[Martin Savidge, Cnn Anchor:] Latinos traditionally tend to vote Democratic, but President Bush who has been known to habla espagnol on occasion won a sizable chunk of the Hispanic vote in 2000 and he wants a bigger share in 2004. Let's bring in our senior political analyst Bill Schneider from Los Angeles. Bill, is he going to get it?
[William Schneider, Cnn Senior Political Analyst:] Well there's a good chance because he's doing much better among Latino voters nationwide in the polls than he did in 2000. In 2000, he carried 35 percent of the nationwide Latino vote, which you should note, is very diverse and includes a lot of Mexican- Americans, some Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, a very diverse community. But overall, he got about 35 percent, just over a third. The polls now and we asked people around the country Hispanic voters would you vote for Bush, to reelect President Bush or for his Democratic opponent, it's about evenly split. Bush is getting well into the 40 percent range, which means he's made some improvement with Hispanic voters.
[Savidge:] Bill, the relations between the United States and Mexico have been rather cool ever since the war in Iraq and I'm wondering does that have any impact on Latino voters?
[Schneider:] Well, it has some because of course the immigration issue is essential concern and President Bush has shown a great deal of sensitivity to that issue. Recently of course there hasn't been a much of a breakthrough because the United States has suddenly become since September 11 not quite that suddenly but almost two years become very concerned about immigration and national security and border controls sot here hasn't been a lot of progress the way Mexicans Mexico's government would like it on making immigration easier. Hispanic voters in this country very sensitive to that issue, and President Bush himself, even when he was governor of Texas, was very sensitive. I'm in California right now, where former Governor Pete Wilson was not very sensitive to Latino voters on the issue of immigration. He supported Proposition 187, which cut off public services to illegal immigrants, and a lot of immigrants, Mexican immigrants, including citizens, felt very threatened and offended by that, particularly by the ads that were run. Now, Pete Wilson was reelected when that proposition passed in 1994, but he created a tremendous backlash. Governor Bush did not support Proposition 187, pointedly, and he has shown a great deal of sensitivity and respect to Latino Americans, hoping to make the kinds of inroads that we're seeing now in the polls.
[Savidge:] The fact that he speaks the language is a simple thing, but still, is it meaningful to the Latino population?
[Schneider:] I think it is meaningful, and the Republicans have made an effort to show sensitivity and respect, but Democrats think they have another argument. The argument is show us the money. Latino Americans don't come to this country with the same tradition of distrust of government that a lot of Americans have felt over 200 years in American history. Latinos look at government for providing public services, particularly education, and they worry that the Republican Party may not be willing to spend the money on public services, that the Hispanic community wants, and that's one of the main reasons why Hispanics, like previous immigrant groups back 100 years ago in the United States, look to government for public services, and the Democrats think that's why they have an edge and always have had an edge with Latino voters.
[Savidge:] Well, there is no question Latinos will be a powerful voice in the upcoming election. Bill Schneider, thanks very much, joining us from Los Angeles. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com