Spotlight on Puerto Rico

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http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-06-15/spotlight-puerto-rico

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - 10:06 a.m

President Barack Obama waves to a crowd gathered inside a hangar at the Muniz Air National Guard Base, shortly after his arrival in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Obama's visit to Puerto Rico marks the first by a sitting U.S. President since John Kennedy. Obama is backed by Puerto Rican and American flags.
AP Photo/Brennan Linsley

Spotlight on Puerto Rico

President Obama's official visit to Puerto Rico is the first by a sitting American president in five decades. An update on the U.S. territory's economy, political status and relationship to the mainland.

As a U.S. senator, Barack Obama visited Puerto Rico and promised to return. Yesterday, he did. It was the first official visit to the territory by a sitting U.S. president in 50 years. Home to high unemployment and beautiful beaches, Puerto Rico gussied itself up and gave the president a warm welcome. The trip was fulfillment of a past promise, but also a look to the future. 2012. Nearly 10 percent of Latino voters in the U.S. are of Puerto Rican descent. And they don't always vote Democratic. We'll talk about Puerto Rico - its people and economy, and whether it will ever become the 51st U.S. state.

Guests
Luis Fortuno Republican governor of Puerto Rico.

Rafael Fantauzzi president and CEO, the National Puerto Rican Coalition.

Mauricio Cardenas director, Latin America Initiative, the Brookings Institution; formerly Colombia's minister of Economic Development and Transportation.

Fernando Pizarro Washington correspondent, Univision.

Laura Meckler White House correspondent, The Wall Street Journal.

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