Obama planning Valley offensive after Clinton tears through region

Sen. Barack Obama shares his opponent Sen. Hillary Clinton’s compassion for the people of the Rio Grande Valley, has solid proposals on issues of importance to the region and has a record of fighting for the rights of Hispanics, a key supporter said Thursday after Clinton’s speech the night before in Brownsville.

“Last year when the immigrant community was being attacked with devastating policy proposals by the Republican right wing, it was only Sen. (Edward) Kennedy and Sen. Obama that went on the record publicly in support of the Hispanic community,” said state Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville.

Kennedy, D-Mass, is backing Obama and was in the Valley on Wednesday campaigning for the Illinois senator.

Lucio, who said he supports Obama “as a private concerned citizen,” confirmed that Obama will be in the Valley on Friday for a 9:30 a.m. rally with students at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg.

Lucio said Obama “has a comprehensive immigration plan” and is the “most pro-active” candidate in the field on the issue.

“As a community organizer in Chicago back in the ‘70s he defended the rights of undocumented work-ers,” Lucio said.

“He wants to bring the undocumented workers out of hiding and put them on a path to citizenship with dignity,” Lucio said.

“He understands the importance of that labor market but also realizes that we need to know where everyone is and abide by the laws on the books.

In her speech, Clinton said, “We need smart secure borders, but there's a smart way of doing it and there's a dumb way of doing it. I will listen to the people of the Valley and make sure that we secure the border but don't divide people from their families.”

Lucio said Obama has spoken out against the proposed border fence “as expensive and inefficient” and has advocated “more boots on the ground” and advanced technology as better ways for securing the border.

As to Clinton’s pledge Wednesday to begin removing troops from Iraq within 60 days of the inauguration and all troops out of the country within a year, Lucio said Obama had “been right about Iraq from day one.

Obama, who did not vote for the original Iraq troop authorization, was “one of the first to seek out on Iraq” and “continues to advocate bringing the troops home,” Lucio said.

Clinton and Obama were to debate at 7 p.m. Thursday in Austin. A debate watching party is planned for Thursday night at Obama Headquarters, 305 E. Elizabeth Street in Brownsville.

Lucio said organizers are still trying to firm up plans to bring the candidate to Brownsville.

glong@brownsvilleherald.com