Juan Hernandez gives dumb advice; McCain takes it

By Michelle Malkin • July 7, 2008 05:01 AM


Whose idea was it to send John McCain down to Mexico the day before Independence Day and have him grovel for Latino votes south of the border by visiting the Basilica de Guadalupe–a famed Catholic shrine featuring the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which most Mexican politicians consider off-limits for campaigning?

According to Frentes Politicos (hat tip - reader Edgar M.), the stunt was the brainchild of none other than McCain’s open-borders Hispanic outreach director and former Mexican cabinet official Juan Hernandez, who apparently survived the big campaign staff shake-up:

I. El truco para la buena imagen fue idea de Juan Hernández —el director de la Oficina Presidencial para Mexicanos en el Exterior de Vicente Fox—, quien hoy asesora en asuntos de hispanos al candidato presidencial republicano de EU, John McCain. Dentro del equipo de campaña refieren que el consejero supo referir cuán afortunada en simpatÃ*a mexicana resulta una visita a la BasÃ*lica de Guadalupe, dada la centenaria cultura popular de equiparar “estadunidenseâ€