Bush in Battle to Keep his percentage of Hispanic Voters, Losing Ground

In his effort to turn the presidential campaign into a personality contest, Bush is playing on the connections he established with Latinos in 2000. The ad's tagline: "President Bush. We know each other." Sergio Bendixen, a Democratic pollster in Coral Gables, Fla., said Bush's ads are a virtual copy of "one of the most effective political commercials made in Spanish in the United States" - by Bush's brother, Jeb, the Florida governor, in his successful 2002 re-election campaign. "It gives a clear signal that their strategy for the Hispanic community is what I call the basic 'I love you' message. It is devoid of issues," Bendixen said. "It is a very personal kind of emotional connection message that has been the guiding light of the Republican Party in its attempt to conquer the Hispanic vote through the charisma of the Bush family." Democratic media consultant Armando Gutierrez of Albuquerque warns that Democratic attacks on Bush are likely to backfire with Hispanic swing voters who feel they "know George Bush's personality (and) don't particularly dislike him personally." [more]