Clinton, a New Yorker, Has Advantage Among Puerto Rican Voters
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Forget placards, stoic bodyguards and formal rallies. To win Puerto Rico’s presidential primary, both the Clinton and Obama camps are campaigning in the boisterous, face-to-face “boricua style” favored on this Caribbean island.
The June 1 vote will allocate 55 delegates and might finally give Illinois Sen. Barack Obama the number he needs to claim the Democratic nomination if he picks up enough superdelegates in the meantime. But rival Hillary Rodham Clinton is favored to win here, partly because she’s done better among Hispanics in previous primaries and partly because the New York senator already represents a lot of Puerto Ricans, many with relatives on the island.
Among Puerto Rico’s seven superdelegates, not bound by the primary, Clinton has a 4-2 edge over Obama, with one uncommitted.
“There’s a cultural clash in how campaigning is done” in Puerto Rico versus the mainland, said Roberto Prats, the island’s Democratic Party chairman and a Clinton campaign spokesman. “We suggested they build a campaign ‘boricua style.”‘
“Boricua,” derived from the Taino Indian word for the island’s people, is the term Puerto Ricans use to refer to themselves.
Large, billowing flags are replacing modest placards, staffers for both candidates have summoned their rusty Spanish, and Bill Clinton’s bodyguards were asked to relax during his visit to a sprawling public housing complex.
Obama himself visited briefly last November for a private fundraiser and a meeting with Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila, who later endorsed him. Clinton’s last visit was after Hurricane Georges in 1998. But the Obama campaign says he will return before the primary, and a local party official says Clinton also will campaign on the island before the vote.
I DONT WORRY ABOUT THE CLINTON FINANCIALS… THEY MADE OVER 100,000,000.00 DOLLARS AND THEY CAN MANAGE TO GO ON…. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOPEFULLY THE MEDIA WILL ADDRESS THE SINCLAIR ALLEGATIONS FURTHER TO EITHER PUT AN END TO THE MATTER OR BRING TO LIGHT THE SHADY PAST OF MR OBAMA
How does Puerto Rica get so many delegates?
The junior senator from New York, who lives in Washington DC, claims familiarity with every place outside New York, a New Yorker??? Then I’m the Pope!!!
i’m puerto rican & i would find it hard to cast a vote for anyone who lies that much… or even worse, calls it “mis-speaking” rather than admitting and taking responsibility for the lies. i don’t think i ever heard the term “mis-spoken” in my life before this election. maybe i should have tried that in my youth with my mom when i lied about making my bed & got spanked. “sorry mom, i simply mis-spoke. my bed’s actually a mess and so is my room. i was just tired when i made that statement.” what a great precident to set for the nation.
Why do they even vote?? …they can’t vote in the GE so where is the point??….
ALSO….Where is Clintons Finanacials that were due 2 days ago!?????????? how much debt is her campaign now?
GOOD FOR YOU HILLARY - KEEP FIGHTING - ALL AREAS - They ALL Count
It’s showtime baby! Now Puerto Rico appears on the map again. Hopefully our politicians will take advantage of this opportunity to force the candidates to commit in public to solve our century long issue: status. Unfortunately we all know that once the primary is over, Puerto Rico will return to the back burner. Puertoricans become center stage only when our services are needed, i.e. soldiers, votes.
I dont see why Clinton or Obama suggest in making Puerto Rico the 51st State. As a proud Puerto Rican it think its time a candidate brushed on the subject. For the past 50+ years the people of Puerto Rico have been subjected inot recieving left overs from the american government and the has created lots of animosity between islanders and mainlanders (people living in america).
Make sure your party is ready to party “BORICUA STYLE”
Although Hillary is expected to do well here, it’s not as big of a feather in her cap as WVA or KY since PR does not have any clout in the general election.