Several attendees at NCLR’s convention said Mr. McCain will have a difficult time trying to appeal to both Hispanic voters and conservatives who want to see stricter border enforcement.
Sen. Barack Obama received a rock-star welcome Sunday from the nation’s largest Hispanic rights group, telling them they are the critical swing group in November’s presidential election and promising a renewed effort to pass an immigration bill during his first year in office.
“This election is nothing less than a test of our allegiance to the American dream,” the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee told the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) convention, in a speech in which he also proposed a tax credit to help small businesses pay for health insurance for their employees.
Janet Murguia, president and chief executive of NCLR, heaped praise on Mr. Obama for both his leadership on immigration and his personal outreach to NCLR. It was a boon for the senator from Illinois, who is sparring with presidential opponent Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, over who accomplished more on last year’s immigration bill.