[Baldwin:] A couple months away from November, race for the presidency is heating up, Latino voters fast becoming one of the most sought-after groups here on behalf of both the president and Mitt Romney. Right now, in Florida, this huge showdown over these voters, over this particular voting bloc playing out at the country's largest Latino convention. It's the gathering of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, NALEO. President Obama speaks tomorrow. Mitt Romney finished up just this afternoon. And I just want to play a little bit of what Mitt Romney had to say.
[Mitt Romney , Presidential Candidate:] I will prioritize efforts that strengthen legal immigration and make it more transparent and easier. And I'm going to address the problem of illegal immigration in a civil and resolute manner. We may not always agree, but when I make a promise to you, I will keep it.
[Baldwin:] I want to go to Suzanne Malveaux. She is covering the NALEO convention for us in Orlando. And I know, Suzanne, Mitt Romney's been very much so criticized for lacking specifics on any kind of immigration plan. What did he offer up today to this crowd?
[Suzanne Malveaux, Cnn White House Correspondent:] Well, you know, first of all, he said he wasn't really going to offer a lot of specifics, that he was going to basically put forward a long-term plan. He slammed President Obama for what he called was really a stopgap measure when it comes to immigration. There were a few things that people did kind of hang on to, however. One of them was the fact that he said if you were in the military, served in the military, there would be some sort of path to potentially becoming a citizen. Something else he also said, he was going to attach what he said a green card to any kind of degree, an advanced degree, meaning that there might be a way for those who have something to offer in the country to work here on some sort of basis. And he said that he also wanted to strengthen and promote families. That was somewhat of considered a dig to President Obama as well, because under the Obama administration, it's been the largest number of deportations in the history of any presidency over the last year or so. So those are just some of the highlights. But I have to tell you, Brooke, a lot of people, as you can imagine, very skeptical of what Mitt Romney has to offer, because they don't believe that he has gone far enough when it comes to the specifics on immigration and they are still quite concerned about some of the things he said in the past.
[Baldwin:] Yes. Yes, just some quick poll numbers I just want to pass along and I want to get back to your point here. The latest poll gives President Obama 66 percent check it out 66 percent of Hispanic voters, Romney trailing way behind with 24 percent. I watched and listened to that entire speech today from Mitt Romney, and I never once heard, really, just this huge applause as we have certainly heard before when he's been speaking at other conventions or in front of other groups. And I'm just curious, I'm sure you talked to people after he spoke today, how did they feel about what they heard?
[Malveaux:] Well, it was really kind of a very polite response to Mitt Romney. There was not any booing or anything, but certainly no standing ovations. They're really looking for a number of things. Of course, he was focusing on the economic conditions of Hispanics. So he said, you know, 11 percent unemployment, two million Hispanics who are actually living below the poverty line. So people were honing in on that, but they also wanted to know, beyond the economics, beyond immigration, they want to talk about education, they want to talk about health care. And, Brooke, I had a chance to talk to a woman. She's a city councilwoman and she is a Republican. She is a strong member of this organization. And she says, look, we're not a monolithic group here. We have a lot of issues that we want you to speak to. And here's what she told me.
[Luz Urbaez Weinberg , Aventura, Florida, City Commissioner:] I really hope for both candidates, actually, to come up with some realistic plans on the immigration reform. It's not the number one priority issue for Latinos, as tends to be the misconception, but it is of great concern.
[Malveaux:] And, Brooke, another person who I actually had a chance to talk to after the Romney speech, her name is Hilda Mira Hidalgo, and she's 20 years old. She's an undocumented illegal immigrant here in this country, and she had an opportunity, and she said she wanted to do this, to confront Mitt Romney after his speech to ask whether or not she would support Obama's policy, his plan to allow some young illegal immigrants to stay in the country. Mitt Romney did not answer her question. She was shooed away by the Secret Service. She made it a point to come up to us to tell her story, because she really wants to push Mitt Romney on that specific issue. So you have a lot of people who are really quite demanding of Mitt Romney to see more specifics and more change.
[Baldwin:] Right. People want to know, if he is elected, you know, would he uphold what the president and Department of Homeland Security did last week. Final question to you. Let me just play a little sound. This is Mitt Romney talking during the FOX News"Wall Street Journal" debate. This was back in January.
[Romney:] And I have indicated I would veto the DREAM Act if provisions included in that act to say that people who are here illegally, if they go to school here long enough, get a degree here that they can become permanent residents. I think that's a mistake. I think we have to follow the law and insist those who come here illegally, ultimately return home, apply, and get in line with everyone else.
[Baldwin:] Would veto the DREAM Act. Does he still stand by that?
[Malveaux:] Well, one of his policy advisers told our own Jim Acosta earlier during the day that this is something that he's not necessarily changed his mind on, that they are reviewing what they say are the undocumented college students in this country, that they are also considering or looking at Senator Marco Rubio's plan that is in Congress that might look similar to that, but not quite the DREAM Act. So he is not backing down on those original statements. But you can say, Brooke, that there is some nuance here. Certainly, that would be not surprising considering the group that he spoke to before today.
[Baldwin:] Absolutely. Suzanne Malveaux, thank you. Again, just a reminder, the president speaking at that same convention at NALEO tomorrow. F-bombs, nudity. What you watch on the TV is all about to change thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down today. It involves Cher and Bono. Plus, frantic moments as a couple gets swept over a waterfall. Look at this. We will show you how it ends.