July 25 - According to a Pew Research Poll, Barack Obama has is doing well among Latino voters. Despite displeasure of Obama during the primary, 2/3's of Latinos support Obama over John McCain over Latinos. But both candidates continue to court the Latino community with vigor. Both appeared at major Latino conventions. Tanya Snyder attended one of the conventions and files this story.

Reggaeton song:
Como se dice / Como se llama / Obama / Obama

Barack Obama has had a hard time winning over Latinos. In the primary season, Hillary Clinton won greater support from Latino voters, based on greater name recognition, her husband's appeal among Latinos, and more targeted outreach. It's now up to Obama to pick up those votes.

Last week he spoke at the national convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, and the National Council of La Raza, among other significant appearances before Latino audiences.

The Hispanic community is an aspirational community. You are an example of what has built this country. People coming to this country with very little but with big dreams and a big heart and a willingness to work.

John McCain also addressed the same conventions, and was also received warmly. He stuck to his most recent position that the country needs to secure the borders before it can take further action on comprehensive immigration reform, but he did address a question about raids. He promised to resolve the issue in a "humane and compassionate fashion." He did not promise to put a stop to them. In his speeches, Obama didn't hesitate to mention McCain's deviation from his prior support of comprehensive immigration reform.

He used to buck his party on immigration. He fought for comprehensive immigration reform. But when he started running for his party's nomination he abandoned his courageous stance and said that he wouldn't even support his own legislation if it came up for a vote.

An ardent Hillary Clinton supporter, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is now campaigning vigorously for Obama. But not everyone is convinced. Yasmin Romero, who works with LULAC, says Obama usually only talks about blacks and whites, as if Latinos didn't even exist. She still supports Clinton over Obama.

Si ella no va como vicepresidenta, dudo mucho de que el puede ganar las elecciones. El esta perdiendo mucho terreno. No estoy a favor de ninguno de los candidates. Y como ciudadana Americana, pienso que no voy a votar porque no me convence ninguno.

If she's not VP, I doubt very much whether he can win the elections. He's losing a lot of ground. I'm not for either candidate. And as a US citizen, I think I won't vote because neither convinces me.

Obama made it clear in his appeal to Latinos that their vote is essential for his victory in November.

In 2004, 40,000 Latinos who were registered to vote in New Mexico didn't turn out on Election Day. Sen. Kerry lost that state by less than 6,000 votes.

New Mexico is one of several states with high Latino population that Obama is attempting to turn blue. Others include Colorado and Nevada. If he begins to poll well in McCain's home state of Arizona, Obama will make a run for that state as well. Victor Ramirez, a Maryland state delegate who was in the audience at the LULAC convention, explains.

Aside from your blue and your red states, there are 5 or 7 states and that's where the Latino vote comes into effect.

He says he think appearances like these will help bring Latinos over to Obama's side.

I think his speech was inspiring, he made the points people wanted him to stress, immigration, unity, the strength the community brings and has throughout the years and will continue bringing.

Fifteen year old Anthony Navarres was also in the audience.

I really do hope he actually wins, I mean if McCain wins too that's fine too, but Obama, he just really inspired me right there, for what he said... If we do get people to go to college, more Latinos, that would be really great, because I want people to know Latinos can do something, and make a change in life.

With up to 10 million Latino votes at stake in November, the courtship rituals are likely to continue.

For Election Unspun I'm Tanya Snyder.

Interview: Scott Frotman is with the United Farm Workers

Most of the unions have endorses Barack Obama. Union members are increasingly Latino. One, the United Farm Workers of America is working on an issue that hits close to home among many Latino immigrants, workplace raids. The Department of Homeland Security is detaining and often deporting undocumented workers in factories and restaurants around the country. As Tanya Snyder reporter, McCain said he would deal with it in a compassionate way, but he didn't promise to end them. Joining us is Scott Frotman is with the United Farm Workers to talk about the candidates and their position on workplace raids.