Barack Obama

Obama To Hispanic Voters: 'The Democrats And Your President Are With You'

Benjy Sarlin | July 25, 2011, 1:48PM

President Obama urged Latino voters to stick with Democrats in 2012 in a speech to the National Council of La Raza on Monday, telling them he needed their support to overcome Republican obstruction and pass immigration reform.

"The Democrats and your president are with you," Obama said. "Don't get confused about that. Remember who it is that we need to move in order to actually change the laws."

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2010 elections

Release The Chamber: Biz Group Goes On The Air In Key Senate Races (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | September 21, 2010, 1:29PM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue

The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce is dropping a flurry of TV ads in key Senate races across the country as we step into the final weeks of 2010 election season. The group has pledged $75 million in spending this cycle -- and if the first $2 million is any judge, most of that money is going to help Republicans.

Via the AP:

[The Chamber] has the biggest footprint, spending $1 million in Florida against Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running for the Senate as an independent. The chamber has endorsed the Republican candidate, Marco Rubio. The chamber is spending $500,000 in Kentucky against Democrat Jack Conway. The chamber this week endorsed Republican Rand Paul, and it is spending about $300,000 in New Hampshire against Senate Democratic candidate Paul Hodes and $250,000 in Colorado against Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

Not all of the Chamber's support is going to the GOP however. Just today, the Chamber announced it's backing Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the special election to fill the late Robert Byrd's Senate seat. No word yet on whether the group will buy pro-Manchin ads, but some recent polling shows the governor may need the help.

Here now are a sample of the Chamber's all-negative, all pro-GOP TV ads up across the country at the moment:

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Economy

Progressives Warn Of Coming Crisis Unless More Is Done To Create Jobs

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 17, 2009, 6:13PM

NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

Progressive groups representing millions of workers and minorities across the country assembled today to send a message to President Obama and Congress -- it's time to do more to create new jobs. The AFL-CIO, the NAACP and the National Council Of La Raza held a joint event today on what the groups called the "worst crisis in America today" -- unemployment. Leaders of each group called on Washington to put other priorities aside and immediately begin pumping billions into job creation programs the groups say will target the worst-hit in the economic downturn.

Overall unemployment stands at around 10%, according to the most recent numbers. In minority communities, the groups say, that number is far higher reaching as high as 16% for African Americans. The effects of the jobless rate are far-reaching in minority communities, the speakers said -- and could be a sign of things to come for the rest of the nation.

"Black people in this country are the canaries in the economic coal mine," said Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP. "In this country, we act like what's happening in one room doesn't affect what's happening in another. But what is happening in the black community is happening everywhere."

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