Why isn't the media pushing the historical nature of Romney's candidacy?

[redcommander]

I'm not talking about him being Mormon since everyone pretty much knows he is one and now and recognizes he would be the first Mormon president. I mean that he would be the first Hispanic president if elected. His father after all was born in Mexico, and he has family in the country. Why is no one bringing up the fact that he would technically be the first president of Hispanic descent?

[Beet]

I mean that he would be the first Hispanic president if elected.

I'm glad the media is not "pushing" this angle. While technically (and in the Census), being born in a Spanish-speaking country is all that it takes to be Hispanic, in de facto terms there is a dichotomy between Hispanic and white Anglo. The first 'Hispanic' would be a dark skinned white (creole) or mestizo, or even 'Indian' (although not likely).

[CatoMinor]

Does this mean John McCain is Hispanic since he was born in Panama?

[redcommander]

I mean that he would be the first Hispanic president if elected.

I'm glad the media is not "pushing" this angle. While technically (and in the Census), being born in a Spanish-speaking country is all that it takes to be Hispanic, in de facto terms there is a dichotomy between Hispanic and white Anglo. The first 'Hispanic' would be a dark skinned white (creole) or mestizo, or even 'Indian' (although not likely).

So it's fair to claim he's less Hispanic than someone else whose father was born in Mexico because his skin isn't dark enough to some? There are plenty of white people in Latin America.

[redcommander]

Does this mean John McCain is Hispanic since he was born in Panama?

Yes techniquely. But McCain's father was only stationed in Panama. Romney's family immigrated to Mexico (albeit with questionable reasons for doing so), and were active Mormon missionaries there. George Romney was born there, and then immigrated back to the US when the Mexican Revolution occurred. How does that make Romney's candidacy any less historical than Obama's was? Romney is half-Hispanic, and Obama is half-African American.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

He's not Hispanic. Now a Rubio campaign would fit that.

[Beet]

I mean that he would be the first Hispanic president if elected.

I'm glad the media is not "pushing" this angle. While technically (and in the Census), being born in a Spanish-speaking country is all that it takes to be Hispanic, in de facto terms there is a dichotomy between Hispanic and white Anglo. The first 'Hispanic' would be a dark skinned white (creole) or mestizo, or even 'Indian' (although not likely).

So it's fair to claim he's less Hispanic than someone else whose father was born in Mexico because his skin isn't dark enough to some? There are plenty of white people in Latin America.

It's not just skin color... its a combination of many factors, including skin color, his English name, and his self-identification. Race is a social construct, so I don't think it can be narrowly defined.

But if you think about it, it makes sense. After all, why would the first Hispanic President be something of historical significance? Well, because it would show that Hispanics have overcome the racial discrimination against them, and the negative stereotypes, and really 'made it' in America. Would Romney winning prove these things? No, not at all. Since he can pass off as white (and does), it wouldn't really show anything to the prospects of the average 'Jose'.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Was George Romney a Mexican citizen?

[Jacobtm]

Hispanic is not a race. It is a word that refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries.

Peru had a president of Japanese origin.

Colombia has both Lebanese and Turkish populations.

Argentina is lilly-white.

It doesn't matter what your ethnic breakdown is, if your culture is that of a Spanish-speaking country, you're hispanic.

Romney father was born to American parents in a Mormon colony in Mexico. They left when Romney was a small child. He was raised by Americans, mostly in America. He's not hispanic.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Hispanic is not a race. It is a word that refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries.

Dont tell the LaRaza zombies that Their worst then us Paultards!

[Beet]

Hispanic is not a race. It is a word that refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries.

Fair enough, my point is only that it's more complicated than just the country of birth. There is a cultural aspect to it. Romney is a good demonstration of that, actually.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Btw, I have a friend who was born while his parents were at vacation in Bulgaria. Should I consider him Bulgarian then?

Ethnicity is a matter of ancestry and culture, not merely a place.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I'm not talking about him being Mormon...

good, because it is painful to ponder Mormonism...so we're trying hard to not to remind ourselves he is Mormon

[ag]

Being Hispanic is a matter of self-identification and cultural heritage. I am pretty sure neither Romney, nor his father would consider themselves even remotely Hispanic, and as for the cultural hertiage... Well, I guess that's why the media doesn't report it: there is nothing to report.

[GMantis]

While technically (and in the Census), being born in a Spanish-speaking country is all that it takes to be Hispanic...

Excluding Spain.

[Keystone Phil]

If, God forbid, Romney wins the nomination, he'll suggest that he would be America's first Hispanic President. You watch.

The sad thing is...you can't tell me with certainty that this guy wouldn't try that...

[Dizzun]

His father was born in Mexico? Didn't George Romney make a serious run for the Presidency? So Romney would have been unable to serve if he were elected?

[Averroës Nix]

His father was born in Mexico? Didn't George Romney make a serious run for the Presidency? So Romney would have been unable to serve if he were elected?

And John McCain was born in the Canal Zone. His parents were U.S. citizens.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

You realize this is saying my 100% white cousin is Arabic because he was born in Dubai, right?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Wasn't Obama born in Hawaii? That would make him our first islander President, right?

[The Mikado]

His father was born in Mexico? Didn't George Romney make a serious run for the Presidency? So Romney would have been unable to serve if he were elected?

Someone born of two US citizen parents is a US citizen no matter where he's born.

[DrScholl]

Mitt Romney is not Hispanic at all, his father's parents were American citizens and were only in Mexico as part of Mormon colonies. Hispanic is a not a race and is a culture, but Romney has zero connection to the culture.

[Averroës Nix]

Wasn't Obama born in Hawaii? That would make him our first islander President, right?

Nope. Theodore Roosevelt was born in Manhattan.

[Middle-aged Europe]

The historical nature of Romney's candidacy is that because of his Mormonism (and his now-a-moderate-again-ism) he'd be the first Republican president since Richard Nixon who's elected without having the explicit support of the evangelicals.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Wasn't Obama born in Hawaii? That would make him our first islander President, right?

Nope. Theodore Roosevelt was born in Manhattan.

Well I meant Pacific Islander.