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Aug. 24, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: LV group backs Richardson

Hispanic organization for New Mexico governor goes national

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
REVIEW-JOURNAL
GOVERNORS DISCUSS BORDER SECURITY

PHOENIX -- The governors of Arizona and Nevada met to discuss efforts to strengthen border security and combat methamphetamine trafficking. Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said she and Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons talked about dealing with the fake documents used by illegal immigrants and addressing drug trafficking, specifically the smuggling of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States. Napolitano said she and Gibbons discussed how the two states can more easily share intelligence in those efforts.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


Democratic presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson greets four of the men who helped start the Mi Familia con Richardson outreach campaign. The men are, from left, Mario Molina, Fernando Romero, Sergio Osorio and Xavier Rivas.
Photo by K.M. Cannon.

Five buddies were hanging out in Mario Molina's garage one day this spring when, after a few cervezas, they got to talking: How can we help Bill Richardson get elected president of the United States?

"Me and my family, we support Bill," Molina said.

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    • Just like that, "Mi Familia con Richardson" was born.

    On Thursday, Molina and his buddies proudly watched their small grass-roots Hispanic outreach effort go national when presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson introduced it at a Bally's campaign stop.

    "Que viva 'Mi Familia con Richardson!'" the governor said. "It's real, it's authentic, and it's the future. The Latino community in America is the future."

    Molina teared up and placed one palm over his heart when asked how it felt to have his idea, hatched in a Las Vegas garage, embraced by the national Richardson campaign and the man himself.

    "It feels like when you have a baby, and you're watching it grow," he said.

    Molina, who owns an appliance repair business, and several of his friends started the whole thing with a few posters and a lot of talk on local Spanish-language radio. One friend, Xavier Rivas, is the host of a radio show, "Lo de aqui ... lo de alla" -- "Here and There" -- on KRLV-AM, 1340.

    The guys talked about how much they like Richardson and encouraged others to support him.

    "The fact that he's Hispanic is the icing on the cake," Hispanics in Politics President Fernando Romero said. "But the cake's ingredients are also fabulous."

    Romero was enlisted early by Molina and other friends to help spread the word about Mi Familia.

    Pretty soon, Richardson's national campaign staffers began calling.

    "It caught us all by surprise," Romero said. "People really liked the idea."

    Romero said the men wanted to help get Richardson's name out because "he's not the celebrity that others are."

    "It had to be approached differently," he said. "In our culture, families get around the table to talk about things. You embrace the whole family, because the decisions they (political leaders) make affect the whole family."

    The Mi Familia effort is designed to inspire families to get involved in the political process. The idea is for families who support Richardson to find at least five other supporters and together start their own chapter of Mi Familia. Members will be expected to help Richardson's campaign however they can.

    "The family unit is the most important thing to Latinos," Richardson said on Thursday.

    He emphasized, however, that Mi Familia, and his candidacy, reaches beyond the Hispanic community.

    "All my life, I've tried to bring people together," he said. "I'm running for president for all Americans, but I'm enormously proud of being Latino."

    During a busy day of Southern Nevada campaigning, Richardson emphasized his Hispanic roots nearly as often as he promised if he's elected, all Americans will have health insurance, the U.S. will withdraw immediately from Iraq and the country will soon have immigration reform that won't separate families.

    "I am like you," he said in Spanish to a group of laundry workers during a morning appearance at the Culinary union. "I am of Mexican heritage."

    His approach won at least one vote. Martha Bautista, a 53-year-old Mission Industries laundry worker originally from Mexico, said it was nice to see a candidate who understands her point of view.

    She said the 2008 election will be the second time she can vote in the United States since becoming a citizen.

    "Yes, I think I'll vote for him," she said of Richardson.

    Richardson also met briefly on Thursday with Nevada Women for Richardson at the Democratic National Committee Unity Summit and attended a packed evening town hall meeting in Chinatown.



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    John Fehsenfeld wrote on August 26, 2007 03:48 PM: This is good.

    I hope a lot of people form "Mi Familia" chapters.

    When people get involved like this they can make a difference.


    shawn kalin wrote on August 26, 2007 10:15 AM: RICHARSON WELL LIKED.

    Bill is considered one of the most likable candidated from either party.

    So does he have the base to make a serious run at the whitehouse?

    regards,
    shawn kalin


    Democry wrote on August 25, 2007 12:50 AM: Reader, many hit enter once for it only to appear twice. Is that new to you? You refuse to comment at all on the article, despite the "terms and conditions". As for your comparing the modern democrat to those decades ago, there is no comparison.

    Janice, good comment. You're right.


    Reader wrote on August 24, 2007 11:55 PM: Democry -- here's a little hint. Read the text below the Terms & Conditions about leaving your comment. You only have to hit enter once and your post will appear after the filter does its work.

    Does anyone believe this country would become a powerful international force under any democrat? Yeah. FDR for one, and the thousands of brave Americans who fought Germany and Japan to preserve this country.






    Beytovin wrote on August 24, 2007 12:18 PM: Money Trees,

    I'm a former drunken sailor. Back in those days we were very professional when going about that business. When the money ran out, that was it. Please refrain from making the comparison.

    Also here's a little one from those days: "Light a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Light a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." :)


    Janice Gammill wrote on August 24, 2007 11:51 AM: What Richardson said was I am Mexican just like you! Who the heck will he represent? No thank you!


    Money Trees wrote on August 24, 2007 11:38 AM: To Democrats: "Give man a fish, and he eats for day; teach man to fish and he eats for lifetime". Basically, try Empower people; mental health! At least, Republican contains the word "CAN"!

    This "group" stemmed from a drunken idea? LOL Seems Richardson has the typical "Drunken Sailor Mentality" (DSM) of a Democrat... spend, spend, spend; give, give, give!


    chambers wrote on August 24, 2007 10:50 AM: Word!


    Joe C wrote on August 24, 2007 09:46 AM: Funny how many illegal aliens are in the group at the Culinary union? Since illegal aliens willingly helped undermine unions, lover wages, and ensure unsafe working conditions, there is great irony in the fact the Culinary became a radical latino organization that helped send workers backwards in time.

    Myself I’m proud of my white American heritage and the great changes willingly made by many whites in this country.
    Unfortunately much of what American stood for is being undermined by a racist invasion with one-sided goals, selfishly only for they’re agendas.
    The radicalization of some unions, especially pleasing casino’s and big business, as the willingness of illegal aliens to work cheaper would make Norma Rae throw up.

    Americans now are fighting battles for fair wages and safe working conditions. (add on outsourcing) Conditions average middle class worker fought to change more than fifty years ago.
    Destroyed in less than twenty years by a business plan put forth by Hispanic groups, and backed by Mexico’s corrupt government, all with the blessing of our big business, and our own corrupt government.
    We mush call write every elected official we can and tell them no more pandering to one group for cheap labor. Join NumbersUSA and other anti-illegal alien groups. Help stop the army of poor invaders supported by some traitorous latino groups here, many of them racist.


    Democry, cont. wrote on August 24, 2007 08:29 AM: opps, the "r" in marxist!


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