Republican convention glosses over Latinos’ reality
At Monday night’s Republican National Convention, Kimberly Guilfoyle gave the speech that launched a thousand memes.
Speaking as “a Latina and a proud American,” the head of the Trump Victory Finance Committee delivered remarks as though she were in a packed stadium. She proclaimed herself “a first generation American,” mentioning her mother’s Puerto Rican heritage. Her father, she noted, was “also an immigrant.”
By the end of what devolved into an epic rant, Guilfoyle raised her arms and shouted, “The best is yet to come!”
With a speech that has drawn comparisons to Evita Peron, Guilfoyle’s appearance was memorable for all the wrong reasons. It was nonetheless on
brand for a convention in which GOP strategists seem to have settled on a surface level of Latino outreach.
The 2020 Republican National Convention has showcased a few Latinos for emotional impact, while skimming over facts and issues that matter to our communities.
Take Guilfoyle’s declaration that “as a first generation American, I know how dangerous their (the Democrats) socialist agenda is.” The former prosecutor appeared unaware that the island has been a U.S. territory since 1898, and that Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Congress enacted legislation granting Puerto Ricans birthright citizenship in 1940.
So Guilfoyle’s reference to her mother as an immigrant was strange. Since Guilfoyle’s father is from Ireland, it is a mystery as to why her family background would give her insight into socialism. Puerto Rico is part of the United States; it is not a socialist country.
It’s no wonder that Guilfoyle’s words sparked a social media backlash, especially from fellow Puerto Ricans.
Guilfoyle, who has recovered from testing positive for COVID-19 in July, did not offer empathy toward fellow Americans dealing with the pandemic. What a missed opportunity to connect with potential voters, especially given that Latinos have been disproportionately impacted by coronavirus. Instead, Guilfoyle stuck with rhetoric about Democrats wanting “open borders” and ”dangerous amnesty.”
Maximo Alvarez’s speech was more effective. He spoke movingly about leaving Cuba as part of the 1960s Pedro Pan program for unaccompanied minors. “By the grace of God, I lived the American dream, the greatest blessing I ever had,” he said.
But his words ignored the question of whether all refugee and asylum-seeking children deserve care and opportunities, not just the select few from one country.
It’s sobering to wonder what would have happened to children like Alvarez under the Trump administration. Would they have been welcomed, or detained in cages? His inspiring story is far from the reality that legal and undocumented immigrants face today.
It was also perplexing to hear Alvarez decry authoritarianism as he praised Trump, a president who has installed family members at the highest levels of government, called the press the “enemy of the people” and used law enforcement to clear away peaceful protesters. Such actions are hallmarks of authoritarianism.
On Tuesday night, the RNC presented Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, who doubled down on the false characterization of Democrats as socialists. She described how her parents fled Cuba in search of religious freedom, saying, “It is my distinct privilege to share my story, which is really your story, and the story of a nation that has opened its doors.”
Most U.S. Latinos, who are of Mexican descent and never enjoyed the special immigration privileges that her family did, would probably disagree. Her speech might have carried more credibility if she were not known for tweeting in 2016 that Trump was “the biggest con-man there is,” and accusing him of being a KKK supporter.
Republicans likely know that they will never win over a majority of Latinos. They just need to win as many Latino votes as they can in states like Florida and Arizona. That might be a challenge. A Latino Decisions poll this month showed Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a 42-point lead over Trump among Latino voters.
Still, it is jarring to see how out of touch the Republican Party is with mainstream Latino views.
The convention has been big on the presumed threat of protesters, although the Pew Center reports that 77% of Latinos support the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump was repeatedly hailed as a “law and order” president, despite his administration defying the Supreme Court decision to fully reinstate DACA. And the speakers who praised Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic consistently ignored its deadly toll on Latino communities.
The RNC’s pitch to Latinos has been misleading and superficial. For any Latino who is not already aboard the Trump train, this gathering has offered next to nada.
The RNC’s pitch to Latinos has been misleading and superficial. For any Latino who is not already aboard the Trump train, this gathering has offered next to nada.