Barack Obama stumps in northern New Mexico to woo Hispanics

Barack Obama speaking in Española. Photo by Matthew Reichbach

ESPANOLA -- Barack Obama went out of his way to fly his economic populism flag before thousands of supporters in Española on Thursday. As part of that message he reminded his audience that the economy is in a shambles, and if elected his policies would help pull the U.S. out of the economic quagmire.

"We are in the midst of the most serious financial crisis in a generation. Perhaps the worst since the Great Depression," Obama said.

With that said, the Democratic nominee sharply compared his economic views to that of John McCain's recent remarks after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and AIG, the world's largest insurer.

“On Monday, he said the economy was fundamentally sound and he was fundamentally wrong,” Obama said of McCain. Obama's campaign has jumped on McCain's quote with fervor this week -- it has run TV ads, mentioned it in stump speeches -- as it has tried to frame the Republican as out of touch with everyday Americans.

Obama then ticked off economic changes he would support as president -- eliminating capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-ups, cut taxes for those who make less than $250,000, or "for 95 percent of all working families,” and stop insurance companies from discriminating against people who are already sick. He was referring to pre-existing conditions which are generally not covered by health insurance.

Many Americans consider the economy the top issue of the presidential campaign and this month's news has only reinforced that notion. Earlier this month the U.S. government stepped in to save mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and this week it took over AIG, the world's largest insurer, to save it from bankruptcy. Meanwhile, the venerable Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers is in bankruptcy.

Obama's visit to New Mexico came as new polls appeared to show the Democrat widening his lead over McCain. A SurveyUSA poll of 671 likely voters showed a lead of 52 percent to 44 percent for Obama. McCain not only is behind by eight points in the poll, but Obama is above the critical 50 percent mark. The poll was conducted from Sunday to Tuesday and has a margin of error of 3.9 percent.

A slightly older poll that was just released, an Allstate/National Journal poll, showed Obama leading  McCain 49 percent to 42 percent in New Mexico. The margin of error is +/- 4.9 percent, so Obama's lead is outside the margin of error.

The poll was conducted between Sept. 11 and Sept. 15.

After the event, Obama attended a private fundraiser in Albuquerque’s North Valley where his campaign picked up $1.7 million, The Wall Street Journal was reporting Thursday night.

Less than two hours after Obama left the stage, the McCain campaign assembled a conference call for reporters to rebut Obama’s speech.

Marco Gonzales, co-chairman of New Mexican Hispanics for McCain and former 3rd Congressional District candidate, said Obama’s plan would hurt small businesses in northern New Mexico. Gonzales said businesses that don’t file as corporations and make more than $250,000 will be affected by Obama’s tax plan.

On the McCain conference call, Dan Garza, the New Mexican Republican National Hispanic Assembly chairman, said Obama will raise taxes on all Americans despite what Obama has said on the campaign stump. “His pledge contradicts his voting record,” Garza said.

Garza said Obama voted 94 times while in the Senate to raise taxes.

In his speech Thursday, Obama came short of calling these sorts of allegations by Republicans outright lies. “That’s what’s called an untruth,” Obama declared. Many in the crowd weren’t as reluctant to use the “L” word as the candidate and yelled out “Lies” and “McCain’s a liar!”

In addition to focusing on the economy at his Española event, Obama specifically appealed to Hispanics and their importance in this year’s election in New Mexico. “I want you to actually start voting your numbers,” he told supporters, referring to low turnout numbers among Hispanics in previous elections.

Obama also mocked McCain for attempting to co-opt his own message of change.

“I guess imitation is the highest form of flattery,” Obama said at Thursday's “Change We Need” rally, which included local dignitaries including Gov. Bill Richardson. “I don’t want him to steal my lines,” Obama said of McCain, “I want him to steal some of my ideas.”

Richardson, clearly at ease in front of a friendly audience, joked with the large crowd about the perceived voting irregularities in Rio Arriba County, saying Rio Arriba can guarantee 102 percent of the vote for Obama after November’s election.

One of the biggest cheers came when Obama told the crowd, “We’re going to take care of our veterans because we’re going to end the war in Iraq.” Though the war in Iraq has dropped off the front pages of newspapers, it was clearly an important issue to the assembled crowd in Española.

Obama also attacked McCain for having policies to close to those of President George W. Bush. Obama said, “We can’t afford four more years of the same.”

Española Mayor Joe Maestas referred to the large crowd in his short speech before Obama took to the stage. “You all just doubled the population of Española!” The town's normally has about 9,500 residents.

Also speaking at the event was 3rd Congressional District candidate Ben Ray Lujan. Lujan gave a passionate speech where he urged people to vote for Tom Udall for Senate and Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague In the House – and, of course, Obama for president.

The Obama campaign said it ran out of tickets after handing out 7,500 passes for Thursday's event. Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano told the Independent the police were preparing for 10,000 to 15,000 attendees. Police and Secret Service estimated 10,000 attendees both in and outside the area; many people who were not able to get tickets found spots outside the fences to see Obama at Española Plaza.

Earlier in the day, Obama met with tribal leaders in Albuquerque and stopped for enchiladas at the Range Cafe in Bernalillo.

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