Democrats Need To Ask Themselves Why They Got Crushed By Latino Voters

Navarrette Nation Substack — A Journo’s Journal 11/6/24

Critical Thinking At A Critical Time

Every Wednesday  

650 words; 7 min

Tuesday evening supplied a wild ending to a crazy election. It wasn’t exactly unicorns and leprechauns, but we all saw a lot of strange and inexplicable things on Election Night.

Like when the most divisive public figure in modern U.S. history  — having just staged a remarkable political comeback that cultivated with him being elected the 47th president of the United States — stepped onto a stage in West Palm Beach, Fla., and told a ballroom full of supporters con toda la boca: “We’re going to help our country heal.”

What in the world? That’s like the arsonist showing up to help put out the fire. Former — and now, gulp, future — President Trump didn’t turn Americans against each other. We were already at odds, and already inclined not to trust one another. What he did was figure out a way to turn our division to his advantage. 

But, for me, perhaps the strangest sight of all was when CNN anchor Jake Tapper turned to a Black-and-White panel (Audie Cornish, Dana Bash, and Chris Wallace) that looked like America in the 1970’s and asked con toda la boca: “So what’s going on with Latinos?”

Gee, I don’t know Jake. Here’s an off-the-wall idea: Why doesn’t CNN try hiring a lot more Latino journalists, and putting one or two on pundit panels during Election Night coverage? Instead of speculating about why we vote the way we do, you could actually have a conversation with one of us. You know, go to the source and hear it straight from the donkey’s mouth. 

But, hey, that’s just a thought. I’m just a simple Mexican American country boy from Central California. Who am I to question the all-knowing liberal media, even if their knowledge of the Latino community is often a taco short of a combination plate?