Hispanics push for McCain

Making a play for Hispanic votes in Nevada, Republican presidential candidate John McCain is preparing to roll out a coalition of Southern Nevada Hispanic supporters.

The group is to be formally announced Saturday in a news conference headlined by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, who said in a phone interview Thursday that Hispanics can trust McCain because he knows their community and has championed their issues.

"My Hispanic heritage is important to me personally, and I believe Hispanic heritage is important to the country," said Gutierrez, who was born in Cuba. "Senator McCain not only has a big Hispanic-American constituency in Arizona, but Hispanic-Americans have been important in his life, some of his best lifelong friends. He has an understanding of the community."

McCain also will be in town Saturday. He is scheduled to give a speech to the annual convention of the Disabled American Veterans at Bally's. Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama is scheduled to address the group in a video message.

Today, Obama's erstwhile rival, Hillary Clinton, is scheduled to campaign for him in Henderson.

McCain's Hispanic coalition in Nevada is chaired by Otto Merida, president of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce. The coalition's state director is Fernando Romero, a Democrat and president of Hispanics in Politics.

The coalition includes James Campos, director of the state's Consumer Affairs Commission; KRLV-AM radio host Xavier Rivas; Eddie Escobedo Jr., part owner of El Mundo newspaper and son of its publisher; and Javier Barajas, owner of Lindo Michoacan restaurant, who previously was a member of Clinton's group of Nevada Hispanic supporters.

Others in the group include local Republican activists Fely Quitevis, Irma Aguirre, Didi Lima and Tibi Ellis.

Gutierrez said immigration is an important issue to Hispanics, who remember McCain's work championing immigration reform last year. The immigration bill damaged McCain's stock among conservative Republicans, but Democrats say McCain later turned his back on the legislation to appease the right.

"Senator McCain was an advocate for comprehensive immigration reform before it became fashionable, and he did it at great risk to his career," Gutierrez said. "He took on many members of his own party. That is something I believe Hispanic-Americans will recognize."

Without mentioning Obama by name, Gutierrez accused him of lacking such courage.

"I have not seen Senator McCain's opponent take on his own party because he believes passionately in something," he said. "I see him taking positions that are politically expedient, that have political support among his party. I have not seen him be a maverick."

Obama's supporters responded to that accusation by pointing to a compromise on energy by a bipartisan group of senators, dubbed the "Gang of 10," which they said Obama supports.

"People are looking for their leaders to work across the aisle for solutions that work, and that's what Senator Obama is doing," said Travis Brock, executive director of the Nevada Democratic Party.

Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball @reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.