(image by The White House via flickr)

President Obama made history last week when he picked Nuyorican Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice nominee. To some, her appointment and personal story are inspiring. To others, it's a problem.

Rush Limbaugh, influential conservative radio talk show host: "And how can a party get behind such a candidate? That's what would be asked if somebody were foolish enough to nominate David Duke or pick somebody even less offensive."

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo: "If you belong to an organization called La Raza… which is, from my point of view anyway, nothing more than… a Latino KKK."

TV commentator Pat Buchanan: "Like Obama, himself a beneficiary of affirmative action, she thinks 'Latina women,' because of their life experience, make better judicial decisions than white men."

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich: Sotomayor is a "Latina woman racist" who should "withdraw her nomination."

Karl Rove, Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush: Sotomayor is not necessarily "smart," adding, "I know lots of stupid people who went to Ivy League schools."

Conservative radio talk show host G. Gordon Liddy: "Let’s hope that the key conferences aren’t when she’s menstruating or something, or just before she’s going to menstruate."

Head of the Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian: "Putting the emphasis on the final syllable of Sotomayor is unnatural in English… and insisting on an unnatural pronunciation is something we shouldn't be giving in to."

Curt Levey, head of the Committee for Justice: "It’s fine to identify with Latina heritage all she wants, just not in the courtroom."

(image by The White House via flickr)

If she's appointed, Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court justice. But first, she may have to win over some haters.

A U.S. Court of Appeals judge with over a decade of experience, Sotomayor is believed to be President Barack Obama's leading candidate to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter.

Over the last two weeks, some bloggers and journalists have questioned Sotomayor's intelligence, using anonymous quotes from ex-employees who claim she is "not that smart and kind of a bully." Flying in the face of her sterling credentials – including a law degree from Yale, the one of the nation's top law schools – Sotomayor has been recently cast as a thick-headed judge with an inflated ego. Her ethnicity may be an issue. Late night talk show host David Letterman announced President Obama was considering a Hispanic judge and then showed a clip from Telemundo's "Caso Cerrado."

One of Sotomayor's former clerks, University of Illinois Professor Robin Kar, compared her to President Obama for her "brilliance" and ability to "forge deep and abiding relationships with people from all walks of life, and from all political stripes and ideologies." Her personal story may be just as compelling as the president's: the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, Sotomayor was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight and lost her father a year later. She and her younger brother were raised by her single mom in a housing project not far from Yankee Stadium. After graduating from Cardinal Spellman High School, Sotomayor received top honors from the Ivy League Princeton University before attending Yale Law School.

For those who believe the highest court in the U.S. should reflect the country's diversity, the bilingual 54-year-old with an inspiring biography appears an ideal fit. Despite the fact that women outnumber men in the U.S., only one out of the nine justices is a woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. President Obama is expected to make his choice soon but it is up to the Senate judiciary committee in the U.S. Congress to approve his appointment.

(image by Donnaphoto via flickr)

The men and women who participated in the African-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s confronted the outrages of segregation in the South with courage, hope and countless sacrifices. Eventually, they achieved significant legal and political victories for not just African-Americans but all Americans.

As the movement expanded, it shed light on the segregation of Mexican-Americans in the Southwest and West, including the children of Mexican migrant workers who are often born and/or raised as Americans.

In 1962, Rev. Harold Lundgren gave the following testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in Phoenix, Arizona:

The children of seasonal farmworkers are living in communities where buses come…Yet we discover that there is almost invariably a situation in which the children of migratory farmworkers are behind, maybe 2 years behind, or 3 years behind, other children in school… I remember a girl who was supposed to be in the ninth grade. We arranged for her to get to school. She was many weeks late. Then we found her out in the onions, and we said, "How come?" She said, "I was sent home from school." We went to the principal and he said, "Indeed, we did send her home from school, because we had no way of taking care of this kind of a child. She came 4 weeks late. She was behind the other pupils anyway, and we have no facilities, no way in which we can take care of this child. She would be sitting there, would be embarrassed, and it would be better for her to be out in the fields."

Tomorrow, two children of migrant farm workers, Liliana Ibarra and Pedro Limas, both honors students, will be attending the inauguration of America's first African-American president.

Listen to their stories at NPR.org.

All last week, Renato covered the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota for our upcoming News Special: Vote 4 UR Future 2008.

In this clip, Renato gets a bird's eye view of protesters and police before heading into the arena to preview the spot where John McCain will accept the Republican nomination.

All week long, Renato has been covering the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota for our upcoming News Special: Vote 4 UR Future 2008.

In this clip, Renato rushes out of the airport to meet Meghan McCain (John McCain's daughter) and runs into a Daddy Yankee look-alike. While lamenting the lack of celebs in Minnesota, Renato scores an interview with actress Rosario Dawson.

You could win the camera that was used to shoot this clip, see holamun2.com/wonka.

All week long Yarel has been covering the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado for our upcoming News Special: Vote 4 UR Future 2008.

In this clip, she runs into Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas on the way to the convention and asks him why this election matters from a Latino perspective.

You could win the camera that was used to shoot this clip, see holamun2.com/wonka.

Hugo Chávez, the president of Venezuela, is infamous for dissing the current president of the United States. But he's also famous for championing the cause of a united Latin America. It's not a new idea.

Chávez calls his controversial political reforms a Bolivarean Revolution in honors of Simón Bolívar, one of the most important leaders of 19th century Latin America and one of the first Latin Americans to propose the idea of a united states of Latin America, of sorts.

Like many of his generation, Bolívar was encouraged to rebel against the Spanish Monarchy by the success of the rebels in the thirteen British colonies to his north: the founders of the United States of America. Like their Yankee counterparts, Bolívar and his peers were second and third generation Americans who longed to set their own course – but could only do so by means of war.

During the early decades of the 19th century, the Spanish colonies of South and Central America declared and then fought, viciously, for their independence. In 1819, the Republic of Colombia was founded as a Federal republic, encompassing what are now Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela and parts of Perú, Brazil and Costa Rica. By 1831, the federation had dissolved and several wars over borders ensued.

Throughout the 19th and the 20th century, the idea of a unified Latin America, or pan-americanism, evolved into a variety of organizations, treaties, events and social movements, from the symbolic Pan American Games to the practical Organization of American States, from the promise of the Mercosur trade agreement to the legacy of rock en español.

Ironically, the ideal of a shared, pan-american identity is closest to becoming a reality in the United States, where immigrants from 21 Latin American nations increasingly identify as a single political if not social group: Latinos.

(image by myjon via Flickr)

Latinos stood up on Super Tuesday, mostly to vote for Hillary Clinton. According to various exit polls, six out of ten Latino voters nationwide voted for Clinton, helping her win delegates in key states.

The New York senator received a whopping 70 percent of the Latino vote in California, where Hispanics turned out to vote in record numbers while African-American participation dropped.

According to one of Clinton's many influential Hispanic backers in California, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, early voters may also have tipped the balance for the former first lady since her opponent, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, only recently picked up important endorsements in the nation's most populous state.

Clinton also won the majority of Latino votes in other states with high numbers of Latino voters like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

In Arizona, where more than a third of the population is Hispanic, the African-American Obama picked up a higher than expected 40 percent of the Latino vote. Clinton also had the backing of most Latinos in New Mexico, where the current governor, Mexican-American Bill Richardson, picked up five percent of the vote despite having withdrawn from the race a month prior.

The next big Democratic contest is in Texas, where once again Latinos could play a decisive role in determining who will be the Democratic presidential nominee.

On the Republican side, John McCain, a strong proponent of last year's immigration reform bill, picked up support from nearly 4 out of 10 Latino Republicans.

In his home state of Arizona, Senator McCain earned even more support, racking up a stunning 70 percent of the Latino vote. In California and his home state, McCain was most popular among Republicans who believe in a path to citizenship and temporary worker programs, according to CNN. In the same contests, Mitt Romney, McCain's chief opponent, earned most of his votes from those who believe undocumented immigrants should be deported.

Barring any major upsets, John McCain is the favorite to win the Republican nomination, a likelihood that has disappointed influential conservatives like talk show host Rush Limbaugh and evangelical leader James Dobson. Both reject McCain for his views on taxes, campaign finance reform and, importantly, immigration.

Some conservatives have taken to calling the senator "Juan McCain," using a spanish name to denote their distaste for his moderate stance on immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border.

We asked you what the most important issues of the 2008 election should be. You voted: immigration, global warming, education and jobs. So how do the would-be Presidential candidates stand on those issues?

This week, we look at the Republican hopefuls and their positions – taken directly from their own campaign web sites.

Who?	The Wall	The War	Global Warming	Education	Health Care
Mike Huckabee Former Governor of Arkansas Age: 52	Supports border fence, opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Believes Iraq is an important battle in the broader ideological war on terror and that setting a timetable for withdrawal would be a mistake.	Explore, conserve, and pursue all avenues of nuclear and renewable energy. End dependence on foreign oil.	Music and the arts are "Weapons of Mass Instruction." Increase number of charter schools. Test teachers as well as students, provide bonuses and forgive student loans for high-performing teachers who work in low-performing schools. Supports school choice.	No need for universal care. Focus on preventative care, encourage private sector to bring down costs. Move from employer-based to consumer-based health care. Reform medical liability and adopt electronic record keeping.
John McCain Senator (Arizona) Age: 71	Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Bolster troops on the ground, implement new counter- insurgency strategy, strengthen the Iraqi armed forces and police. Keep senior officers in place and call for international pressure on Syria and Iran.	Reduce dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand renewable energy.	Higher pay for teachers, internet access in all schools, expand use of vouchers, tax credits for charter schools.	Expand children's health insurance, match prescription drug costs for senior citizens.
Ron Paul Representative (Texas) Age: 72	Supports border fence, opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Believes American values should not be "spread by force," and would bring troops home. Abolish Department of Homeland Security.	Abolish Environmental Protection Agency. Allow individual states to determine emission standards, expand use of renewable energy.	Abolish Department of Education. Education policy should be handled at the state and local level. Tax credits for parents who want to home-school their children.	Use tax credits to reduce health care costs, convert to a "true" free market health care system.
Out of the Running
Mitt Romney Former Governor of Massachusetts Age: 60	Supports border fence, opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Winning the war in Iraq is critical. U.S. should not set a timetable on withdrawing troops until we see the results from the troop surge in Iraq.	End dependence on foreign oil. Develop nuclear and renewable energy. Find more domestic sources of oil.	Make teaching a true "profession," measure progress, provide a focus on math and science, involve parents from the beginning of a child's school career. Supports charter schools.	No need for universal care. Improve health care through market reforms.
Fred Thompson Former Senator (Tennessee) Age: 65	Supports border fence, opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Stay in Iraq as long as there is a chance to bring stability to the country.	End dependence on foreign oil. Invest in renewable energy sources and advanced technologies. Conduct research into technology that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.	Give parents more choices, promote voucher programs and charter schools. Encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.	Increase competition and consumer choice through free-market solutions. Shift to a system that promotes cost-effective prevention, chronic-care management, and personal responsibility.
Duncan Hunter Representative (California) Age: 59	Committed to building border fence. Opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill. Author of the Secure Fence Act that initiated construction of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.	U.S. is obligated to win war in Iraq. Establish a free government, establish a military that will protect that government and then the U.S. can leave Iraq.	End dependence on foreign oil. Take taxes down to zero on renewable energy.	Streamline the Department of Education, work with local and state governments to meet local and state learning levels. Supports vouchers and tax credits, home schooling and the freedom of private and home education from federal regulation.	Allow Americans to buy health insurance from any state they want to increase competition.
Rudy Giuliani Former Mayor of NYC Age: 63	Supports border fence. Promises to end illegal immigration, secure U.S. borders, and identify every non-citizen in the country.	Believes winning the war in Iraq is the only way to avoid a broader and bloodier regional conflict and that setting a timetable for withdrawal would be a mistake.	Use biofuels to displace oil, expand use of nuclear power and renewable energy. Expand environmentally- responsible access to the proven oil and natural gas reserves throughout North America, including in Canada and Mexico.	Implies he would increase school funding, hire new teachers, end social promotion and abolish principal tenure. Supports school choice.	Reduce costs and improve quality of care by increasing competition. Reform tax code and medical liability legal system. Streamline the FDA process. Implement new initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles and wellness programs. Tie Medicaid payments to a state's success in promoting preventative care.
Tom Tancredo Representative (Colorado) Age: 62	Supports border fence, opposed President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Set a timetable for disengagement and let regional powers and Iraqi factions cooperate to forge a new balance of power.	Believes Global Warming exists. Illegal immigrants increase American energy consumption and pollution.	Federal involvement should be limited. Educational control is best left in the hands of parents. Implement a no-strings-attached voucher system, have schools increase parental involvement.	Tort reform and immigration enforcement will save billions and drive down costs. Twenty-five percent of those who are uninsured are illegal immigrants that should be deported or encouraged to leave the country.
Sam Brownback Senator (Kansas) Age: 51	Supports border fence, voted against President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Turn Iraq over to its citizens and political leaders.	Reduce oil consumption by 2.5 million barrels per day in ten years. Expand production of renewable energy.	Implement school choice initiatives that allow parents to choose what school their child will attend.	"Consumer-centered, not government-centered," health care model. Increase consumer choice and control as well as competition by having price transparency in health care system.

We asked you what the most important issues of the 2008 election should be. You voted: immigration, global warming, education and jobs. So how do the would-be Presidential candidates stand on those issues?

This week, we look at the Democratic hopefuls and their positions – taken directly from their own campaign web sites.

Who?	the Wall	the War	Global Warming	Education	Health Care
Hillary Rodham Clinton Senator (New York) Age: 59	Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill.	End war, withdraw troops, opposed to building permament military bases in Iraq.	Use $50 billion for research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal and homegrown biofuels. Adopt a 20% renewable electricity standard by 2020.	Reform No Child Left Behind, higher pay for teachers, increase access to early education.	Universal care. Obesity and diabetes prevention, "paperless" medical records, reform care for chronically ill, end insurance discrimination, lower the cost of prescription medication, medical malpractice reform.
Mike Gravel Businessman and former Senator (Alaska) Age: 77	Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship.	Withdraw all troops within 120 days, require all U.S. corporations to withdraw and allow Iraqi businesses take over reconstruction.	Reduce deforestation, reduce U.S. greenhouse gases, collaborate with China and India to reduce greenhouse gases.	Reform No Child Left Behind, increase funding for education.	Universal care. Issue annual care vouchers based on projected need of each citizen.
Barack Obama Senator (Illinois) Age: 46	Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Reduce the number of troops, initiate a phased withdrawal, improve reconstruction efforts, collaborate with international community to become more involved.	Increase fuel efficiency standards, reduce greenhouse gases, reduce gasoline consumption, encourage auto manufacturers to build advanced vehicles.	Expand early childhood education, higher pay for teachers, reform No Child Left Behind, improve testing, give high school students increased access to college courses, increase Pell Grants, end corporate subsidies on student loans.	Comprehensive care similar to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, reform insurance, end insurance discrimination, cover all children, expand Medicaid, reduce cost of prescription drugs, require coverage of preventive services.
Out of the Running
Dennis Kucinich Representative (Ohio) Age: 60	Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship.	Withdraw troops and replace them with an international security and peacekeeping force, prohibit permanent military bases, reinstate reconstruction program in Iraq, reparations.	Rejoin Kyoto Treaty, develop renewable energy, withdraw government subsidies for non-renewable energy. Reduce greenhouse gases 80% by 2050. Phase out nuclear and coal power, coal mining.	Universal pre-school, abolish No Child Left Behind, send all children to public schools, divert defense funds to education.	Comprehensive, single-payer, not-for-profit health care.
John Edwards Attorney and former Senator (North Carolina) Age: 54	Supports a smaller-scale border fence, supports a path to citizenship.	Withdraw troops within a year, prohibit permanent military bases, train Iraqi forces.	Begin capping greenhouse gas pollution in 2010 and reducing it by 80% in 2050. Create a $10 billion New Energy Economy Fund that supports research and development in energy technology.	Higher pay for teachers, curriculum reform, expand access to early education, second-chance schools for dropouts, end corporate subsidies on student loans, simplify FAFSA application process, increase number of college counselors in high schools.	Universal care. Require employers to cover employees. Reform insurance, expand Medicaid, create new tax credits, create regional "Health Care Markets."
Joe Biden Senator (Delaware) Age: 64	Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Establish three regions in Iraq and withdraw troops.	Proponent of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act.	Guarantee two years of pre-school, higher pay for teachers, reduce class sizes, increase Pell Grants and tax credits for college students.	Universal care. Reduce the cost of health care, cover all children, lower costs for employers and provide catastrophic coverage, reform insurance.
Chris Dodd Senator (Connecticut) Age: 63	Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill.	Withdraw troops by April of 2008, spend as much money as needed for the withdrawl, focus on diplomacy.	Reduce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, eliminate U.S. dependence on Middle East oil by 2015.	Universal pre-school, reduce class sizes, reform No Child Left Behind, end corporate subsidies on student loans, increase Pell Grants, tuition credits for community college students.	Universal care. Carried out through insurance marketplace called Universal HealthMart that is based on the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
Bill Richardson Governor (New Mexico) Age: 59	Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship.	De-authorize the war, withdraw all troops within six months and replace them with primarily Muslim UN peacekeepers, aid in reconstruction, re-deploy troops to Afghanistan when threats occur.	Expand Clean Air Act, join Kyoto Treaty, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2090, reduce oil dependence by 50% by 2020.	Abolish No Child Left Behind, nationwide teachers' salary of $40 thousand a year, establish federal pre-school program, expand charter schools, curriculum reform, expand college grants.	Universal care. Sliding-scale tax credits, reduce the price of prescription drugs, expand Medicaid.