Jon Stewart explores Latino Pandering 101
Jon Stewart skit on Latino pandering was funny. Most importantly it explored three Latino realities that likely got lost on most. The skit was written intelligently. One wonders how many could really read between the lines and extract the messages.
The skit starts with Hillary Clinton’s home run hitting pander. “It can’t wait any longer,” Hillary Clinton said. “for a path to full and equal citizenship.”
Jon Stewart wonders if that was enough to sway Latino voters towards Hillary Clinton. He explores the 2016 Latino issues with Al Madrigal. It turns out Al was less than impressed with Clinton’s new found love for extending a pathway to citizenship for Latinos. After-all, those words were similarly used by then Senator Obama during the 2008 campaign. Instead during Obama’s presidency many more Latinos were deported than in the previous administration. Madrigal will not be holding his breath on Clinton’s electoral campaign promises.
“Democrats shouldn’t expect to get Latino support simply because they say all the right things,” Al Madrigal said. “Especially since Republicans finally have candidates Latinos can call their own.”
Jon Stewart alluded to these candidates being Marco Rubio’s and Ted Cruz’s. “eh, I guess those guys are technically Latinos,” Al Madrigal said. “There is a lot more to being Latino than being Latino.”
Jon Stewart assumed that Madrigal was cold on Rubio and Cruz because of their anti-immigration stance. An issue is explored here that seldom gets explored. Latino is really a catch-all demographic for all people in the American hemisphere who speak Spanish. It is not a race, it is not a culture. Latinos are Black, White, Asian with very disparate cultures.
It was telling when Madrigal touched on Rubio and Cruz being Cuban and equating them to WASP. Many of the old time Cubans share very little with Latinos proper. A Latino name is hardly enough to engender a population.
At the end Madrigal in effect said that Jeb Bush in as much as he is not a Latino is more Latino than anyone else running. After-all, he married a Mexican woman and has Mexican kids. He speaks the language and eats the food.
So what is this skit saying. Firstly, Hillary Clinton does not have a guaranteed lock on the percentage of Latinos President Obama got. Secondly, Having a Latino name does not make one a Latino. Lastly, walking the walk and talking the talk with Latinos is what will win the day. That is why Hillary Clinton likely fears Jeb Bush more than even the candidates with Latino names.