Obama’s Puerto Rican Trip Won’t Reduce Hispanic Unemployment

Israel Ortega / June 14, 2011

After nearly half a century, President Obama will end the drought of no sitting U.S. President making an official visit to the island territory of Puerto Rico. The President’s trip will fulfill the campaign promise of then-candidate Obama to return to Puerto Rico as the Chief Executive, just as the 2012 presidential campaign kicks off.

In this light, it’s not entirely surprising that the President will be in Puerto Rico for less than five hours to, among other things, fundraise for his re-election campaign.

Raising money in an election season is nothing new, but today’s presidential visit to Puerto Rico stands out because of the obvious political calculus to win over Hispanic voters. (more…)