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U.S. President Courts Hispanics With Spanish Radio Address
U.S. President George W. Bush courted Hispanics with his radio address both in English and Spanish on Saturday, which is Cinco de Mayo, a popular Mexican holiday.
"Cinco de Mayo is a day for special pride and remembrance for all of Mexico. And for all Americans, it is a reminder of the heritage we share with our neighbor to the south," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates an 1862 Mexican victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla.
Bush unprecedentedly recorded his radio address in both English and Spanish as the political influence of Hispanics is growing in the country.
The White House said that all the weekly radio address will be broadcast both in English and Spanish in the future.
New Census figures showed that Hispanic population jumped nearly 60 percent during the last decade in the U.S., overtaking blacks as the leading minority group.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt and Representative Silvestre Reyes of Texas also began their own weekly Spanish-language radio addresses, but they used Saturday's address to criticize Bush.
"He surrounded himself with Hispanic families and played Latin music at his political rallies, but so far his deeds have not matched his words," Gephardt said.
"Considering there are over 35 million Hispanics in this nation, it is time for the president to show us his support through actions," said Reyes, chairman of the congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Both the Republican and Democratic parties are wooing the Hispanics for the 2002 congressional elections and the 2004 presidential race.
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