In one of her biggest momentums with the latino community, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton embraced the island of Puerto Rico as one of her aims to strengthen her candidacy in order to reassure her nomination for the democratic party. The “wonder woman” as she is usually called in the “island of charm” (la isla del encanto), appeared in direct contact with the people of Puerto Rico where she exhausted an intense schedule of interviews and speeches. Surrounded by a full congregation at the Pabellon de la Victoria evangelical church, she delivered a powerful testimony of her faith, strength and determination to stay in the presidential race. "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it," she says to the crowd. "And this is a church that rejoices."
Hillary Clinton ended a three day campaign swing across Puerto Rico in which she observed Memorial Day, paying tribute to U.S. military men and women from the past and the present and making her case for becoming commander in chief. She stood at an official ceremony outside the capitol building in San Juan. By her side stood her daughter Chelsea and her husband the former president. Clinton’s entire message was focused on the need to give Puerto Ricans the right to vote, especially in light of the service they provide and have provided to our country.
Traditionally, Puerto Ricans have both served in the Armed Forces and died in combat in numbers disproportionate to their share of the population. So it rankles many on the island that, even as their sons and daughters are serving with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan, they do not enjoy all of the same rights and privileges of citizenship as other Americans.
Senator Clinton, who enjoys a high level of popularity abroad has been greeted so enthusiastically in Puerto Rico to the point of being venerated by puertoricans and other caribbean latinos including dominicans and cubans. Clinton enjoyed a short but seemingly reinvigorating trip, likely one of the last of her campaign. At Sabor Latino Bar in San Juan, some of her supporters handed her a Presidente beer, and with the sounds of Enrique Iglesias' "Be With You" in the background, Senator Clinton danced with a reporter, closing her eyes and nodding her head, before patting him on the shoulder and moving ahead. The day after, Hillary Clinton appeared in the front page of all the major newspapers of the Dominican Republic drinking the famous dominican beer being considered by the locals as a very good omen in top of the warm gesture of appreciation of support to one of her favorite vacation spots.
The results of the Democrats Abroad primary paint a fascinating picture of the geographical distribution of support for Hillary Clinton. Senator Clinton was the victor in the Dominican Republic where she did get a whopping 90.3 of the vote. Democrats Abroad holds 4 superdelegate votes. A total of 22 delegates, each with a half vote, will attend the Convention.
“Of the two Democratic campaigners, Senator Clinton’s more policy-oriented stump speeches seem to have hit more of the right notes with Hispanic voters. According to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center, the results in California, Texas and New Mexico would have been different had Latinos not voted in such large numbers and for the New York senator. Mrs. Clinton won by carrying the Hispanic vote by a margin of about two-to-one against Sen. Barack Obama in all three states.” “What seems clear is that if the campaigns want to sing their way into Hispanic hearts this election year, they need to carry a tune of opportunity.”, the New York Times stated back in March, after the Texas primary.
Edward E. Ramos
New York State Director
Latinos for Clinton
www.latinosforclinton.com
