Obama's new political ad directed at the Hispanic and Latino communities

By Richard K. Barry

Because we have all been paying so much attention to the Republican presidential nomination battle, we may not be paying quite enough attention to President Obama's attempt to prepare for his 2012 reelection. Obviously the jobs package along with the new message about having the rich pay their fair share are a part of that plan as will be, no doubt, constant pointing to obstructionist Republicans in Congress.

But other parts of the plan include good old fashioned politicking of the kind that involves reaching out to core constituencies to make sure they are getting the message.

Accordingly, the Democratic National Committee announced on Monday that it would begin running Spanish-language television and radio commercials in Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Tampa, Florida.

Obama won all three states in 2008, and each have large Hispanic and Latino populations. Clearly it will be essential to keep them in the win column.

Here's partial text of the ad:

Obama has a new plan that: Creates thousands of jobs fixing roads and bridges, cuts taxes for small businesses for each job they create. And gives credits to businesses that employ veterans that have finished their service. But in the face of Republicans, the President can't do it alone. Read the plan. Stand together for more jobs.

According to CNN:

Obama won two-thirds of the Hispanic and Latino vote in the 2008 presidential election, according to national exit polls, up from the 53 percent Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee, carried four years earlier. But according to recent polling by Gallup, Obama's approval rating among Hispanics and Latinos now stands at 48 percent, the lowest rating since he took over the White House and a big drop from the 60 percent he held at the beginning of the year.

Clearly, the state of the economy has had an adverse impact on the president's popularity across the board, but his inability to get anything on immigration reform through Congress may also be having an impact with Hispanic and Latino voters, though it is difficult to imagine they would be any happier with Republicans. In any case, he's reaching out.

Whatever one thinks of Obama's record as president, it would be foolish for anyone to underestimate his ability and the ability of his team as campaigners.

This might be a good time to start paying more attention to how he plans to win reelection (especially considering the fact that the story lines on GOP pretenders to the throne have become so damned repetitive and boring).

Here's the ad mentioned above for those of you who speak the language. Sadly, I've long forgotten what little Spanish I learned in high school those many years ago.

(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)