Did Obama tell undocumented immigrants to vote? No.
Conservatives are in the grip of a panic attack over Latino turnout in early voting. Faced with a massive loss in 2012 and a post-mortem urging the party to reach out to Hispanic voters, the GOP faithful decided to do the exact opposite in 2016. Early voting numbers are up for the demographic in Nevada’s population center, Clark Country, where Democrats have a 72,000 voter lead (Note, this means registered Democrats, not necessarily votes for Clinton). By comparison, the Democrats led early voting by 71,000 voters in the county during the 2012 election and Obama won the state easily by 7%
Veteran Nevada political reporter, John Ralston, puts it this way:
I’d guess that right now, based on history and my sources, that Trump is down by at least 40,000 votes. About 770,000 votes have been cast, likely two-thirds of the vote. Let’s suppose that there is an Election Day turnout of 450,000 voters. Trump would probably need to win Tuesday by about 10 points to win. This is almost impossible, unless the Democrats decide not to turn out voters on Election Day.
The trend extends to the Trump’s must-win state of Florida where early voting turnout is down among black voters, but has been evened out by a rise in Latino voters. Even in the “safe state” of Arizona, Republicans early voting margin has been cut nearly in half, from 10% to 5.5%, by the rise of Latino voters.
This means it’s time to start laying the groundwork for the latest voter fraud trope: “Illegals stole the election!”
Lou Dobbs, aka Rush Limbaugh on slightly less prescription pills is doing his part. Right Wingers are spreading around a video from Dobbs and Fox’s Neil Cavuto alleging that Obama encouraged undocumented immigrants to vote, In their version. the president used an interview to send the signal that there was no way to track down the illegal voters. This great crime against democracy was committed in a discussion between Obama and Jane the Virgin star, Gina Rodriguez.
DOBBS: President Obama essentially encouraging illegal immigrants to vote. Listen to his shocking response to a question from actress Gina Rodriguez.
RODRIGUEZ: Many of the millennials, dreamers, undocumented citizens — and I call them citizens because they contribute to this country — are fearful of voting. So, if I vote, will immigration know where I live? Will they come for my family and deport us?OBAMA: Not true. (CUT) The sanctity of the vote is strictly confidential.
DOBBS: Sanctity of the vote, but no for the requirements to vote, namely: citizenship. And that’s the President of the United States talking, and apparently trying to encourage such votes by illegal immigrants.
Shocking, indeed. Gina Rodriguez says “Undocumented citizens” are fearful of voting. Obama assures her they shouldn’t be, because voting “…is strictly confidential.” But note the jump cut in Dobbs version.
Here’s what rumor-busting website Snopes says (emphasis mine):
The claim originates from an interview with Obama published on 3 November 2016, in which millennial actress Gina Rodriguez asked the president about a number of issues facing young Latinos. Many of the outrage posts were written around a video in which the majority of the president’s response was edited out to give the misleading impression that Obama was urging undocumented immigrants to vote illegally
Here is what Obama actually said:
OBAMA: Not true. And the reason is, first of all, when you vote, you are a citizen yourself. And there is not a situation where the voting rolls somehow are transferred over and people start investigating, et cetera. The sanctity of the vote is strictly confidential in terms of who you voted for. If you have a family member who maybe is undocumented, then you have an even greater reason to vote.
Let’s break this down a bit. First, Obama says, “when you vote, you are a citizen yourself.” In other words, if you are able to vote you are a citizen. Yes, Obama could have been slightly clearer, but it is obvious he who is addressing. He makes it even clearer with the final sentence, “If you have a family member who maybe is undocumented, then you have an even greater reason to vote.”
Both Obama and Rodriguez are obviously discussing a fear in the Latino community of bringing scrutiny on your family by voting. It’s the same type of fear that keep people with undocumented family members from seeking medical help or reaching out to the police — a fear of investigation resulting in their family being spit up through forced deportation. Republicans know this and try to use the fear to keep the demographic from voting.
If you still aren’t convinced, Rodriguez and Obama continued the exchange on the issue.
RODRIGUEZ: This has been a huge fear presented especially during this election.
OBAMA: And the reason that fear is promoted is because they don’t want people voting. People are discouraged from voting and part of what is important for Latino citizens is to make your voice heard, because you’re not just speaking for yourself. You’re speaking for family members, friends, classmates of yours in school…
RODRIGUEZ: Your entire community.
OBAMA: … who may not have a voice. Who can’t legally vote. But they’re counting on you to make sure that you have the courage to make your voice heard.
You can watch the full video for context. The voting question begins at the 3:21 mark, but in reality the majority of the interview is about voting rights and combatting voter suppression. In fact, the description for the video reads, “Gina Rodriguez blasts voting myths With President Obama!”
Nevada has a high probability of being the state that makes Hillary Clinton President of the United States. She can lose Ohio, Florida and North Carolina most likely if she wins Nevada.
Sadly, this talk of a “rigged election” including the suggestion that undocumented immigrants and even Mexicans bussed across the border are stealing the election will only increase.
Both Trump and the Michael McDonald, the Nevada GOP Party Chairman claimed that early voting hours were extended at one location in Nevada so voters could be “bussed in.” McDonald wasn’t so subtle with his dog whistle, “a certain group.”
Last night, in Clark County, they kept a poll open until 10 o’ clock at night so a certain group could vote
Actually, polling locations are supposed to stay open until everybody in line has had a chance to vote. #ThanksObama.
