In a speech before a predominantly Hispanic audience, considered the master key of the election victory in Florida, Republican John McCain pledged on Monday that the issue of migration would be one of their "top priority''if elected president. He also accused the Democrat Barack Obama to block the reforms on the subject in Congress.
McCain led in 2006 a proposal rejected by the right wing of his party, which would have allowed illegal immigrants to become citizens. Obama supported the overall proposal, but endorsed a controversial amendment related to the creation of a guest worker program.
"The fact is that Senator Obama proposed amendment that would remove the law. And fought for this amendment''said McCain in Orlando, before an audience of about 300 people.
McCain has repeated the same accusation in his campaign ads in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, Obama felt "dishonest''in an interview on Sunday in a chain of Hispanic television.
Following support what critics call an "amnesty'', McCain has talked little about immigration in his campaign towards the presidency. During a previous scale in Jacksonville, a Republican safe stop on his tour began two days will conclude today in Tampa, the presidential aspirant avoided referring to the topic.
The Central Florida is an area of rapid growth of a Hispanic community, which arouses greed for their political independence, unlike the Miami-Dade County, which has been dominated by Cuban Americans fervently Republican voters.
"Hispanic voters are going to be the pivot of this election in Florida and much will depend on how they interpret the information that the candidates presented''said Orlando Allancastro, a young engineer and political activist who attended the event." Voters need facts. Both sides have lost sight of this and now the election is approaching and the pressure is much greater.''
McCain has received much criticism for pursuing a campaign full of ads erratic. Even the very Republican strategist Karl Rove said at the weekend that McCain had been exceeded. McCain explained that the competition would have been more civilized, if Obama had agreed to perform with him a series of community meetings.
"A lot of people do not like the tone of this campaign,''he said." I know that if they climb at the same stage with your opponent and talking with the public, much of the negative charge would disappear.''
With McCain leading in the polls, Obama will come to Florida to campaign, in Miami on Friday and Saturday in Jacksonville.
The agenda indicated that McCain would begin his visit to Florida with a simple breakfast, but his campaign office moved the event to the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, with the intention of having more capacity for attendees. Some 3000 people attended the event, although the arena had a capacity of about 15000.
The biggest attraction of Republicans in the campaign - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - is expected later this month in The Villages, a retirement community of central Florida, for an act of campaign.
With the collapse of the bank Lehman Brothers hoarding owners, McCain arremetió on Monday against the current government for not having covered the work of Wall Street, and stated that he favoured "the end of this network compinches''que as he has crippled the markets in the country.
"People are scared by these events,''said McCain during his speech in Jacksonville." The fundamentals of our economy are still strong, but these are extremely difficult times. I promise that the country never will be in this situation again.''
His criticism apparently aimed at the administration of President George W. Bush, but McCain never mentioned by name the trustee, except when he said that "has been a good president''that has given him greater security to the United States.
