Obama dances in Puerto Rico and tries to put more substance on his vague Puerto Rico plan. Hillary suffers from media bias, as there has been more visual coverage on Obama than on her. Hillary challenges Obama to a Puerto Rican debate. Both promise to give Puerto Ricans the presidential vote, as with DC.
Here is Obama dancing to Puerto Rican music during his caminata today:
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You can also see a variant of the video here:
Here's another one, as reported by the Puerto Rican news, on his day:
A rough translation/summary in English: He started at a veteran's group meeting. The he went to San Juan, where hundreds of supporters and the chair people of his committee in Puerto Rico were present. Then they moved on the El Morro Castle for the speech. This was a good move for Obama for his weakness right now is San Juan, where he is down 2 to 1 to Hillary.
For some odd reason, the local press is not giving equal coverage to Hillary Clinton. Some footage of Hillary in Puerto Rico is provided by MSNBC:
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Here are some articles on her visit to the island:
Hillary wants to debate Obama on Puerto Rico Issues
Hillary Clinton today accepted a debate offer to discuss issues affecting Puerto Rico.
By Sandra Caquías, ENDI
Hillary Clinton challenged her contender for the democratic presidential nomation to a debate on Puerto Rico issues.
"I've decided to accept a debate between the senator and me on issues that affect Puerto Rico anywhere, anytime," stated Clinton, who made the statements during a visit to Peñuelas where she committed herself, if elected, to send help to clean up the contaminated lands of the old petrochemical complex in this municipality.
"There should be economic opportunities for all Puerto Ricans... All matters that concern Puerto Rico are serious matters and deserve serious discussion," said the senator who is campaigning on the island prior to the June 1st primary.
The senator then greeted hundreds of people who arrived in Tallaboa, in the same town, to see her, after she participated in a lunch with mayors of the region and other political leaders.
In the afternoon, she was on her way to visit Cuba House in Isla Verde. Later, she will meet with members of the Dominican community in Sabor Latino, a restaurant located in Barrio Obrero.
http://wapurl.co.uk/...
Another article presented the news of Hillary's visit as follows:
Hillary Clinton on the Beach
The Democratic presidential candidate joined other beach goers and dozens of followers in Boquerón.
By FRANK GAUD CARRAU/AP
The Democratic presidential candidate today shared the beach with local beach goers and dozens of followers in Cabo Rojo. Under a hot sun and with the sand and beach as backdrop, Senator Clinton blended in with beach goers and dozens of followers on the Boquerón beach, which she went to as part of her campaign schedule.
Persa Rodríguez -- The Mayor of Cabo Rojo -- welcomed the former First Lady of the United States to an activity at the public beach.
"It's a privilege that Mrs. Clinton chose to visit Cabo Rojo, the tourism capital of the West," Mayor Rodríguez said.
Clinton, who is competing in the presidential primaries against Illinois Senator Barack Obama, spent time with dozens of beach goers, some of whom were American tourists visiting the island. Many took advantage of the opportunity to take pictures with the candidate.
Hours before, the former First Lady had visited the Church of El Pabellón de la Victoria on road PR-2 in the town of Hormigueros, a Christian institution that has been supporting Clinton since their first meeting several weeks ago at the Casa Blanca Restaurant.
"We are very proud of Mrs. Clinton's visit, even though both candidates are exceptional," said the Mayor Rodríguez.
She said that she identifies with Clinton as a woman but also with Obama because Obama is of dark skin like her.
"If she wins, I will be happy, but if he wins, I will also be happy," said Mayor Rodríguez.
She described Clinton as "very attentive, a good listener, with a lot of charisma, and I noticed that she is very committed."
The senator arrived on Saturday night through Aguadilla via the Rafael Hernández Airport, and she participated in various activities as part of her campaign.
On June 1st, Clinton and Obama will face off in the Puerto Rican primaries.
http://www.elnuevodia.com/...
Similarly to Barack, her visit to Penuelas, Hormigueros, Aguadilla and Cabo Rojo suggest that Hillary is trying to increase her support in these areas, which are currently pro-Obama.
Here is an interview that El Nuevo Dia -- the most widely circulated newspaper on the island -- held with Obama:
"Puerto Rico must be respected and treated equally with any other state"
He is simple, jovial and sympathetic. Moreover, he is one of the great protagonists of the current political situation in the United States.
Should he be elected, Barack Obama promised a new veteran's hospital for the island. (AP /Chris Carlson)
By Israel Rodríguez Sánchez / israel.rodriguez@elnuevodia.com
Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama projected himself as an affable man with a good sense of humor. During a conversation with El Nuevo Día, the senator challenged Senator Clinton to promise to grant Puerto Ricans the right to vote for US President and affirmed that the status issue must be resolved.
Hillary Clinton said in an interview that she will work so that Puerto Ricans can have the right to vote for President of the United States. Are you in agreement with this position?
This is something that we must resolve as part of the status issue. If we are sending Puerto Ricans to war, Puerto Ricans must have representation in Washington. But of course, I can't make any promises, if the status issue has yet to be resolved. Senator Clinton will have to explain to all Puerto Ricans how she hopes to achieve this goal by not going to the Congress of the United States.
Do you believe that Puerto Rico is a colony?
The relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States is a complicated one. Puerto Ricans have justifiable reasons for feeling that they must fulfill their obligations as American citizens, but on some occasions, they don't have those privileges. For example, congressional representation. This is one major reason why we need to resolve the status issue. And I want to work with the leadership of both sides and include their decisions, as well as those of Congress, to begin the process of self determination.
What autonomic powers will the Puerto Rican government have under your administration?
I cannot answer that question until you decide for yourselves. My opinion is that Puerto Ricans, besides being proud American citizens, are proud Puerto Ricans. The Puerto Rican Government must have autonomy to make decisions regarding the economy, education and health. It is also true that Puerto Ricans receive federal aid in terms of housing, education and other areas. The rules for using this money in Puerto Rico must be the same as those imposed on other states. The most important principle is that Puerto Rico should be respected and treated as an equal with other states of the union in terms of individual power. States have individual powers, and governors can do a lot of things that the federal government cannot. There is a lot we still need to legislate, but whatever happens within the Puerto Rican coastline must be respected as it would be done for any other state.
Since you have a multicultural background, do you think that the United States is ready to accept another state with people who have a different culture and language?
If that were the decision, the United States is ready to have another multicultural state. After all, there is a large Latino population in California, New Mexico and Arizona, even though sporadically there are some tensions. But people have to accept that the United States has become a diverse country, and I think that is good, especially given my multicultural background. I am here as a potential US President as a testament to the changes that will occur. But the larger issue here is the status issue. A lot of people in the United States oppose statehood because they think that there will be two new Democratic states (DC and Puerto Rico) and that is what creates such strong opposition.
Former President Bill Clinton granted a presidential pardon to 12 Puerto Rican political prisoners in 2000. Would you do the same with the three remaining prisoners in US jails (Haydeé Beltrán, Oscar López y Carlos Alberto Torres)
I would have to review the different cases before making a decision or answering because it is very important that when one is about to use the power to bestow a pardon one needs to review the cases on a case-by-case basis and not as a group.
¿Do you think that Puerto Rico has strategic value for the United States in the Caribbean?
We are very interested in what is taking place in the Caribbean. President Bush has not put sufficient attention on what is happening there. They are so focused on Iraq that they have not paid attention to Puerto Rico, Haiti and other countries. I want to be a President who engages, listens and works with the Caribbean governments to promote economic development and improve living standards.
http://wapurl.co.uk/...
Pictures of Obama's day in Puerto Rico are included below:
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He spent one day on the island and is expected to return before the primary. Here are excerpts of his speech to the veterans, which is how he started off his day:
The most interesting proposal that Obama has offered is extending the presidential vote to Puerto Ricans under the current commonwealth status, a position that was then adopted by Hillary Clinton as well. Here is an analysis by ENDI:
The debate is open
Over whether or not Puerto Ricans can vote for US President under the current commonwealth status.
By Javier Colón Dávila, ENDI
For a pro-commonwealth supporter, a presidential vote under the commonwealth status of the island solves a "defect" of the current political status of the island, but for a pro-statehood supporter, it's one of those campaign promises that will never come to fruition, at least until statehood arrives in Puerto Rico.
During the past few days, Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton has reaffirmed her support that Puerto Ricans should have the right to vote for President in the United States, even under the current commonwealth status. Her statements, as was to be expected, have unleashed a debate among pro-commonwealth and pro-statehood supporters.
According to former pro-statehood Governor and Resident Commissioner Carlos Romero Barceló, people should not be debating something that is impossible.
"We cannot be debating things that are impossible. In the United States, you would need a constitutional amendment to give equal voting rights to Puerto Ricans on the island... Do you really think that the United States Congress will pass an amendment to give Puerto Ricans the presidential vote? It's a lot easier to obtain statehood than the presidential vote by itself," he said as he awaited Senator Clinton at the Aguadilla airport.
former Governor Romero Barcelo also preferred to emphasize what Clinton did not say.
So is it an empty promise? We asked him.
"She says she supports the presidential vote, but she does not say if she supports the representative vote," he replied. "Hillary Clinton she understands that all nations should have the right to democratic government at all levels, with rights to the presidential vote, with rights to representation, and at all levels: local, state-wide and federal."
According to Romero Barceló, Clinton will not accept the "enhanced commonwealth" that Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá proposes, a formula in which the US Congress would renounce its jurisdiction over certain areas of Puerto Rican life. "There is no place in the American constitution for such a status option," he argued.
Nevertheless, for José Alfredo Hernández Mayoral -- who also supports the Clinton campaign and is also the eldest son of former pro-commonwealth Governor Rafael Hernández Colón -- the New York Senator's words mean that she intends to treat the commonwealth status with "respect and equality."
"She is willing to offer the presidential vote to Puerto Ricans under the current status, without modification," said the pro-commonwealth lawyer.
Hernández Mayoral also argued that the lack of a presidential vote is one of the commonwealth's defects. "This is something that our party needs to think about and ponder seriously. What is being discussed is giving Puerto Rico the right to choose the President, without altering other aspects of the commonwealth status," he said.
We asked him whether Clinton's proposal bring the island closer to or farther from statehood.
"I don't think it brings the island closer to statehood. I also don't think that it is necessarily prevents it from happening. The historical reality is that the District of Columbia has had the presidential vote for 1/2 a century, and this right has not brought them any closer to statehood. It's just an additional power that would be bestowed to Puerto Rico and that exists in all of the states. Could this reduce the attractiveness of statehood? Perhaps for some. But what it demonstrates is that it is not an anti-commonwealth option."
Hernández Mayoral reminded us that on various occasions during the 1960s the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party (PDP) had asked for the presidential vote. It first occurred in 1960, when the federal capital obtained the right. Two years later, the PDP approved a resolution to that effect.
We asked him whether the presidential vote is feasible.
"The first step is that we Puerto Ricans may want it. I think that the discussion during the last few days is making the presidential candidates and the people of Puerto Rico aware of this possibility... So this makes me think that there will probably be an audience for this among the states.
http://wapurl.co.uk/...
The most intriguing critique of the weekend's activities was left by a Puerto Rican from Cabo Rojo in the El Nuevo Dia blog:
"The general reaction and attitude by many on this blog and outside of it defending their respective presidential candidates who suddenly discovered Puerto Rico for political convenience demonstrates that colonialism is already an advanced disease among our people. These people don't remember that candidates have ignored our island in the past. And instead of demanding explanations and asking for concrete programs that will help the island, the political leaders of the island instead extend their hand to collect pleasantries and play the game of applauding their infinite promises. It's as though our nation were populated by zombies, who ambulate the streets in a drugged up state and that repeat talking points without analyzing them. And what's worse, they attack those who attack the candidates, simply for pointing out the truth. These are the enemies of our people.
This sentiment was echoed by Charlie Hernandez, a pro-commonwealth representative, who criticized the "empty promises" and augured that only 200,000 voters will participate in the primary, based on his conversations with local mayors.
Your thoughts on this unfolding drama are welcome... :-)
Yosem