Surprise: Newsweek can’t get Juan Hernandez on the phone
posted at 4:15 pm on July 22, 2008 by Allahpundit
Darned curious. The last time McCain was confronted about this, he professed not to know of any controversial statements made by Hernandez while cheerily pledging to “look into it.” Does this mean he’s looked into it and decided to keep him on, albeit gagged? Or is he still getting around to “looking into it”?
Sure sounds like someone knows they have a Hernandez problem.
The job of Juan Hernandez is to win support for John McCain, particularly Latino votes. So it may seem odd that the campaign doesn’t want its national director of Hispanic outreach to get any press. Repeated NEWSWEEK requests to interview Hernandez have been rebuffed or ignored. When a reporter suggested talking to Hernandez at a convention of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, where Hernandez was slated to appear June 28, his name was suddenly removed from the list of scheduled speakers. A NALEO spokesman, Eric Wagner, says someone from the McCain campaign called and asked to replace him, but didn’t offer an explanation. (A McCain aide, who refused to be quoted discussing internal campaign strategy, later told NEWSWEEK that the campaign had never signed off on Hernandez as a speaker.)…
Some conservatives have wanted McCain to deny Hernandez any role in the campaign. “Imagine a tree and people shaking it, trying to get him out,” says [a GOP] strategist. “Well, that tree went through a hurricane.”
But one group’s villain is another’s hero. Hernandez has good ties to the Latino community, particularly church groups. McCain needs those votes, especially in swing states like Florida, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. “If the campaign shoves [Hernandez] to the side … it would cause an enormous amount of trepidation,” says the Rev. Sam Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. “He’s the only real bridge the campaign has with us.”
Exit question: Thanks to Maliki, has Maverick’s campaign now reached a sufficient crisis level that conservatives simply have to swallow hard and let this go?
Blowback
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I will be very interested to see how much of the latino vote McCain gets this cycle. Very interested.
VolMagic on July 22, 2008 at 4:19 PM
It’s a sad, sad day when Newsweek is asking the same questions conservatives are about the Republican candidate.
However, that is not a problem with Newsweek or conservatives.
MadisonConservative on July 22, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Hmmmm…he has been (thank goodness) AWOL on Fox lately.
We probably ought to keep an eye on Speedy Hernandez…
MB007 on July 22, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Hell no I won’t forget. McCain wants amnesty and I will not vote for him or Obama. If the public wants either one of these shmucks, they will elect him without me. I’ve held my nose for the last time.
saiga on July 22, 2008 at 4:24 PM
We’ll see if the crisis materializes, but right now the McCain campaign seems to be sitting pretty.
DaveS on July 22, 2008 at 4:25 PM
We ask Obama to denounce Ayers, Wright, and others…only right we ask McCain to denounce Hernandez.
right2bright on July 22, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Hmmm…but with this Hernandez ordeal…McCain could be (in the words of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright) “ridin’ dirty…while he’s got the rest of us ridin’ pretty.”
MB007 on July 22, 2008 at 4:27 PM
McCain is never going to be given a pass on Amnesty by a large portion of the base, it just ain’t happening.
doubleplusundead on July 22, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Yes, and one of the intangibles, is that I think the voters do not like to see a “lopsided” congress. That is, if they get a sense that both houses will be controlled by Dems, I think a backlash will be not to vote the Pres in as a Dem.
They understand the need for balance.
right2bright on July 22, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Juan Hernandez. Big flank of sun cooked red meat road kill.
McCain, listen to your friends. If you think Gramm was out of bounds then you better figure out how to drop Hernandez under the McCain bus. You’re on your own with this fella.
Limerick on July 22, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Being a conservative, I have to say this – for my conscience. McCain is willing to loose the border, in order to win a political campaign. There, I typed it. It goes both ways, Senator… you broke a lot of great, principled people for that pandering that not only cost you votes, but McCain won’t even come close to the George Bush Latino vote.
Sergei on July 22, 2008 at 4:31 PM
So McCain axes anyone brave enough to speak with common sense in public, but will not dare drop someone who is a true damage to his campaign (and to the country.)
This is why I keep pinching myself to see if I am nightmaring that he is our candidate.
Grafted on July 22, 2008 at 4:34 PM
All of you dumb conservatives who hate McCain because of immigration, should go ahead and vote for Obama. All of you are pathetic.
Chudi on July 22, 2008 at 4:35 PM
McCain is willing to lose a war in order to have Amnesty and open borders.
doubleplusundead on July 22, 2008 at 4:35 PM
I belong to a predominately Latino community, and many Colombian Americans are hands down voting for McCain and he already got the Cuban American vote (despite what the NY Slimes are trying to portray) as well as the Venezuelan Americans.
I believe that the polls indicate who illegals want for president as well as Che Guevara lovers. Of course Obama wins that hands down.
jencab on July 22, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Heres the thing McCain should ditch this guy and have a strong border security stand and stand against illegal immigration.Any Hispanic votes he loses could be made up from conservative blue collar democrats and border security folks that are currently not going to vote for either he or Obama.Believe me there are plenty of conservative democrats in swing states who would favor a strong anti illegal immigration and border security candidate all one has to do is look at the democrats that have recently been elected to congress most are given high grades by numberusa and are strong against illegal immigration.I know I’m wasting my time McCain is a pro amnesty LA RAZA loving guy which is why he’s not getting our votes.Maybe he’ll win who knows but not with our money or votes.
PTN 39 on July 22, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Newsflash: McCain’s a liar.
I know some people havn’t come around to learning that yet so there you go. He will never tell you what he really thinks or say what he will do once elected. Because, if he did actually do that, he would never get elected. Got it? Everyone OK with that?
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Don’t underestimate the number of people willing to take you up on that. If you think that there aren’t a large enough number of people willing to throw the election to the Democrats in a last bid to try and slap some sense into the GOP leadership right now to make Messiah’s victory a guarantee, you’re deluding yourself.
doubleplusundead on July 22, 2008 at 4:40 PM
What???
According to all of the MDSers, McCain is all about the Mexicans.
jgapinoy on July 22, 2008 at 4:42 PM
That goes for every elected official…which is why few bloggers ever are elected.
right2bright on July 22, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Newsweak is to the left of Rolling Stone and Mother Jones (look at this week’s Newsweak cover). It’s no wonder they’re trying to stir up trouble for the only alternative to their messiah.
jgapinoy on July 22, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Well that pretty much sums up the Republican Party these days… And THAT is why the party is going to get slaughtered in the fall! Because we conservatives are all “pathetic” and the party knows it!
sabbott on July 22, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Now that’s the way to get your candidate elected. Always attack, never defend. Scientology in its purest form.
MadisonConservative on July 22, 2008 at 4:44 PM
This may be the bridge.
right2bright on July 22, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Sabbott and Doubleplus,
Go ahead and vote for Obama…Nonsense.
Chudi on July 22, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Madison,
I really don’t care for you and ur ilk anymore. All of you on this site, who are always whining…u can all go vote for Obama. Nobody is begging you to vote for McCain. At least don’t call yourself a conservative, just say who you are…a whiny liberal.
Chudi on July 22, 2008 at 4:49 PM
HAHAHAAHAHAA! And around and around we go. How about this? I’m not voting for either one of them. Its mind numbed automatic voters like you who have created this wonderful, “thank you sir may I have another” batch of corrupt, spineless, shameless batch of liberal republicans we are now stuck with. Why are you happy to dig your heels in and support someone who stands for nothing other than finding the best way to screw the patriotic core of America and take a shotgun to the US Constitution?
Your like a gerbil running the perpetual spinning wheel. Just keep running, I’m sure you’ll see some different scenery soon. Have fun!
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Newsweek, Newsweek, Newsweek – how many times do I have to tell you? When phoning the McCain campaign, remember to press 2 para espanol.
innominatus on July 22, 2008 at 4:51 PM
Maybe someone didn’t fill you in, but this isn’t a Republican site, it’s a conservative site. When people claim to be conservatives, and their votes and activities show otherwise, we hold them accountable. So u n urs can gtfo if you don’t like us just bending over and accepting the large number of liberal flaws that tarnish this otherwise good man’s record, k?
MadisonConservative on July 22, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Let it go? No.
Vote for him as the lesser of 2 evils? Okay, I can do that.
This is why there is an “enthusiasm gap” between McCain and Obama. Those pulling for Obama want to. From what I’ve heard, many of us pulling for McCain are doing so reluctanctly.
Of course, Obama seems to be inadvertantly ratcheting down the enthusiasm of some people by his gaffes. Heh.
cs89 on July 22, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Some are worse than others though and McCain may just top the list. And what better way to keep the politicians in line is there then to… wait for it… are you ready?… HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!!!!! Or I guess you could just keep showing up and voting for them on election day because they pretty up their name with the right letter in front.
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 4:53 PM
…a whiny liberal.
Chudi on July 22, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Project much?
catmman on July 22, 2008 at 4:56 PM
He’s gonna need all the hispanic votes he can get cause people like me won’t leave the house for him. I guess thats OK, McCain wouldn’t want a racist like me voting for him anyhow.
Bicyea on July 22, 2008 at 4:57 PM
WE are not alone.
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Chudi, the problem is not immigrants. It’s the numbers. I am begging you to watch this.
RushBaby on July 22, 2008 at 5:00 PM
I’m wondering if he plays for the Packers.
BigD on July 22, 2008 at 5:03 PM
This greasy Hernandez f’er makes me sick. AND that’s speaking as a Hispanic loyal McCain supporter.
elduende on July 22, 2008 at 5:04 PM
I had read somewhere that there is a lot of racism between latinos and blacks. I wish I could remember the reasoning. If that is true, I’d say obama may have a hard time gathering those votes.
diaphanous on July 22, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Nota de John McCain
Juan, baja la estancia hasta después me eligió. Una vez que estoy en el poder vamos a tornillo mi base son los mismos de siempre no han sido nunca antes.
Así que, hasta entonces, no se conocen entre sí.
Dar mi más ricas bendiciones a La Raza
Tu amigo
John McCain
Memo from John McCain
Juan, stay low until after I get elected. Once I am in power we are going to screw my base like they have never been before.
So, until then, we don’t know each other.
Give my richest blessings to La Raza
Your friend
John McCain
RobertInAustin on July 22, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Hey Chudi, I just may do that!! I’ll also send along a little note to the messiah that goes a little like this:
Dear BarryO,
I didn’t really want you to become prez. I’m not even a democrat. But pissy blowhards, like Chudi, who believe in Republicans über alles have convinced me that I am no longer welcome in “their” GOP.
innominatus on July 22, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Fer cripes sake…forget about Juan Hernandez, people!
I don’t care for him either. But we have an election to win. The primaries are over.
JetBoy on July 22, 2008 at 5:12 PM
This was in 2004…
Ok, why the hell are they so concerned with the hispanic vote? Has that percent increased dramatically now because of the illegal immigration? Most hispanics live in California, Florida and Texas, and these are generally red states… So WHY the big push? I fear a McCain presidency almost as much as an Obamamama one, but I will vote for Juan “let’s build a bridge to Mexico” McCain… grrrrrr.
Califemme on July 22, 2008 at 5:16 PM
Yes, we must win! It doesn’t matter who we put in, as long as they have the R after their name is all that matters.
RobertInAustin on July 22, 2008 at 5:16 PM
I believe that was an email memo. Copied on the email was Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Teddy Kennedy, Geraldo Rivera, La Raza, AFLCIO, Felipe Calderone, Bill Clinton and Russ Feingold.
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 5:18 PM
You are correct. I somehow got BCC’d and it wound up in my spam folder.
Just goes to show you, check your spam everyone once in a while, you never know what you will find.
RobertInAustin on July 22, 2008 at 5:20 PM
JetBoy, we missed you on the illegal immigration debate earlier today. Here’s the link in case you would like to chime in: http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/21/video-mother-weeps-over-family-murdered-by-illegal-alien-gang-member/
I just know you wouldn’t want to have missed that one.
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 5:21 PM
He would probably just replace him with Jeraldo Rivera!
ronsfi on July 22, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Uh … crisis? What crisis?
Jaibones on July 22, 2008 at 5:36 PM
MS-13 and other gang criminal illegals are getting a free pass thanks to the stalemate over immigration reform. We have to come up with a plan to handle illegals with compassion for those that deserve it and hit hard the ones that don’t. I respectfully question the motives of anyone that refuses to acknowledge the difference.
myamphibian on July 22, 2008 at 5:36 PM
What does that thread have to do with me, or McCain?
JetBoy on July 22, 2008 at 5:38 PM
AP, I’m confused as to why you keep blaming Maliki for what the media did to his comments. It’s as clear as day, from todays reports about Obama and Maliki’s chat, that they do not share the “same plan”. Maliki insists on following conditions on the ground, while Obama does not.
It’s like saying Al Gore and George Bush had the “same plan” for disarming Saddam Hussein because they had overlapping goals for disarming him.
Seixon on July 22, 2008 at 5:40 PM
I’m just saying that we had a rather lengthy illegal immigration discussion recently and that video was a great addition to the conversation. Thought you might like to watch it in case you didn’t get a chance earlier. Sorry. Sould have explained myself better in my previous post.
Zetterson on July 22, 2008 at 5:44 PM
I’m no lib and still never voting for McNumbnuts. He is loathsome in the extreme, almost as much as Hussein.
HE’s the democrat, not those of us that see him for what he truly is.
There is little he can do at this point to EARN my vote.
dogsoldier on July 22, 2008 at 6:01 PM
McCain thinks he knows something that we don’t. If ‘amnesty’ is enacted, tens of millions of new *voters* will be created over a period of a few short years. Those voters will be poor, uneducated, dependent on government programs that will inevitably be created to service them and loyal to their homelands – predominately Mexico. Those voters will be easily manipulated by predominately leftist activist groups and so will decide many, many elections both state and federal. California, Texas, Arizona and other states will be radically changed first, then the rest of the nation after that. That is what this is all about. McCain is kissing illegal ass in a gambit to endear some of the La Raza type organizations such that at least some of the artificially created votes will go republican. At least that’s the thinking. He’s selling out our future for a distant hope of a few votes. Be it McCain or Obama, we can not allow it to happen.
DrDeano on July 22, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Hi RushBaby,
I respectfully disagree.
Yes, I have watched videos of Roy Beck in the past. He is right on a lot of stuff.
Personally, I believe the problem is not one of quantity or numbers.
The problem is moral in nature.
The problem is the lawlessness, crime, relativism, SSN theft, identity theft, and anarchy that accompanies illegal immigration.
I believe these hard-working, law-abiding, USA citizens agree with me too.
ColtsFan on July 22, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Sure, let’s let that go. We let freedom of speech go via McCain Feingold. We let Bankruptcy Reform go, let’s just say goodbye to this as well. In fact, let’s redefine Conservative again to mean anyone who has ever said that Government should be smaller, and abortions are bad. Actions don’t mean anything anyway, it’s how the candidate claims to feel right?
Shift hard left again, and pretend it’s the conservative thing to do. Maliki caught us with out pants down, and McCain should have been prepared for it. He should have said that if the Iraqi Government and the commanders on the ground agree, then yes, a removal of troops is most certainly warranted. However we should remove those troops carefully, and with a look to how conditions on the ground remain after each Brigade’s withdrawal.
No, not McCain. “Obama wants to lose the war.” Oh darn, now Iraq wants us out? “Obama and Iraq want us to lose the war?”
Sounds a lot dumber that way. Maliki and the Iraqi Government know they’re first up against the wall if the Terrorists take over, so they’re not likely to try and do something that sets themselves up for failure.
Snake307 on July 22, 2008 at 6:28 PM
Don’t feel bad dog. I wrote Jindal and told him to sit this election out. Don’t get sucked into losing with McCain. He is the voice of the future, and this is the last gasp of the country club blue bloods. When they lose this election, the lack of conservative Republican will be a dinosaur with the rest of the people who think Government can solve any problem.
Snake307 on July 22, 2008 at 6:31 PM
Why should we have to let it go? It’s an important issue to many people, one with far reaching consequences should McCain and Hernandez get their way. If McCain is truly concerned about the number of votes he is getting, and I thought a campaign was about persuading people to vote for you, I would think McCain should be the one to let Hernandez go. Personally, even without the amnesty issue hanging over him, McCain is a lackluster candidate. His refusal to engage Obama except in the most generic way makes him look weak and inconsistent compared to the blistering attacks he launched on fellow Republicans during the primary. If anybody needs to be let go, it’s McCain. I don’t care if the primaries are over. As far as I’m concerned, we don’t have a real candidate yet. And I’m not backing off that.
What would you give up for McCain to win? What would you sacrifice for the vote of every hold out here? Tell you what. Send me your Xbox and your copy of GTA IV, and $1000, and I’ll vote for McCain. What? You won’t do that? I guess you don’t want to win that bad. So why do you think you can ask others to set aside their objections for nothing, when you’re willing to sacrifice nothing. See, I think all this fear mongering over Obama is cr*p. If the GOP was that worried about winning, we would either have a better candidate, or he would actually be trying to win. Not attacking your opponent on his many gaffes and weaknesses, and not exploiting kitchen table issues makes McCain look like an out of touch elitist, which is pretty much why we should have had almost any other candidate to begin with.
austinnelly on July 22, 2008 at 6:39 PM
The Problem is that the GOP has polled the people, and they are upset about a lot of things, but none of the core issues of the GOP. They want a better economy, and the GOP has already washed it’s hands of that. They want more stable employment and a stabilization of health care costs. The GOP won’t address the core issues of tort reform seriously, they never have and never will.
So the GOP’s strong issue is the War on Terror, and it’s not in the top five this year. Oh Dear, has the war gone on so long as to be accepted at least for now, as part of the normal political landscape? It would appear so.
Now, we have candidates from both parties who are morons when it comes to the economy. We have candidates from both parties who are big government solution people, and both of the morons are of the opinion that Global Warming is man made, and all too real.
Popular in the press, and college campus, but not really all that popular in real working world America. With the possible exception of Iowa. Yet, we’ve hitched out wagon to a mule who won’t go conservative on any issue, so let’s pretend that he’s real different on those issues. Yeah, he’s not quite as liberal as Obama on most of them.
Energy and gas prices? He’s not conservative, he’s just not as liberal as Obama. I’m surprised that he hasn’t hired Al Gore as a consultant on Global Warming and energy issues.
Snake307 on July 22, 2008 at 6:54 PM
And the drive-bys will be glad to blame McCains loss on the racist, bigoted conservatives. At least Obama isn’t pro-amnesty. Oh, wait…
myamphibian on July 22, 2008 at 6:55 PM
By nominating McCain, Republicans put themselves (my former self – I’m now officially an Independent) in a pickle. If we don’t vote for McCain we assure an unprecedented Obama ‘mandate’. If we vote for McCain in small numbers, we validate and strengthen his ‘La Raza is the future’ strategy. If we vote for McCain in large numbers we tell the Republican establishment that they can continue to bend us and the nation over and slam us long, deep and hard because we’ll always come out and vote for them.
Pass the lube…
DrDeano on July 22, 2008 at 7:06 PM
So, are you for illegal aliens?
Johan Klaus on July 22, 2008 at 7:38 PM
First off, I’m not “giving up” anything by supporting John McCain. I have only everything to gain, nothing to lose.
And for the record, mine is a PS3, not an XBox (and no, you can’t have my GTA4 ;P)
I’ve said this before…get McCain in the White House, and THEN rake him over the coals on any and every issue you want to. “Fear mongering” over Obama? Truth be told…I am VERY scared of an Obama presidency. You’re not, obviously.
Here’s the kicker, tho:
Shoulda woulda coulda.
JetBoy on July 22, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Maybe he got caught up in an ICE raid.
- The Cat
P.S. I wouldn’t put it past him to be some sort of coyote, drug smuggling, hooker poaching crime lord.
MirCat on July 22, 2008 at 8:49 PM
OK, raking McCain over the coals did so well in changing his mind on Amnesty, and on McCain Feingold. Why we have so many examples of our ability to modify McCain’s approach to issues and his opinions. Just look at the Man Made Global Warming. Certainly a majority of people don’t think it’s an issue. So of course John McCain is in favor of a huge increase in taxes and costs with his cap and trade nonsense.
He won’t even consider talking to someone who says that Global Warming isn’t happening.
Rake him over the coals, you’d have a better chance of winning an argument with a pig. In that case, if you lost the argument, you could always roast the pig on the coals, you couldn’t do squat to McCain, we’ve never had any influence over him.
Delude yourself if you want to amigo, but while you are afraid of an Obama Presidency, you should be nearly as afraid of a McCain Presidency.
Personally, I’m investing in shotgun shells and canned food.
Snake307 on July 22, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Los Dos Juans!
Mejores amigos por siempre!
.
.
.
Éstos no son los droids que usted está buscando.
Muévase adelante.
LegendHasIt on July 22, 2008 at 8:54 PM
What???
According to all of the MDSers, McCain is all about the Mexicans.
jgapinoy on July 22, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Nah, We MDSers fully understand that he is also really into:
‘Global Warming’ / ‘Cap and Trade’ economy destruction;
Restrictions on the First Amendment;
Hatred of conservatives;
pro-globalism / anti-sovereignty;
lots of other good stuff.
McCain is like a really bad Chinese Buffet:
Lots and lots to choose from; not much of it is healthy for you. Some if it may taste good at first bite, but it will leave you with salmonella in the very near future.
LegendHasIt on July 22, 2008 at 10:58 PM