Latinos Want Prominent Role in Obama Government

Latinos are calling for strong representation in Barack Obama’s Cabinet after Hispanics played what they consider to be a major role in his victory, Politico reports. Before the election, Hillary Clinton and her top Latino backers asked for two or three Hispanics in the Cabinet in exchange for a mobilized Latino vote. Latinos appear to have delivered; Obama hasn’t publicly committed to anything.

Now is the time for Latinos to “catch up” in government, leaders say, after 10 million more turned out to vote than did in 2004. Obama did tell Congress’s Hispanic caucus institute in September, “I’ll be asking many of you to serve at every level of government.” But some worry that prime Latino candidates are Clinton administration retreads.