RUBEN NAVARRETTE JR. THE UNION-TRIBUNE

McCain and the Latino community

October 26, 2008

Recently, I was on a Latino-themed radio show defending John McCain. The defendant was accused of abandoning comprehensive immigration reform, turning his back on Latino supporters and associating with a bad crowd (read: Republicans). I didn't give an inch. I was the only person in the discussion who actually knew McCain – from my stint 10 years ago as a reporter at a newspaper in Arizona – and I could attest to the fact that the senator had always gone to bat for Latinos. At one point, another guest scolded me in frustration: “Look, it's not about John McCain. It's about the Republican Party!â€