Obama vs. Clinton: What Would Cesar Chavez Do?

by Randy Shaw via Beyond Chron

Tue, Jan 22, 2008 7:49AM

Tuesday, January 22, 2008 : When Barack Obama shouted “Yes We Can” in his New Hampshire concession speech, he invoked Cesar Chavez’s legendary rallying cry, “Si Se Puede.” In response, the Hillary Clinton campaign quickly turned to Dolores Huerta, Chavez’s longtime UFW ally, to undermine Obama’s effort to identify with the farmworkers movement.

Huerta came to Nevada and proceeded to bash both Obama and the hotel workers union (UNITE HERE) that endorsed him. She was then joined by Chavez’s brother, Richard, in an attempt to send a strong message that Clinton -- not Obama -- would best carry out Cesar Chavez’s legacy. Latino voters went overwhelmingly for Clinton, and Huerta’s arguments may have helped. But the actual history of Chavez and the UFW in its heyday from 1968-1980 offers a different message. In each of these presidential primary elections, Chavez and the UFW defied the Establishment candidate to back a more progressive Democratic insurgent. And Chavez did so even when this meant bucking most of organized labor, and supporting an outsider against an incumbent Democratic President.

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