NBC "Today" Interview - Transcript

Interview

NBC "Today" Interview

MATT LAUER: Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in this country, and they could play a key role in today's voting. This year, more than ever, the Democratic campaigns are reaching out to these key swing voters. And as Tom Brokaw recently discovered, few people illustrate the stakes in this race better than two Mexican- American sisters who serve together in Congress, Loretta and Linda Sanchez.

(Begin videotaped segment.)

MR. BROKAW: When we first met the Sanchez sisters in 2002, they were united in their goal to make history as the first sister act in Congress. With Linda's win, they became a formidable team in Washington and in southern California politics, with nine terms between them.

But today their sister act is going separate ways. Loretta Sanchez supports Senator Clinton, while her sister Linda supports Senator Obama.

(To Rep. Loretta Sanchez.) What happened to the Sanchez sisters? One went one way and one went the other.

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ: That's right. Well, you know, we're both independent. Our mother brought us up to be independent people. And I'm right and she's wrong, as usual.

REP. LINDA SANCHEZ: Well, I agree to disagree. I'm not so sure that she's agreed to disagree.

MR. BROKAW: Pilar Marrero of La Opinion, the country's largest Spanish-language newspaper, says this sisterly argument is telling about the Latino community as a whole.

PILAR MARRERO (La Opinion): They are usually together on many issues. And I think that's pretty telling of what the different choices are and how there's really a competition here.

MR. BROKAW: Loretta Sanchez sees Latinos as united behind Clinton across generations.

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ: Mothers see Hillary. They see the job she's done with Chelsea, and they understand that she's going to do a good job as president. And I think that they instill those thoughts in their family circle. And more people, I think, in the Latino community will be voting for Hillary than for Barack Obama.

MR. BROKAW: But for her part, Linda Sanchez believes that Obama's momentum is winning undecideds, 20 percent of California's Latinos, on the issues.

REP. LINDA SANCHEZ: I think as more information about Barack Obama is getting out to the Latino community, they're starting to understand he is somebody who unites people.

MR. BROKAW: In the end, the split won't last forever.

REP. LINDA SANCHEZ: Going into November, the party will be united behind one candidate. My preference would be that it would be my candidate, but I would be happy with either.

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