Did Obama Tell Hispanics To "Punish" Their Republican/Independent "Enemies"?

How else can you interpret this statement?

Latino voters, the president said, would have an opportunity to send a message to Republicans, who Obama accused of "politicizing" immigration reform and the border security debate. Obama said "pressure has to be put on the Republican Party" if immigration reform is to become a reality.

"And if Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, we're gonna punish our enemies and we're gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us, if they don't see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it's gonna be harder — and that's why I think it's so important that people focus on voting on November 2," he said.

So unless you support an open border (Obama's version of immigration reform), you are an enemy of the Hispanic people. And he's urging them to "punish" us.

Wow. Is Obama trying to start a race war?

If so, it will be yet another epic fail of our epically racist president. Hispanics may primarily vote Democratic, but not as slavishly as blacks, or Jews. Hispanics here in America are actually looking for a hand up, not a hand out. And they don't like living next door to an apartment filled, to double its capacity, with illegal immigrants, who may or may not be burglars, murderers, or child molesters.

Hispanics aren't as monolithic as the president thinks, and those who are registered to vote may approve of loosened immigration, but by no means a huge margin. Obama may have turned out at best an additional handful of Hispanics to vote Democratic, but as likely turned off more than double the amount of "enemy" voters (read: those who do not follow him in lockstep), probably for good. Is he even aware how popular Janet Brewer, governor of Arizona, has become since she dared to take this issue (and president Obama) head-on?

Overall, a net loss. And maybe not such a small one.

As is most politics driven by hatred. Would be we had a president smart enough to understand that.