Michelle Obama makes pitch to Latino vote
Michelle Obama left the Latino audience of delegates and media at the Democratic National Convention hyped with a single message: We need you.
“The Latino vote is going to be crucial,” she told VOXXI as she made her way around the line of supporters, who frantically reached out their hands to greet the First Lady.
She addressed an audience at a Hispanic Caucus meeting Wednesday and stressed that time is of the essence. She then proceeded to say whether they wanted to be left with a feeling of what could have been done to re-elect the president.
“The real power comes from you as an individual,” the First Lady said.
She made her case: “Make sure that every single person you know — with the reach of your arm, with the sound of your voice, all your friends, neighbors that nephew you haven’t seen since Christmas, that college roommate you haven’t spoken to — make sure every single one of them goes to the polls and casts their vote.
“As Barack Obama said this election is going to be even closer than the last one.”
The Latino vote has been one of the predominant subjects at the Democratic convention this year. Already a host of panels have positioned the discourse as an underlying theme in almost every discussion.
Equally noteworthy is the emphasis being placed on Latina voters where voter turnout this November is projected to reach 6.4 million. That’s more than half of the projected 10 to 12 million Hispanic voters expected Nov. 6.
During the last decade, the Latina population was the nation’s fastest-growing female population group and Latina growth exceeded half of the overall increase in the female population, according to the National Association of Elected and Appointed Officials. It increased more than the Latino vote.
Michelle Obama’s speech hit home to several Latina organizers and delegates, who said the First Lady would play a pivotal role in inspiring voter turnout.
“Women issues are universal issues and I think that Latina women are very proud of Michelle Obama because she’s the strong person that we want to be,” said Matty Lazo Chadderton, a delegate in North Carolina. “She’s the mother that we want to be and the daughter that we want to be.”
In six states with a high Latino population, Latinas comprise 61 percent of the demographic. An estimated 17.7 percent of Latinas are registered to vote in Arizona and 21.6 percent in Texas. The greatest percentage increase this year from 2008 occurred in Illinois and Florida, according to a new NALEO report.
Michelle Obama touched on issues she knows resonate among Latina women including family values and the love she has for her husband during her speech to Latino delegates. She added the importance of the campaign’s need to spur donations and grass root mobilizations.
And with that she made a pitch to Latinos.
“In the end, this election is going to come down to those last few dozen votes in key battleground states like Ohio,” she said. “If you don’t live in a battleground state, then get to one.”
She reiterated the proximity of how Obama won the election in Florida by what she cited as a margin of 36 votes.
“Starting the minute you get up out of these chairs, we need you to get out there and get those 36 votes, we need you to get those five votes and then when you get those five, get five more and after that keep getting five,” she said. “Don’t stop until the polls close.”
Supporters cheered as she made her remarks.
“We got your back,” someone shouted.