Sí TV

The latest census statistics shows that one in five U.S. adults 18-to-34 are Latino. Subsequently, nearly 50,000 Latinos are becoming eligible to vote every month which makes our vote extremely important this election season. Both presidential candidates are vying for our votos and both have specialists in their camps to help them do so. SiTV.com spoke to Cuauhtémoc "Temo" Figueroa, Latino vote director for the Barack Obama campaign, and Hessy Fernandez, director of specialty media for the John McCain campaign about their plans to attain the crucial Latino vote.

SiTV.com: How are Latinos 18-to-34 contributing to the political awakening of our country?
Hessy Fernandez: Younger Latinos will help elect the next president of the United States. John McCain has the experience, judgment and character to lead this country as commander-in-chief. He is the only candidate with a record of bringing true reform and change to Washington to fight corruption and special interests.
Cuauhtémoc Figueroa: They are going to be key in the success of the Obama campaign. We've made an unprecedented commitment to increasing the turnout of younger Latino voters in the key battleground states of Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Florida. We're investing enormous resources and staff in these States, concentrating primarily on voter registration, education and turnout efforts.

SiTV.com: What is your campaign doing to reach out to Latinos?
HF: We have a comprehensive, far reaching grassroots effort to make sure all young voters are involved in this election. We have State chairs in all 50 states with over 300 campus chairs, county chairs throughout the country, and regional chairs in each major region. Campus organizers' main goals are voter registration, absentee ballot drives, voter contact, and events, including community services, back-to-school and homecoming events, and debate watch parties. We also have several online social networking sites such as McCainSpace.
CF: We're engaging younger Latino voters by talking to them directly about their interests and futures, and including them in all facets of our campaign. Obama's message of hope and change, talking about the issues that young Latinos care about- removing our troops from Iraq, the critical need for universal healthcare and making education affordable-resonate with young Latinos. We've involved more Latinos in our campaign than any other presidential campaign in history. We made a commitment of $20 million for Latino outreach efforts and intend on earning and fighting for every Latino vote.

SiTV.com: What approaches have worked in reaching younger Latinos?
HF: Our grassroots programs are making the difference. We have the Future Leaders for McCain Coalition, formed by young people who are individually making an impact in their own communities, and banding together across the nation to ensure John McCain becomes our next president.
CF: If you want to reach young people, you have to include them in all facets of the campaign like we've done. We have young Latinas working as bloggers, political operatives, field operatives, surrogate bookers, press secretaries and targeting specialists. We would not have won Iowa without the youth vote, and we will not win the presidency without the Latino youth vote.

SiTV.com: Has anti-immigration rhetoric made your job more difficult to engage Latinos?
HF: McCain has always recognized the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the culture, economy, and security of our country. He knows many Hispanics were disappointed and hurt by those who used the debate on immigration last year not to respectfully debate the issue, but to denigrate the contributions of Hispanics to our great country. He denounced those insults.
CF: The hateful rhetoric coming from the right wing of the Republican Members of Congress and their national echo chamber on immigration has actually encouraged many Latinos to get involved in the political process. They understand their direct involvement in the political process is the only way to ensure their voices will be heard.

To get involved in either campaign go to www.barackobama.com or www.johnmccain.com.
If you haven't registered to vote go now to www.votolatino.org.