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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > People and Politics > Barack Obama owes victory to Hispanics, Clinton, women and blacks -- Immigration reform will likely be top priority of second term - VIDEO

People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Barack Obama owes victory to Hispanics, Clinton, women and blacks -- Immigration reform will likely be top priority of second term - VIDEO

Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2012 at 07:07 AM

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Barack Obama delivers his victory speech

Barack Obama owes blacks, women, Hispanics and Bill Clinton for his smashing victory.

His immediate priority should be to pass immigration reform.

Republicans just never got it with Hispanics or immigration, demonizing them with cowboys like Governor Brewer and Sherriff Joe Arpio in Arizona who legislated against them and jailed and demonized them at every opportunity.

Not surprisingly, Hispanics bolted the party en masse.

George W. Bush, a compassionate man on immigration, won over 40 per cent of the Hispanic vote in 2004.

Romney, who danced the Arizona two-step, demonizing immigrants, lost 71 per cent to 27 per cent among Hispanics. I’m sure he’s not too surprised.

The party of Brewer, Arpio, Michelle Bachman, and crazy right-winger Allen West will never win a presidential election as long as they and other Tea Party colleagues polarize and destroy any attempt at consensus politics.

The Republicans in Congress need to sit down with Obama and do immigration reform as a priority, if only to lift what has become an incredible weight on the whole party.

Simply put, immigration reform must be the health care reform of the Obama second term. Unless Republicans are completely intransigent they will move to work with him on it.

Exit polls showed Americans were two to one in favor of comprehensive reform, an amazing number.

Read more US Election 2012 news here

Blacks were demonized too. Congressman Elijah Cumming of Maryland said it best when he said blacks were convinced that efforts were made to prevent them voting in Republican controlled states, a fact that incensed them and inspired them to vote in record numbers.

Bill Clinton inspired and drove Democrats, especially with his convention speech that created the framework for the rest of the campaign.

More importantly, back in 1992 Clinton moved the Democratic Party to the center, pro business and pro growth, and marginalized the loony left of his party.

Republicans badly need such a figure to tame their loony right.

Women too were incensed by the statements about rape and God’s wishes that were deeply offensive. Little wonder the Republicans lost the women’s votes by a street.

The reality is that angry white men can never be the basis for a presidential victory in America anymore. That day is long gone.

The Republicans will wake up today with an enormous hangover and a harsh new world that states unless thy change their narrow and insular party they will become irrelevant.

Read more US Election 2012 news here

Obama's complete presidential victory speech:

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72 comments

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pilib04 | Nov 08, 2012, 12:08 PM EST

Brian, are you talking about "a woman" who thinks her sons Mormon missionary "service" is the same as military service?

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No Name | Nov 08, 2012, 12:06 PM EST

@BrianO, I cannot reply to the question you ask me earlier because too often when your posting is last in view, your name gets attached to the next posting. I do not like having my name attached to your words, as happened most recently at Nov 07, 2012, 10:0. Are you sending in comments from some mobile device that somehow gets around the sign-in protocol? I hope IC can fix the problem, but until that happens I'll avoid posting after your posts and Eamonn's. Eiriamach (no Name)

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BrianO | Nov 08, 2012, 11:24 AM EST

Nice attack a woman.

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DaddyMac22 | Nov 08, 2012, 11:20 AM EST

The great part about all this is, Anne Romney doesn't have to move into a smaller house!

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BrianO | Nov 08, 2012, 10:01 AM EST

Dear Commentator, as I read your your post let me point out your hate. Filthy rich, why are they filthy? perhaps these people are charitable? perhaps these people employ many families and make lives better?-The Bush regime ended 4 years ago that is a lame excuse, one that could have been used maybe in year 1 certainly not in year4 and obama is cleaning the mess up? well he must be cleaning the mess with a Q tip. I'm a bigot because I believe in the Constitution and the rule of law. It is funny how you progressives always see the color of a persons skin, and then say the other side is bigoted. Keep religion out of politics I interpret as being Godless. Only atheists are allowed to hold office? But, I am the hater not you, so be it. The next two years are going to bring some changes. The tax increases from the omnibus health care act kick in, the producers with wealth will be attacked and they won't take that lying down. People with real money will shield it, stop producing income, move operations out of the country. The recession that is coming, my guess is April, will be deep and harsh. I hope you all prepare.

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BrianO | Nov 08, 2012, 09:46 AM EST

Seano, though of Oz you too may feel the results of this election. I will hunker down and play defense, I will watch as my Constitution, a once revered document will be destroyed, I will not fund this though, no charitable giving it stops. No second income, it stops. I will work the numbers and contribute 0 to this economy and its takers. The wagon we and my ilk have been pulling is on its own now, good luck. I'm sure your dependency culture will be more than willing to take up the slack,go to work, make the hard sacrifices, just like those protesters in Greece.

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Searlit | Nov 08, 2012, 12:40 AM EST

The irony is that decades ago, the Republicans, who claimed they were against undocumented workers entering the US illegally, yet, through their own inaction, condoned the hiring of cheap labor by American corporations thus lowering the wages and eliminating jobs for American citizens, 20 yrs. ago, now seem to have suffered some unintended consequences.

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alisaann | Nov 07, 2012, 10:43 PM EST

yesterday was a GOOD DAY for those who believe in EQUAL RIGHTS for EVERYONE.....which includes, WOMEN'S AND GAY RIGHTS....and guess what: obama got 50% of the CATHOLIC vote....at least with obama , we won't get into ULESS, EXPESIVE WARS. ALISA

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porkheaven | Nov 07, 2012, 09:48 PM EST

He will make it so that everyone who entered the US illegally will be allowed to stay. I helped a daughter in-law enter legally and it was expensive.

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bonjouryall | Nov 07, 2012, 09:21 PM EST

I"m sure he'll continue the same old favoritism for darker skinned people that the USA had practiced for several decades now. Sure there may be a few Irish that get in but nothing like the millions of hispanics. And you liberals support this.

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irishpjk | Nov 07, 2012, 09:13 PM EST

I DON'T

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irishpjk | Nov 07, 2012, 09:10 PM EST

A dark day for America and the world.

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Proud Canadian2 | Nov 07, 2012, 09:03 PM EST

Thank you commentator, Brian0 is just a little upset that Mitt The Twitt had to say by,by last night. He will get over it. Maybe if some one can get to him and get him out of the good ol boy's club and get him will stop and get to come over to the good guys, where he will be better off, Brian0 come to our great country you will see how great it is.

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stanchaz | Nov 07, 2012, 09:00 PM EST

Immigration reform? Yeah sure- well get that if the Republicans in Congress take their own advice and "self-deport" themselves back to where their people came from. Otherwise, they will not do ANYTHING that makes Obama looks good. These guys are supposed to work for the people,all the people, not just their political party. We need to vote them out ...ASAP!

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EphraimKibbey | Nov 07, 2012, 08:08 PM EST

I was worried about this election until the Republican primaries. When I realized then that it was going to be a contest between "Love Thy Neighbor" and "Hate the Other," I felt more confident that America would vote for the former. I am only saddened that it was sooo close in each of the swing states but I guess that that is why they are swing states.

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