Eduardo's Opinion

My neighborhood is what it is. Because Obama has little name recognition here, he couldn't prevail in Tuesday night's primary. As it turns out, I was the only citizen in this part of the Mission District hanging signs and passing out leaflets, on behalf of any candidate.

The few neighbors I was able to engage in conversation are sufficiently bilingual themselves to render my very weak spoken Spanish less than a liability,
Gracias, Dios.

One of the best conversations I had was with Eduardo, who talked with me about his political feelings. He said he supported Clinton because the Clintons have been there for Latinos for a lot of years. But he also said he could just not envision her as President.

When I asked him to explain what the main issues that concern him are, he talked about all the people who are losing their homes in this "sub-prime mortgage crisis" that is sweeping through California and many other states. He also talked about the war in Iraq, and how that does not represent the values that he, as a Latino-American holds dear.

Perhaps most revealingly of all, he derided the tax rebates that both Republicans and Democrats are offering this election year. He said it would be better for all of us if the government focused its efforts at keeping those people in their homes who otherwise will be pushed out onto the street.

After our conversation, Eduardo told me he thinks Obama is the person he thinks could be "Presidential."

Amen.

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