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  By Steven J. Ybarra, JD
  September 3, 2008
  
  

  Pit Bulls vs. Terriers
  
  I watched the Republican pit bull unleashed in the race and thought well here they go again. Being an American who is half Irish and half Mexican, I understand the fight between pit bulls and terriers. This fight between an Alaskan pit bull and a Delaware terrier (a true Republican rat killer) is going to be a fun one.
  
  Palin has set the standard of the fight low. Just about every ad hominem attack that could be made was made in her opening speech. The speech set a new standard for fluff. There was nothing substantive in the speech. This presentation gave no confirmation of policy, no presentation of ideas, no addressing of practices that have failed the country. All she did admit was that the Republican administration, both congressional and executive failed America for the last four years. Moreover, what is interesting is that she did not include any mention of the first four Presidential years of Bush the lesser, which by the way included Republican congressional rule.
  
  So here is the question of the day - Why is she the Republican U.S. Vice Presidential nominee?
  
  The answer is too obvious. She is the nominee to give permission for the right wing christofacists to vote for a liberal like McCain. With her background of some amazing positions, she has appeal for all the gun-toting, anti-abortion, loveless Christians, who will bend any position and ignore any flaw to avoid voting for anyone other than a Republican candidate.
  
  This Presidential race is about race, sex, and age. That should be clear even to Helen Keller. No one wants to put it out there but that is the fact of the matter.
  
  The lines for partisans will harden up in a few days. In addition, once they have hardened up they will not move. The only question is whom will the Mexican American voters vote for. The numbers are moving back and forth. Today there is a poll in California that Latino voters here have moved to the Obama column by a margin of 71%. This is the magic number. What is happening in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Southern Florida remains the open question.
  
  I spent the last two days of the Democratic National Convention working with the Denver County Democratic leadership helping them to understand the methods that have worked so well for us in California. They get it. However, the race needs to move quickly to claim the ground if Obama is to win.
  
  If you have never read the Art of War, it is the book to read. This race is about the ground. Knowing it, finding the weaknesses, and getting ready for the election.
  
  In a few weeks, vote by mail ballots will be issued to voters, if the Democrats have done their job millions of Mexican American voters will mail in their ballots in favor of Obama. If they have not done their job and Obama gets less than 70% it will be President McCain and Vice President "pit bull" Palin. Not much of a change from what we have now.
  
  ©Steven J. Ybarra JD is a retired civil rights attorney who operates a consultant company in California. He is a member of the California Democratic State Party and is Chair of the Chicano Latino Caucus Voting Rights Committee and a long time political activist. Contact Steven at: sjybarra@aol.com. This article is copyright by Steven J. Ybarra JD, originally published in www.Hispanicvista.com but permission is granted for reprint in print, email, blog, or web media if this entire credit paragraph is attached.