Latinos, the fastest growing population in America, face many of the same issues concerning other Americans, and Latino worries about the 2008 presidential candidates are increasingly significant in the national debate.

Democratic Sen. Paula Sandoval, 55, of Denver said the two Democratic and one Republican candidate remaining in the race have individual strengths, but it will be a difficult choice for the American people. She states she does not know what she is getting herself into with Barack Obama, although he is a great speaker with a lot of enthusiasm, and has managed to ignite the support of a lot of people. Sandoval said Obama has been untested and continues to cite Hillary Rodham Clinton’s and John McCain’s experience as their strengths.

“Clinton and McCain have dealt with a lot of issues that will come up with the new administration. Obama’s strength is he does not have as much baggage,” she said.  “When you have been in public life a lot, people know how you vote on issues. It is hard with him, because he has only been a senator for a few years, and when he was, he did not take a stand on issues.”

Denver Councilman, Paul Lopez, 29, said he identified a lot with the Illinois senator because like Obama, Lopez remembered people saying he did not have experience and was too young. Lopez, like Obama, was a community organizer before being elected to council, and so believes Obama to be the candidate for change.

The councilman who was born and raised in Colorado said, “Obama worked with Hispanics and African Americans when he served in the Chicago community. He was also the co-sponsor of the Dream Act; allowing low-income students to pay lower in-state tuition.”

Lopez said a president must be a leader with hope – “someone who makes you feel like participating in anything. The change we need in this country has to start with individual families. Anybody can participate. Obama sees that change starting from neighborhood to neighborhood.”

For the 29-year-old councilman, change means shifting power in America to the everyday working people, by giving them a strong voice and putting them in the driver’s seat.

Obama – Pro-Immigrant Peacemaker

With immigration issues touching many in the United States these days, Lopez pointed out that Obama understands what it is like to be a son of an immigrant, because his father was one.

Although Dr. Richard Moreno, 76, is a staunch Obama supporter, the former professor at Metropolitan State College thinks neither Obama nor Clinton will make any big changes regarding immigration, but instead “talk about peace, and building a fence here and there; whereas, McCain would be adamant about building a big fence in less than a year to stop immigrants.”

Moreno is not sure where America will go from the point the wall is built, but is optimistic it will be pulled down some day.

“But who knows, 100 years from now, that wall will peacefully be taken down in a happy way, so that my children and your grandchildren’s children could benefit from it,” he commented.

Moreno believes neither Hillary nor Obama say much in their speeches.

“I remember listening to Hillary at the Beijing Conference for Women and thinking, ‘She is not saying anything.’ She is also doing it now; a little history here and there, but no real true substance,” he said.

Moreno is sure that Clinton will only seek and listen to rich corporations for advice. He feels that Obama can sit and analyze the former professor’s problems if he knocked at the senator’s door at night.

Rene Martinez, 31, won’t make up his mind about whom to select until he knows where both Obama and Clinton stand on most issues. He pointed to Clinton as the only candidate who has spoken about the broader issues, and said the advantage of having Hillary in the president’s office would be the end of the corporate mentality of male rule in the U.S.

McCain – Pro-War, Bush Follower

Martinez, Moreno and Lopez shared the opinion that McCain, a war veteran, will always think about war and not peace talks with other countries as a solution to America’s problems.

Martinez believes Republicans are kind hearted, too, although he perceives that McCain will do everything President Bush has, even 10 times more. Martinez, a native of El Paso, Texas agreed with Sandoval that McCain who devoted time to immigration issues in the past has to gain a stand about the topic again.

Lopez and Moreno disagree with McCain’s plan of keeping the military in Iraq.

Lopez said, “There are issues on which I agree with John McCain, but I want troops back home.”

Marcos Martinez, 18, Rene Martinez’ cousin, is more interested in the economy. He said although it will take Clinton time to fix Bush’s mess, she is the perfect candidate to change the declining economy.

Ramona Garcia, 27, knows very little about Clinton and Obama and nothing about McCain. Garcia is a strong believer in Obama, because she said he has a lot to offer and she can identify with him as a minority.

Since the working mother’s main concern is the education of her children, Garcia zealously advocates for more educational funding for some women, minorities and children – people she said do not yet know the importance of education.

Clinton – Experienced, Skilled Leader

Jose Lopez, 28, who would love to see Clinton win the presidential elections, can not vote. Though he is sure he could have made a difference, he is not yet an American citizen.

“Females have a lot of power these days, so I think Clinton can make a good candidate. I do not want Republicans to rule again because of the Iraq war,” he said.

Moreno called Clinton articulate, charming and effective, but noted that Obama works much better with extreme confrontation and tough times. The former professor said it is to Obama’s advantage to avoid loyalty to a specific group, unlike President Reagan who promised heaven on earth and got the doctors’ votes, only later not to perform as promised.

Moreno said Obama would be able to talk about issues that have been swept under the carpet for so long, and that Obama handles the race issue well.

Obama’s words help “people know that we are in a class society, believe it or not,” the former professor said. “It is a contrast to those who say; ‘oh well, we are all Americans, we should behave that way, just let it go and move along.’”

Rene Martinez also believes Obama has a better chance of uniting Blacks and Hispanic people and ending the many conflicts between them.

Sandoval vows to support Clinton whom she believes is in a better position of meeting the Latino needs because of Clinton’s history of meeting them. No matter who is selected as the Democratic candidate, the Colorado senator promises to stay true to the party.

“The two candidates are so unique and deserve to be on one ticket, but neither can pick the other as president,” she said.  “The Democratic Party is showing a split now and if we can not recover from that after the primary, Sen. McCain will have a shot of becoming the next American president.”

Irrespective of siding with Clinton, Sandoval respects the voters’ decisions and advises them not to get caught up in inspirational campaign speeches, but look at the pros and cons of what a candidate stands for, has done in the past and plans for the future.

Moreno notes that no matter who America chooses, it is not easy for the candidate to change everything because of the powerfully placed political system, but like Marcos Martinez, he agrees with everyone who takes these elections seriously by voting.

Emily Mukasa is a regular contributor to the Denver Urban Spectrum, writing about a broad range of issues from politics to culture. You can reach her at enakawombe@hotmail.com.