Obama's Puerto Rico visit aimed at goodwill, cash and votes

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- To make good on a campaign promise - and in search of campaign contributions and Hispanic votes for his re-election - President Obama became the first U.S. president in 35 years to visit Puerto Rico.

"And although my hair is a little grayer," he told a crowd of about 1000 people gathered in a steamy hot aircraft hangar for his arrival, Mr. Obama said he was fulfilling his pledge as a candidate in 2008 to return to this island commonwealth as president,

He was also quick to reaffirm his commitment that the people of Puerto Rico should decide for themselves the future political status of their island.

In March, a presidential task force recommended that a referendum be held so Puerto Ricans can decide whether they want to pursue statehood, independence or retain Commonwealth status.

"And when the people of Puerto Rico make a clear decision, my Administration will stand by you," Mr. Obama assured his audience.

Gov. Luis Fortuno: Puerto Rico deserves statehood

The White House is billing the Obama stop as the first "official" visit by a U.S. president since John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Banners on lampposts with side-by-side pictures of JFK and Mr. Obama and the years of their visits: 1961 and 2011 proclaiming the people of Puerto Rico are "proud to be part of history."

But that public relations assertion overlooks presidential stops in Puerto Rico by Gerald Ford in 1976 and LBJ in 1968.

The president said he's the first U.S. president to address the people of Puerto Rico since JFK did 50 years ago in 1961. That's true enough, though Mr. Obama said he was about four months old at the time of the JFK speech and that his memory of it is "a little hazy."

In those remarks, President Kennedy called Puerto Rico "an admirable bridge between Latin America and North America." He said it was a great experience to come to an island "which has an entirely different tradition and history, which is made up of people of an entirely different cultural origin than on the mainland of the United States, and still be able to feel that I am in my country."

Fifty years later, Mr. Obama portrayed Puerto Rico as every inch a part of America. He hailed the commitment of Puerto Ricans to serve in the Armed Forces, saying the spirit here "is as American as apple pie -- or as Arroz con Gandules." Translation: rice with peas.

Apple pie aside, under the law, the 3.7-million people of Puerto Rico are still treated as second class Americans, barred from voting in U.S. presidential elections. Even so, they have strong political connections to the 4.6-million Puerto Ricans who live in the 50 states and are entitled to vote.

By reaching out to Puerto Rico - and reaffirming his pledge to support whatever decision the people here make about statehood or independence - the president hopes to score points with the Puerto Ricans on the mainland - especially in the often decisive battleground state of Florida.

There's no prohibition on Puerto Ricans contributing to U.S. presidential campaigns. And Mr. Obama took advantage of that, including a fund-raiser for his re-election during his 4-hour visit. Tickets to the event start at $10,000.

Below, CBSNews.com interviews Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno during a visit to New York earlier this year: