From The Hill:
A member of the House Democratic leadership said Wednesday that Latinos view President Barack Obama with "suspicion" for failing to meet expectations.
Rep. Xavier Becerra (Calif.), the House Democratic Caucus vice chairman, offered stern words for Obama, saying that the Latino population wants to see more from the White House on issues that are important to them.
"I think there’s a lot of suspicion, a lot of doubt, a lot of concern," he said on KPCC Radio of Obama's image among Latinos. "The president made a promise. He hasn’t fulfilled that promise. Rightfully, I think a lot of folks are questioning where the president’s priorities are."
Becerra's comments are one of the most significant broadsides from a lawmaker against Obama's sway with Latinos.
During the 2008 presidential race, Obama was able to galvanize Latinos into a solid Democratic voting bloc after President George W. Bush attracted a record level of Latino support for a GOP presidential nominee in the 2004 election.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has been negotiating immigration reform with the White House and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), said last month that the issue is "dead" in the Senate this year because the contentious healthcare debate left Republicans with a sour taste in their mouths.
I think the Latino leadership in Congress is playing this right. The administration tends to pay attention to the squeaky wheel - that would be conservative Dems, and Republicans, who threaten to bring down the President's legislative priorities. Progressives are going to need to step up their game if they want to be noticed, and if they want to hold the administration to its promises. It will be interesting to see whether the Latinos have any success. I suspect with their voting power, they will.
