back the White House. The United States cannot afford another four years of Republican policy that has led to a weakened U.S. economy and housing crisis, unnecessary war in Iraq, hostile immigration policies, millions of uninsured citizens and reckless disregard for our environment and global warming.

Latinos For Obama wishes to recognize Senator Clinton for making history over the past 16 months -- not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans. We welcome all Hillary Clinton supporters to our site and look forward to working with you to help bring about real change in America. Please sign up with Latinos For Obama so you can help put a Democrat who shares many of Hillary Clinton's values and policies in the White House.

WATCH THE BARACK OBAMA VICTORY SPEECH




HILLARY CLINTON UNIFIES DEMOCRATS AND ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA

Latino voters favor Obama over McCain, according to UW pollsters

A new national survey of Latino voters shows Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama with a nearly 3-to-1 advantage over his rival, Republican John McCain.

The survey found that 60 percent of Latinos planned to vote for Obama, compared to 23 percent for McCain, while 16 percent were undecided. Latino Decisions, a joint effort between Pacific Market Research and University of Washington political scientists Matt Barreto and Gary Segura, conducted the poll by telephone June 1-12.

Workers reached 800 Latino voters in 21 states. Among Democrats, the survey found that during primary contests, 57 percent had supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton versus 35 percent who supported Obama. During those months, many political observers questioned whether Obama would successfully woo Latino voters. The results of the survey clearly suggest the Latino vote was not anti-Obama during the primaries, and that going into the general election, he has easily built a large lead among Latino voters.

Obama's lead among Latinos is consistent among those born in the U.S. and those born abroad. Among U.S.-born Latinos, Obama leads McCain 57 percent to 26 percent, and among foreign-born Latinos, 64 percent to 21 percent. Likewise, Obama does well among Latinos across many states. In California, he leads 66 percent to 20 percent; in New York, 65 percent to 20 percent; in Texas, 61 percent to 22 percent. Combining data in the four southwestern states expected to be key battlegrounds -- New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada -- Obama leads McCain 57 percent to 31 percent among Latino voters. In Florida, where about half of Latino voters are Cuban-American, Obama has 43 percent to McCain's 42 percent. The poll's margin of error is 3.5 percent.

In 2008, the Latino vote is expected to increase to 9 million or about 8 percent. By comparison, 7.6 million Latinos voted in 2004 and 5.9 million in 2000.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS! REGISTER TO VOTE NOW

As the 2000 election showed us, every vote counts. If you are a U.S. citizen but are not yet registered to vote, please be sure to take a moment and register. Your participation in the American democratic process is critical to help Barack Obama enact the change that our country so urgently needs.

You do not have to be Latino to register. All U.S. citizens are welcome to register to vote by clicking here.

Special thanks to Voto Latino for implementing an easy-to-use national online voter registration service.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Endorses Senator Obama

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the nation's only Latino governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling him a "once-in-a- lifetime leader" who can unite the nation and restore America's international leadership. He also mentioned, "as a presidential candidate, I know full well Sen. Obama's unique moral ability to inspire the American people to confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad in a spirit of bipartisanship and reconciliation."

As the only Latino governor in the country, Bill Richardson understands the needs of our community and recognizes that the candidate who will best respond to the needs of our community and of the entire country, is Senator Barack Obama.

Help Senator Obama become the next President of our country by joining Latinos for Obama Grassroots Organization today!

Obama Makes History

Senator Barack Obama locked the Democratic presidential nomination tonight making history and showing again how incredibly amazing America can be.

Obama Wins Montana Primary

Senator Obama won the Montana Primary tonight thus making him the presumptive democratic presidential nominee and becomin the first African-American to win a U.S. presidential primary.