(photo: uskidsmags.com)

State Senator Adriano Espaillat would really prefer if Mitt Romney would stop beating immigrant communities with a stick so that candy will come out, figuratively, of course. Thus, on the eve of the second debate between Mr. Romney and the incumbent, President Barack Obama, Mr. Espaillat gathered with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and immigration advocates to "call out" Mr. Romney and push him into changing his tune on immigration.

"Mitt Romney has committed to the most extreme, xenophobic positions on immigration, including the promise that he will veto the Dream Act," Mr. Espaillat said in a statement to explain his protest, which took place in front of Hofstra University where tomorrow's debate will be held. "When he comes to New York, a state that prides itself on our immigrants; a state where we passed in-state tuition for undocumented students; and a state where we value diversity, Mitt Romney should explain his hypocrisy on immigration and why he’s used immigrants as a piñata to appeal to extremists in his party.”

This is not the first time Mr. Espaillat has used an especially colorful metaphor to refer to Mr. Romney. Previously, the state senator said Mr. Romney twisted himself into "a xenophobic pretzel" during the Republican primary season when more conservative positions were electorally advantageous.