Hillary Clinton Hangs On For Hispanic Dear Life
February 11th, 2008, 10:37 am · 3 Comments · posted by Joaquin
It’s crunch time, Rio Grande Valley, and Hillary Clinton is down to a few life lines to keep her presidential campaign from being Obama-ized.
With Barack Obama winning big over the weekend in primaries and caucuses in Washington (state), Nebraska, Louisiana and Maine, the Clinton campaign is gasping for air, even more so with Obama expected to score substantial victories Tuesday in primaries in Maryland and Virginia.
One of Hillary’s firewalls - and one she absolutely has to have - is deep South Texas, specifically the Valley. Both campaigns know it, with an Obama campaign memo obtained by Bloomberg news indicating that his campaign plans to work actively in the congressional district of U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, a Mercedes-based Democrat. The Obama memo indicates that his campaign expects Clinton to get upwards of 75 percent of the vote in Hinojosa’s Valley-based district, a level of support Hillary must surely achieve to score the kind of win she needs in Texas.
To no one’s surprise, Clinton’s campaign was quick to plan a Valley stop for Hillary with the Texas primary coming up on March 4. Clinton is scheduled to have a campaign rally on Wednesday at UT-Pan American, although local political run-run has the event being moved to the new civic center in McAllen to accomodate a larger crowd and more parking capacity. Meanwhile, political gossip also has Obama’s people scouting for a Valley event for their man, with Brownsville as the possible spot so the Illinois senator can outline his views on immigration.
Obama is sure to be on a major roll by March 4 as he keeps winning states and Hillary’s campaign begins to go into panic mode. The tonic for Clinton would be big wins on March 4, not only in Texas, but in Ohio as well. If she wins both of the big states by good margins, Clinton once again recaliberates the race. Si no, and Obama wins both, or even one of those two big states, it will be tough for the Clinton Machine to get to ultimate victory.
It’s something to hear the cable news talking heads who usually refer to Hispanics only when talking about illegal immigration to now be trumpeting the importance of Latinos in the Democratic race. Granted, they know nothing about Latinos anywhere, most certainly here in South Texas, so don’t expect to hear worthy insights in their yak-yaks about the Texas primary. It is clear that the Mexican-American vote in Texas will be contested in the next few weeks like never before when it comes to presidential politics.
A desperate Clinton campaign needs a huge turnout and support from Valley voters to carry Texas. Obama needs to avoid the sort of rout he suffered in California, where he drew only about 25 percent of the Hispanic vote in losing that state by a large margin.
 In Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey and his home state of Illinois, Obama was able to get 40 percent or more of the Hispanic vote. Can he do the same in Texas? If he can’t, the Clinton campaign likely scores a big enough win in Texas to keep her campaign alive long enough to trudge on.
Get the mariachi bands lined up. Get a stage big enough to accomodate all of the Valley politicians and hangers-on who want to be been seen standing behind Clinton with their Hillary! signs. The Clinton Machine is coming back to the Valley, and this time it’s not for the usual private shing dig at Alonzo Cantu’s mega-mansion in north McAllen where you have to pay $5,000 to eat sushi and foofy finger food with Hillary. The Clintons have come down a bunch of times to raise cash at Alonzo’s, so we regular people never see Bill and Hill as they’re whisked in an out of Cantu’s gated neighorhood, where one house occupies the equivalent of an average-sized city block.
No, this time, raza, Hillary needs your votes, really, really bad. So, this time she’s going to pretend to like you, the common, arroz con pollo people who don’t live in big houses in north McAllen. She’ll put on that plastic smile and clap robotically to the tunes of marachis playing for her. And hey, don’t forget she’s married to Bill, who use to be the first black president, but now that he has been tossed from that commuity for trying to ghettoize Obama, we’ll take him because we’re friendly people.
Bill Clinton, the first Hispanic president who loves to inhale enchiladas on his visits to South Texas, and his wife, Hillary, the candidate we must save from that Obama guy. It’s now or never, gang. A strong RGV vote is one of the last roadblocks left between Obama and the Democratic presidential nomination.
Joaquin Tijerina, Chisme Blogger
February 12th, 2008 at 10:32 am
I find it objectionable that this entire blog is anti-black. It seems that being “Obama-ized” is a bad thing. It is sad that you must continue the black/ brown division with this.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Joquin, I assumed you were joking with the over-the-top Hil support and fear-based motivation tactics (i.e. the candidate we must “save” from that Obama guy?? it’s now or never, gang??? a strong RGV is one of the last roadblocks between Obama and the Democratic presidential election????). I assumed you wouldn’t seriously write such a biased, pro-Hillary and anti-Obama piece without explaining any of the reasons why Hilary is better for the RGV and latino voters in general. Right? You’re being sarcastic on purpose, right?
I’m confused. If you’re not, which I still think you are because your posts are normally level-headed, thoughtful, and well supported, then shame on you. It’s irresponsible. If you want to motivate people to vote for Hillary, tell people why Hillary is better instead of instigating this vague anti-Obama rhetoric of fear and the need to “save” the U.S. from him. What, pray tell, is so bad about him that we in the RGV must be a “roadblock” between him and the nomination? Isn’t a list of why Hillary would be better 100 times more effecitve and educational? Don’t be take a line from the Bush administration and try to scare people into supporting your view. You’re much too smart and thoughtful for that.
I still think you’re joking. But, if you’d clarify, that’d be great.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Thanks to all for writing. First, in using the term `Obamized’ I’m not refering to any racial implication I’m refering to a wave, in this case a wave of support that looks to be growing across the country.
Second, there’s some attempted sarcasm in what I wrote, be it lame as it may be, but when I say Hillary needs the Valley to `save’ her, I’m not meaning in a sense of something horrible about Obama. What I mean, is she needs a strong showing here to help save her candidacy as part of a national strategy.
How important this region is to her candidacy was made clear today during the Clinton rally in McAllen when it was announced she will be back next week for an even bigger rally at the McAllen football stadium.
I don’t think Clinton is any better for the Valley than Obama would be. As someone who favors the later, I have to admit the Clintons have great popularity here for whatever reason.