But it would be wrong to interpret this as a snub, or a commentary on the fact that Latin America welcomed Bush as a leader with strong cross-border ties only to be disappointed when his attention turned to the Middle East. Indeed, Calderón is scheduled to meet Bush in April. Rather, this trend away from Washington reflects the large and growing presence in the U.S. of Latinos, particularly Mexicans, who now generate as much income over the border as they do at home. Still, imagine the howls of outrage if Bush went to Mexico and spent his time campaigning among surfers in Cabo.
