This afternoon, I'll be reporting from the national convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens, where both John McCain and Barack Obama will be speaking. The event is one of three opportunities the campaigns have scheduled in order to reach out to Latino community leaders; on June 28, both men spoke to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and both will be addressing the civil rights group La Raza in San Diego next week.
Here's what to look out for: Greater specificity from both candidates on their political strategies for implementing comprehensive immigration reform, which they both say they support. McCain, however, during the Republican primaries, dialed back his enthusiasm for the Senate immigration compromise he had co-authored, saying it hadn't placed enough emphasis on securing the border before proceeding with a temporary guest worker program and a path toward citizenship. In more recent days, however, McCain has again been confounding immigrants' rights advocates by saying he once again considers comprehensive reform, not border security, his "top priority yesterday, today, and tomorrow."
From Obama, it would be interesting to learn if and when he plans to fit immigration reform into his first year agenda. The issue, after all, would likely require significant, complex negotiations with Congress and even among interest groups generally allied with the Democratic Party. With health care and global warming major priorities, would Obama have the political capital left over for an immigration fight? I just can't see him prioritizing immigration over those other issues.
--Dana Goldstein
