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Celebrities such as Melanie Griffith, Antonio Banderas, and Eva Longoria, pictured here at a charity event earlier this year, are rallying for Obama. (Getty Images)

By ANGIE ROMERO
Channel: Entertainment, Politics

If you were an Obama supporter, Latino, a celebrity, and in Los Angeles on Monday night, then there was only one place to be: the home of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. The couple offered their Spanish-style mansion for what was billed by organizers as the first Latino fundraiser for the Obama campaign. The event was co-hosted by Eva Longoria and the national chairs of Austin-based FuturoFund—TV personality Giselle Fernandez, Puerto Rican attorney Andres W. Lopez, Texas designer and architect Henry R. Muñoz III and Chicago attorney Manuel “Manny” Sanchez.

Tickets to the gala ranged from $5,000 to $35,800.

When asked at the Puss in Boots premiere if he thinks Latinos would vote in the same way they did in 2008—67 percent for Obama—Banderas told Univision News, “I don’t know, all I’m doing is offering my home so the president can speak on the things he feels are important.”

According to a written pool report sent after the event (the fundraiser was not open to all press), Longoria introduced the president by saying, “he speaks to the Latino community because he knows he’s the president of all Americans. And we applaud you from our community; we thank you for everything you’re doing.”

The president, who was also in town for an intimate fundraiser held at the home of producer James Lassiter, Will Smith’s business partner, spoke about his graying hair, the work he’s done, and what’s left to do. “We’ve got about 60 percent done,” he said, adding, “I’m pretty confident we can get the next 40 percent done in the next five years.”

On immigration, Obama said, “We’re going to have to mobilize and we’re going to have to organize and we’re going to have to tap into the best instincts of the American people in order to make it happen.”

Guests included George Lopez, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and San Antonio’s own Julian Castro. The 36-year-old mayor took time out of a trip to D.C. to talk to us about the event, how he sees the 2012 election, and whether he’s thinking about running for president himself one day.

How was the event?

I was there with my brother [Joaquin], who’s also in politics; he’s running for Congress down in the San Antonio area. I did enjoy it. I got to meet Antonio Banderas briefly and saw George Lopez. Both he and Eva Longoria have done a great job of articulating many of the concerns of the Latino community and supporting President Obama, so it was good to see them leading that effort last night. 

Did something Eva say that night stick with you?

She had very poignant words about growing up with a mentally challenged sister and spoke on the issue of compassion. She’s a fan of President Obama because she sees that compassion in his leadership, and how that compassion impacts the Latino community greatly in terms of investment and education and health care—those kinds of things that will deliver more opportunity to our community. 

Why did you feel it was important to attend/support President Obama’s first high-profile Latino fundraiser in Hollywood?

I was there for two reasons. The first is that I’m convinced that the president is making the right investments for America’s future—for all Americans, and particularly for Latino Americans. The number one issue is education; we have too many young Latinos dropping out of high school. We need to ensure that more young Latinos graduate high school and college. You have a president who has overseen a significant investment in student loans and Pell grants. The Pew Center just released a report that there was a 24 percent increase in the number of Latino college enrollees between 2009 and 2010. His agenda for America is pro-investment and pro-growth that will benefit an exploding Latino population. 

And the second reason?

Secondly, the election is a choice. The President is someone who understands the Latino community, has worked with the Latino community, and is making the investments in education, in small business ownership, in health care, versus a Republican candidate—whoever the candidate ultimately is—who has played piñata politics with immigration, basically scapegoating the Latino community, and wants to take away health care, and eliminate the Department of Education. So the choice to me couldn’t be more clear. 

What do you think about this notion that enthusiasm for Obama has dipped among the Latino community? 

I think folks just haven’t gotten back into the mode of thinking about which choice to make. As the election draws closer, the choice will become clearer and the enthusiasm will be there. I’m confident that when we speak a year from now, the Latino community will enthusiastically support President Obama. 

Will fundraising events like these and speeches to Latino groups be enough to assuage the concerns of Latino voters hit hard by the recession or those disappointed by the lack of progress on immigration reform?

Well, it’s going to take informing people about the administration’s record, and secondly, it will take the retail politics that happen during the presidential campaign. 

How are you going to be involved in Obama’s re-election campaign going forward? 

Well, just to the extent that I’m asked. I’m very willing to help. I have been absolutely dumbfounded by the extremism of the Republican candidates on economic affairs, on the immigration issue, and the irresponsibility of their policy positions, and so I’m more than happy to support President Obama in the next election. 

Clearly celebrities were big donors to the Obama campaign in 2008. What does this kind of support from high-profile Latinos portend for the general election in 2012?

What you see is the emergence of the Latino community not only as a stronger and stronger voting bloc, but as a stronger contributing base, which is also important, and so I was very pleased to see they raised more than $1 million. The goal of FuturoFund is to raise $12 million. If the Latino community is going to impact policy, then it’s going to take all efforts—efforts to get the vote, to make contributions, to lobby, all of the things that go into success in the American democracy. 

Let’s talk about things in San Antonio. What have you done to make sure it stays afloat during the recession?

We’re pursuing investment very aggressively. We’ve had some good job announcements, particularly related to the new energy economy. We’re preparing for a bond issue that will be the largest in the city’s history and so we’ll be investing in putting people to work and improving the basic infrastructure of the city. We wrapped up SA2020, which is a long-term vision with goals in 11 different areas to be accomplished by 2020. It’s meant to set the city on a healthy, long-term trajectory. When the new Census numbers came out, we put together an argument as to why San Antonio is the new face of the American Dream. It’s a hard-working city that overall has been recession-resistant, it’s growing, its median income level is rising, its education level is rising. So if we can get things right there, for the Latino community and the general community, it’s a real lesson for Texas and for America.  

The last time we talked and I asked you about your own political aspirations, you said you were focused on serving four two-year terms. Is that still the case, or have you given some thought to running for statewide or national office?

I’m gonna be there in San Antonio for my four terms. I love that job—being mayor is what I looked forward to when I first thought about running for office and as it gets closer to 2017, which is when I would be termed out, I’ve been clear with folks that if I’m doing a good job at that time, and so far it’s going well, I will definitely look around and see what’s possible for the future.  

Who are the top three Latino artists on your iPod?

I like Vicente Fernandez, Alejandro Sanz, and Luis Miguel. 

How is your daughter Carina doing?

She’s doing very well. She’s two and half now. [My wife] Erica and I are going to take her to Las Vegas at the end of November. It’s a real joy right now because she’s talking a lot.