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And to discuss the selection of Paul Ryan as the candidate for the vice presidency for the
Republican Party, we have with us Fabian Nuñez, Democratic analist for the Univisión News;
Helen Aguirre, Republican analist; and Arnoldo Torres, expert on Hispanic issues.
To all three, thank you for being here with us.
The question for all three is exactly the same. Helen, I will start with you.
Why did the Republican party, Mitt Romney, chose Paul Ryan? What do they want?
What Mitt Romney is looking for, first, is to consolidate well his base.
What has he accomplished on Saturday, the Saturday when he nominates him officially?
It is the effect that one seen in a national convention. That is what he did yesterday.
He consolidated his party, his base is well stimulated. He has a great economist
that he nominated Saturday, and who has worked 14 years in Congress, presiding
over the Budget Committee.
To analyze the debt. To analyze how to face it, not only the public debt, but
the economic challenges that, to the Republicans, the government of President Obama has not accomplished.
Eliminate debt, doubt, and desperation. The three key words in yesterday's message
by Romney and Paul Ryan.
Arnoldo Torres, how to you see this election? Why does Mitt Romney chose Paul Ryan?
And, in choosing him, is he emphasizing that he wants to win Wisconsin, buyt he is saying
"I have lost the Hispanic vote and I am not going to look for it?"
I believe that what Romney has announced, he is saying "Hasta la vista, baby!"
the. . . the Latin voters . . . he can see that he cannot get that support.
And he is concentrated in the Mid West states, including Wisconsin,
Michigan, Ohion, up to Pennsylavina and, maybe, up to New Hampshire.
He admits that the message that he had been pushing about the economy, has not
stuck well. He returns from an overseas trip in Israel, London, and Poland where
the criticism has been more negative than positive. He needed to do something very different
and, with this nomination, he start to do what Helen says. He is giving more of a push
to his base and is really moving from a candidate who can speak
to the entire country, to a candidate who can identify better with certain voters
in certain states that are key to him.
Fabian Núñez, is Mitt Romney in this election only emphasizing
what was already his? In other words, the most conservatives will continue voting for him,
but, has he lost the Latin vote with this?
Well, I think that with out a doubt, he has lost the Latin vote. For some time, as you know,
Romney had many problems with Latinos because he took some
draconian measures against the. . . immigrants but, at the same time, eh, eh, I think that when he
choses Paul Ryan he is turning his back on Latinos. And, by chosing one of the most recalcitrant
republican in Congress, sure he is a person who understands the economy,
but his economic positions go even further to the right than Romney's.
We know that Ryan is a catholic but you know that the Catholic church said that his economic plan
that. . . it is a very, very devastating plan. It is a plan which goes against
the principles of all the catholics, as it attacks so much the. . . the elderly
and the youth in that plan, that helps the rich that, eh, the rich
are benefited at the expense of the poor and the middle class. So, it will be
very difficult for him to balance the interest of the Republicans who are not right-wing extremists.
I think that, by choosing Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney took a very, very great risk in this election.
Let us ask the republi. . .Very few times do Fabian and Arnoldo agree,
they agree that the Latin vote has been lost. Is that. . . do you agree with this?
I believe that the majority of the Latin votes will go to President Obama.
Mostly they always go with the Democratic candidate. Y believe this will not change.
What you see is that, inside the Republican party, there is a lot of change in leadership
at a State level. In Texas, for example, they just nominated. . . Ted Cruz just won, who
probably will be the third Hispanic Senator will go to the Federal Senate.
The second one of the Republican party. We have two Hispanic governors.
That is, I think that there, what we will see will be a clue in the role of the states,
in each state. But at the same time. . . at the same. But, but, you know, what I'm going to tell you is. . .
President Obama did not choose Bob Menedez as vice president. He chose
Joe Biden. In other words, why should he have chosen a Hispanic vice president
to achieve this?
That is Marco Rubio.
[Núñez] The difference. . . We need to update something. . .
[Aguirre] Wait a minute. If for Hispanics the most important issue is the economy, and I believe the number one
issue are employment and economy for everyone, why not look for a man
who is well prepared who presents a dramatic contrast with all that the leadership has been
in the Senate, where they have not . . .[Núñez] Well, look, the interesting thing about all of this. . .
[Aguirre] presented a single budget.
No. What I mean is that the interesting thing in all of this is that I. . . eh. . . Menendez was never
considered as a candidate for the vice presidency. Yet, Romney, when it is about
Marco Rubio, he mentioned it. He was the only one, of all the people under his consideration,
who he admitted was under consideration. And the truth is that it was done simply to
string the Latin vote along, to get closer to Latinos.
But he never had the intention of chosing Rubio. . .[Ramos] Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. .
[Núñez] as his candidate.
[Torres] Yes, but, Helen and Fabian, I am not saying that the candidate Romney should have con. . . ee. . .
that he had to nominate a Latino. The fact is that he needed to nominate someone who could talk
with the majo. . .eh. . . porcentage of, of the American population. And this Mr. Ryan
cannot talk with the amount of people who live in this country presently.
He is already talking with a certain voter. He is pushing a clear message -
as you say, Helen - an intelligent message, we could say. But a message that only, eh, really focuses on a certain amount
of people with a very extreme philosophy in many economic issues. And there is the problem.
[Aguirre] What is interesting to me. . .
[Torres] It has to be someone who can talk about the realities of the people who is living in many different regions
who is financially suffering. [Aguirre] You are right, Arnoldo. Arnoldo, I agree with you.
I disagree on some things. First, for me, what I find interesting about Paul Ryan is that he lives in a
Democratic district in Wisconsin and he has won reelection 7 times. Wisconsin is a very interesting state
or maybe now that it has entered the game, President Obama was ahead, but I believe that now it is in the game
and maybe it can be shifted to a state where the voters start to see again. I think that with that itself,
that Ryan, inside a Democratic district, can appeal to the Democratic voters says something about his ability to be
bipartisan. [Ramos] Fabian, you have something to say.
No. I simply was going to say that, that this platform is very important for a vice president. It is a very, very important
showcase where the focus is on: who is this person?, what has this person done?,
what has he promoted in the past? The Republicans, four years ago, as you know, had a very serious problem
with the person they sele. . . . selected as the vice president candidate. This time they were
very careful. They were very cautious. But they chose an right-wing extremist who has a. . . an economic plan
which is to the right, even, of the economic plan . . . [Ramos] Then. . .
[Núñez] of the US presidential candidate himself. The problem with this is whe. . . is, is that the Republicans
are. . .not only are they alienating the Latino vote, but they are alienating the independent vote also,
getting closer at. . .to people like T . . .member of the Tea Party and the right-wing extremists of the Republican party.
[Ramos] Let me finish with this. . . [Núñez] not to bipartisan people.
I want to finish with this, give each one of you an opportunity. I have only. . . one minute. But, if you believe that
selecting Paul Ryan will benefit or hurt Mitt Romney as he tries to win against President Barack Obama.
I will start with you, Arnoldo.
I believe that it is going to help him in those that which I have previously mentioned. But it will very interesting, Jorge, to see if Ryan
will go to the Latin community,the African American community, to the poor American, eh, eh, eh. . .community
and will talk about his message. How is he going to help that community, to those communities specifically?
Respons. . . the response is that there is noth. . . he is offering nothing to that community.
Fabian, will it hurt or help the Republicans in winning the presidency?
I think that this. . .this will hurt the Republicans, because the greatest challenge they will have in this
entire election is how to make themselves be seen as non extremists. I think that, eh, they are going to have a serious
problem and I think that this is a great risk for Mitt Romney.
And Helen, the last word.
This election is going to be very hard-fought, there is no doubt. This is a perfect complement for Mitt Romney
A man who understands how to choose well a team always. In his private life, in is professional live
he has chosen a good team. I think that with. . . eh, that in selecting Paul Ryan, not only gives him. . .
that is, more enthusiasm to the base, but now they present a dramatic contrast against the Obama-Biden ticket.
Helen, thank you very much. Fabian, Arnoldo thank for being with us. I appreciate it.