Howard Dean at National Hispanic Conference

Speaking in smooth Spanish and fiery English, Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean said he is the person to lead the nation to a better economy, improved education, universal health care and real immigration reform.

The former Vermont governor spoke at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza, a national advocacy organization devoted to Hispanic rights.

In no-nonsense language, Dean told the crowd he intends to balance the budget and develop jobs, which will attract investment in the nation.

"No Republican president has balanced the budget in this country in 34 years," he said. "If you want to trust your hard-earned dollars, you'd better elect a Democrat because the Republicans cannot handle money."

Dean said close to 90 percent of the working poor and children have health care in his state, and he wants to do the same for the nation.

Dean also took on what he called racial profiling of immigrants in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He said if elected, he would seek to provide a fast-track citizenship process for immigrants if they have lived in the United States for a certain period of time, paid taxes and have no criminal record.

U.S. military service also should count, he said.

"You shouldn't have to come home in a box to get citizenship," he said.