THE GUARDIAN: President says that whichever candidate the GOP chooses, they represent a 'fundamentally different vision of America'
Obama was speaking on the Univision Spanish-language television network, broadcast only hours before the Republican candidates were scheduled to meet in Jacksonville, Florida.
It is no coincidence that he chose to speak to Univision as the Latino vote in Florida is crucial not only to the outcome of next Tuesday's Republican primary but for Obama's re-election chances in November.
Obama, only two days after effectively launching his re-election campaign with a highly partisan state of the union address, was in Nevada and Colorado, following visits on Wednesday to three other swing states.
In Florida, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich battled it out over who should be the Republican challenger to Obama and the debate Thursday is one of the most important yet, with the two in a dead-heat in the polls. Rick Santorum, struggling to make an impact in Florida, may leave early to concentrate on other upcoming contests, as Ron Paul is doing.
Obama, asked whether Romney or Gingrich would be the tougher challenger, declined to answer directly. Instead, he said: "What I can say is this: that whoever their nominee is, they represent ideas that I think are wrong for America."
He added: "On a whole range of issues I think that whether it's Mr Romney or Mr Gingrich or Mr Santorum or whoever else they might decide to select, they represent a fundamentally different vision of America. And it's not the bold, generous, forward-looking, optimistic America that I think built this country." » | Ewen McAskill in Jacksonville, Florida | Thursday, January 26, 2012
