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Governor taken to task by Latino TV audience


He has reneged on promises, critics say
By Bill Ainsworth
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 26, 2005

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's road toward rehabilitating his image among Latinos – the fastest growing group in the electorate – turned rocky yesterday during an appearance before voters at a Spanish-language television station.

SEAN M. HAFFEY / Union-Tribune
After facing tough questions from Latinos in Sacramento, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited supporters in San Diego yesterday.
While promoting his ballot measures for the Nov. 8 special election, Schwarzenegger faced tough questions from the audience at the Univision network affiliate here about his record on Latino appointments, his handling of relations with Mexico and his compassion for illegal immigrants.
During the past year, critics have assailed the governor for not appointing more Latino judges, reneging on his promise to find a way to allow illegal immigrants to get driver licenses and alienating Mexico by endorsing the Minutemen border patrol, a volunteer group that President Bush referred to as "vigilantes."

Today the governor's opponents plan to launch a Spanish-language television ad that compares him with his ally, former Gov. Pete Wilson, who is widely disliked by Latino voters for his aggressive support of the 1994 voter-approved Proposition 187, which attempted to end government services for illegal immigrants.

During yesterday's question-and-answer session, Schwarzenegger sought to appeal to the audience by acknowledging that illegal immigrants help fill jobs, pledging to appoint more Latinos to his cabinet and the judiciary, and suggesting changing the way he refers to those living in California illegally.

"The workers that are here illegally, we should call them undocumented," he said. "That sounds better."

Last night Schwarzenegger greeted campaign workers at the Republican Party headquarters in San Diego after attending a fundraiser at the Westgate Hotel that attracted about three dozen protesters outside.

The governor is attending fundraisers and making selected appearances throughout the state to promote his four measures on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The hour-long program, taped yesterday at KUVS-TV, will air at 11 a.m. Saturday on Univision affiliates throughout the state.

The governor is promoting four measures that would require teachers to wait longer for tenure, make it difficult for public employee unions to spend dues on politics, limit state spending and take the power to draw political districts away from lawmakers and give it to a panel of retired judges.

Opponents of Schwarzenegger's ballot agenda said that the Univision session was unfair because the television station didn't grant equal time to critics of his initiatives.

In addition, they noted that Univision owner Jerry Perenchio has donated $3.25 million to Schwarzenegger's campaign.

"Today Univision is giving the governor yet another gift: one hour of free air time," wrote Steve Maviglio, who works for the campaign opposing Schwarzenegger's ballot measures.

Nevertheless, the Republican governor faced pointed questions, including one about why only two of his first 90 appointments to the judiciary are Latino – slightly more than 2 percent.

His aides say that figure is close to the percentage of members of the state bar who are Latino, which is 3.7 percent.

His predecessor, Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, appointed far more Latinos, who made up 14 percent of his judicial selections, according to lawyer groups.

Schwarzenegger pledged to improve his record. "I want to build up the amount of Latino judges that we have," he said.

The governor said he was also trying to bring more Latinos into his government, saying that 10 percent of his appointees are Latino, but he wants to increase it to 15 percent.

One questioner asked why Schwarzenegger only talked about the burdens and not the benefits of illegal immigration.

Schwarzenegger responded by saying that he tries to be even-handed.

"On one side it creates a lot of problems," he said. "On another side it fills a lot of needs that we have that are jobs in farming, construction, restaurants and many other important industries and businesses."

Schwarzenegger said he opposed an amnesty program for illegal immigrants, but would support a guest-worker program to solve the problem.

The governor, whose popularity has declined dramatically since he launched his special election campaign in January, has experienced an even steeper decline among Latinos, who made up 18 percent of the California electorate in last year's presidential election.

In August, 2004, 56 percent of Latino voters approved of Schwarzenegger's job performance, while in September of this year only 20 percent approved, according to the nonpartisan Field Poll.

"It's turned very negative," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.

Roger Salazar, a Democratic political consultant, said Latino voters see Schwarzenegger as a traitor.

"He came into office being a friend of immigrants and promising better protection for workers," Salazar said. "All he's done is immigrant bash, cut education and cater to business interests."

One questioner asked yesterday why Schwarzenegger hasn't met with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who met with Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, in Mexico City in August.

Schwarzenegger said he has met with governors of the Mexican border states and plans to meet with Fox this year or in the spring.

"We have a terrific relationship with Mexico," he said.

To sell his ballot measures next month and help win re-election next year, Schwarzenegger has launched a Latino coalition and plans to buy ads in the Spanish-language media.

California has nearly 8 million people who speak Spanish.

"The governor is now coming out and talking to this community," said one of his campaign spokesman, Jesus Arredondo.