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CNN Live Saturday

White House, Democrats Reach Out to Latino Voters on Mexican Holiday

Aired May 05, 2001 - 17:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: It makes you wonder whether there's any relationship between that event and the date as the Mexican holiday today Cinco de Mayo. Both President Bush and Democrats marked the occasion. They delivered their weekly radio addresses in installments: One in English, another in Spanish.

CNN's Kelly Wallace reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Hispanic-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the race to capture their vote is in full swing. President Bush celebrates the holiday at the White House Friday.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mi casa blanca es su casa blanca.

WALLACE: And then he shows off his Spanish some more in his weekly radio address.

BUSH: ... Vamos nuevamente en Texas.

Growing up in Texas gave me many things I'm thankful for, and one of them is an appreciation of the Hispanic culture.

WALLACE: Not to be outdone, Democrats start what they say will be weekly radio addresses in Spanish.

REP. SILVESTRI REYES (D), TEXAS: Consequentias para mi...

WALLACE: And launch this new television ad criticizing Mr. Bush's record on the environment and taxes. The numbers explain why the Democrats and White House are actively reaching out. According to the 2000 census, the nation's Hispanic population jumped nearly 60 percent over the past decade, with Hispanics now almost equaling African-Americans as the country's largest minority group.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think, increasingly, we're going to see our policy-makers turning to us and trying to include us in their state's politics and policies.

WALLACE: While Hispanics traditionally favor Democratic candidates, during the presidential campaign, George W. Bush captured about 35 percent of the Latino vote, the best showing for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan.

MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Latino voters did see Bush as reaching out to them in their language. Again, he was from Texas, he had a good record in Texas. That is something the Democrats needed to complete with, and I think that now we are completely committed to doing that from a grassroots level.

WALLACE: The White House and Republicans are also committed to capturing a bigger share of Hispanic voters.

(on camera): Because the administration faces this reality: Mr. Bush still only won the support of about three out of every 10 Latino voters. And with Hispanics the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country, the president likely do even better with Hispanics than he did last year in order to win re-election.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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