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John Daley ReportingArchie Archuleta, Community Activist: "I think it was really good for Utah, but particularly Hispanics in Utah. I think it was a marvelous situation."
A first for Utah and Mexico as that country's president arrives in the Beehive State and talks about growing ties between the two -- trade, energy and security.
Mexican President Vicente Fox is in town for a first-ever Utah visit this afternoon. He says the U.S. and Mexico have much to gain by working together on those issues.
Absent so far from this trip has been much discussion of the contentious immigration issue, at least publicly. Instead, there's an emphasis of the positive, the common ties and the shared opportunities.
With a huge contingent of Mexican and U.S. secret service and media from both countries on hand, President Vicente Fox arrives for a three-day, three-state trip, clearly aimed at building bridges.
Governor Huntsman: "We're rapidly growing economically, and more relevant politically. And I think all in all it was a good call on his part to make the visit."
It comes with tensions running high over what to do about the border and 12 million undocumented Mexicans now living and working in the U.S. With that backdrop, Utah's governor and Mexico's president clearly hope to accentuate the positive.
Devin Dupaix, West Jordan Resident: "I think it's great. It's going to promote relations with Mexico and more understanding between our cultures."
Dave Brockman, Akron, Ohio Resident: "I think it's great. I mean, I think we should have a good relationship with our neighbors south of us. So I think it's good we're carrying on a dialogue with him."
At a luncheon for 500 community leaders, there's a welcome in Spanish, then President Fox emphasizes the growing trade and cultural ties between Utah and Mexico.
Vicente Fox, President of Mexico: "With your support and commitment, we will continue building a brighter future for North America, with greater prosperity, security and quality of life."
Michael Clara, Utah Hispanic, Latino Legislative Task Force: "It puts Mexico in a different light than what we're hearing in the immigration debate."
Robert Heyn, Exec. Director, Pete Suazo Business Center: "I think the best way to solve part of the immigration problems between Mexico and the United States is to have a good trade between the countries and to have economic development in Mexico."
But no mention of the "I" word.
Archie Archuleta, Utah Hispanic/Latino Legislative Task Force: "I think it's such a volatile issue that nobody wants to touch it. But I would have liked to have heard more of that." Question: So that's kind of the big elephant in the room that nobody wants to get to? "Nobody wants to touch it, and it's there and it's going to run over us if we don't talk about it."
There's a state dinner scheduled to start at the Governor's Mansion at 7:00 and the Utah Minutemen are planning a protest outside, hoping to give President Fox a sense of the frustration some are feeling on the immigration issue.
