Menendez rises among Democrats

The political career of Democrat Robert Menendez has been a series of firsts: first Hispanic elected to the New Jersey state Senate, first Hispanic from New Jersey elected to Congress, first Hispanic elected to House leadership.

Now the No. 3 House Democrat, Mr. Menendez has emerged as a key player as his party counters a strong push by Republicans for the support of Hispanics, who now rival blacks as the nation's largest minority group.

Republicans have made several overtures to Hispanics, including a Spanish translation after President Bush's weekly radio address. Mr. Bush, who speaks Spanish, has pushed for border reforms to speed commerce and travel between the United States and Mexico.

Mr. Menendez, as vice chairman of House Democrats for the past four years, helped Democrats fight back. His "Latino Leadership Link," distributed each week while Congress is in session, includes talking points and news releases, in English and Spanish, on issues being debated by Congress and how they would affect Hispanics.

Mr. Menendez appears regularly on news programs on Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision. At news conferences, he fields questions in English and Spanish. "I give the same answers, just so you know," he quipped.

"He'll be a national figure during this decade," predicted Juan Andrade Jr., president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute. "He will have to be considered when future candidates for president look for balance on the ticket. The Latino vote is the sexiest thing in American politics today."

first Hispanic elected to the New Jersey state Senate, first Hispanic from New Jersey elected to Congress, first Hispanic elected to House leadership.

Oh, I just think that's so amazing, the way those Hispanics are coming along. Why, soon they'll be able to walk and chew gum.

I guess to a liberal AP reporter, it is amazing how far our little brown friends have come, but you know what: I never expected anything else. I am sooooo tired of hearing from liberals about the Amazing Gains made by all these little Pet People: women, Hispanics, left-handed lesbians, ad nauseum.

What, didn't they think these people had brains in their heads? "Oh look, Sandy, they can talk now." Well, whoop-dee-do. And how frigging condescending.

Why does this guy Menendez have to be a "key player in courting Hispanics?" Why can't he be the Democrats' number one authority on missile defense, or water policy, or some other damned thing?

The hypocrisy of liberals stuns me. They call the National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State "Oreo" and "Uncle Tom," but here comes a guy named Menendez so they put him in charge of Hispanic Outreach.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.