McCain, Obama court Latino group

Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama will speak today at a convention of the nation’s oldest Latino advocacy organization as each eyes a key voting group in the November general election.

The pair will speak at different times before the League of United Latino American Citizens in Washington. Both will speak about the need for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and the need for secure borders.

McCain angered many fellow Republicans by helping lead efforts to pass a bill that opponents derided as amnesty for as many as 12 million illegal immigrants. In recent weeks, McCain has stressed the need for secure borders, a nod to his hard-line critics on immigration issues.

According to an advance copy of his speech provided by the campaign, McCain plans to tell the Latino advocacy group that the nation must secure its borders “while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States.”

The Obama campaign is hoping that the Latino vote will help him, especially in the Southwest, which backed President Bush in 2004.

Obama began his day in Georgia, whose 15 electoral also votes went to Bush in 2004. With a boost from a large turnout of African American voters in the state, the Obama campaign is hoping to switch that outcome.

In a campaign stop at John McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Obama presented a plan to overhaul the country’s bankruptcy laws to about 1,000 cheering supporters packed into the school gym.

“For too long the bankruptcy laws have protected the big banks,” Obama said, jabbing at McCain, whom he said “has been part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

He charged McCain with continuing to “tilt the playing field” to favor big banks and credit card companies.

“I intend to reform our bankruptcy laws,” he said. “We should be fair to those creditors who are fair to the borrowers.”

Obama’s new proposals supplement his previously announced bankruptcy plan to help people in financial distress because of medical bills. Obama has also said he would help service members and military families and seniors.

With money matters at the top of voters’ minds, Obama and McCain have wrapped their stump speeches around economic themes in recent days.

Taking questions from the audience, however, Obama received the most enthusiastic applause when he spoke of the parental responsibility of fathers specifically and parents in general.

“You need to turn off the television sets and the … video games. And have a curfew and go to your parents-teacher meetings and help your child with the homework. And if your child [receives] a bad grade, don’t blame the teacher.”

The Obama campaign this morning announced that it had hired Dana Singiser to help focus on female voters. Singiser held a comparable position with the Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign

 louis.roug@latimes.com

 michael.muskal@latimes.com

Roug reported from Georgia; Muskal from Los Angeles.