Mitt Romney made his pitch to Hispanic voters last night in a bilingual event taped at the University of Miami and broadcast later on the Spanish-language Univision network. The most frequently heard phrase of the evening was "one hundred percent."
Immigration, health care, and the economy were the primary topics in an event aimed at Florida's fastest growing voting bloc. But the evening began with questions about the hidden camera video in which Romney is heard calling 47% of Americans freeloaders who will never vote for him and to whom he feels no responsibility. Romney told the very friendly audience that is not his record.
“I've demonstrated my capacity to help the 100 percent when I was governor”, said Romney.
He said when he governed Massachusetts incomes rose every year, unemployment fell, and state schools achieved top national rankings.
Romney said, “My campaign is about the 100 percent of America and I'm concerned about them. I'm concerned about the fact that over the past four years life has become harder for Americans.”
The most recent polls show President Obama leading Romney in Hispanic support by 58% to 37%. The economy is the top Hispanic issue, but immigration is also a preoccupation. Romney was asked repeatedly if he would rescind the president's order to defer deporting undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. He didn't answer directly, but he agreed that some deserve legal residency - for instance, veterans and successful students.
“If a student does so well that they get an advanced degree, I'd staple the green card to their diploma”, Romney said.
The Obama campaign attended the event with spin doctors. One of them was Luis Lauredo, former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States and a member of the President's Latino Advisory Council.
Lauredo said, “I just find the same rhetoric, no specifics and a man totally disconnected from the reality of America.”
President Obama will be at UM later today for a similar event on Univision.