Tancredo Wins!

The GOP's Spanish language debate is a no-go.

Univisión planned to air the first presidential debates in Spanish on Sept. 9 and 16, one for Democrats, the other for Republicans, trumpeting a national coming-out party for Hispanic voters.

Except Republican candidates aren't coming. Only Ariz. Sen. John McCain agreed to participate in the event at the University of Miami.
...
Most of the Republican field also ignored invitations to attend Hispanic-oriented conferences in Florida organized by the National Association of Latin Elected Officials and the National Council of La Raza.

Another lost legacy of Rovism. It was considered a game-changing advantage when George W. Bush (whose command of the language was really pretty bad) spoke Spanish and advertised in Spanish-speaking households. But the blowback from the GOP base has reduced the value of that kind of campaigning. The only Spanish-language campaign I can find in the GOP is Conozca a Mitt Romney, with a video introduction by the most Espanol-inclined of Mitt's vat-grown brood.

Comments

Dan T. | August 30, 2007, 9:45am | #

Thanks, GOP. We'll be happy to take those tens of millions of votes.

Sincerely,
El Democrats

Bryan | August 30, 2007, 9:49am | #

How are you boing to blast McCain for this one Weigel?

lunchstealer | August 30, 2007, 9:50am | #

The only Spanish-language campaign I can find in the GOP is Conozca a Mitt Romney, with a video introduction by the most Espanol-inclined of Mitt's vat-grown brood.

Is it fair to go after the vats? Really they didn't ask to be the receptacles for his spawn. Also, they're not like vats. They're more like a series of tubes.

Alice Bowie | August 30, 2007, 9:50am | #

It's no suprise that a bunch of conservative whites don't wanna be part of a latino debate.

Besides, these guys (republican candidate) are pushing for initiatives to kick all the latinos out anyway.

It's NOT Imigration Reform...It's Latino containment.

Remember, when an eastern European guys breaks thru the iron curtain and comes to america to make a better life...he is pursuing the american dream.

When some fat mexican walks across the arizona/mexican border...He's a wet-back free loading law-breaker that needs 2 b deported.

ed | August 30, 2007, 9:56am | #

I understand the GOP will be skipping the Japanese debates as well, although they are still considering the German and Italian ones.

GJ | August 30, 2007, 9:58am | #

C'mon

They took 'er jobs!

Alice Bowie | August 30, 2007, 10:04am | #

LOL...south park ... right

They took'er jobs.......

smacky | August 30, 2007, 10:08am | #

George W. Bush (whose command of the language was really pretty bad)

Which language? You mean Mexican?

gaijin | August 30, 2007, 10:12am | #

The GOP, the party of the big tent...shame noone is inside...GOP...RIP.

lunchstealer | August 30, 2007, 10:19am | #

How are you boing to blast McCain for this one Weigel?

I think by leaving unstated the fact that a McCain acceptance is kinda like getting a rejection from Harvard, Yale, Michigan, UVA, and UC Berkley and getting accepted by Florida State, which you applied to in crayon just for fun.

de stijl | August 30, 2007, 10:27am | #

You'd think they would realize that Southern, Christian whites won't yield a majority. The GOP is headed for an overdue crack up.

Bush speaks Spanish like I speak Japanese. Konichiwa, bitches.

ed | August 30, 2007, 10:35am | #

So fluency in Spanish is a prerequisite to running for office in America? Shit, it's later than I thought. I'd rather see the GOP decline the invitation than fall all over themselves in a sickening display of over-the-top pandering, not that the other party would do anything like that.

lunchstealer | August 30, 2007, 10:40am | #

gaijin,

It's the big tent that they make people sleep in while waiting to be deported.

Chuck | August 30, 2007, 10:41am | #

lunchstealer--

At Florida State, crayons are reserved for graduate students. The appropriate tool for application forms is fingerpaint. And don't worry about forming actual letters or words either, that's what freshman comp is for.

Warty | August 30, 2007, 10:49am | #

Mmmmm...FSU.

Dan T. | August 30, 2007, 10:53am | #

So fluency in Spanish is a prerequisite to running for office in America? Shit, it's later than I thought. I'd rather see the GOP decline the invitation than fall all over themselves in a sickening display of over-the-top pandering, not that the other party would do anything like that.

I guess I'd rather see it, too, in the sense that I hate the GOP and want to see them fail.

lunchstealer | August 30, 2007, 11:07am | #

Chuck that explains much. One of my girlfriends in college had applied to FSU in crayon, and was not only accepted but offered a scholarship. Clearly the crayon use was evidence of a gifted student.

(no real offense meant to our FSU friends. I'm sure it's not any worse than USC - the one on the East coast anyway.)

KenK | August 30, 2007, 11:25am | #

I thought you were supposed to be a US citizen in order to vote for President.

Don't you have to know English to obtain US citizenship?

But wait, I forgot about the anchor babies raised by illegal immigrants who can't speak English.

Lamanite | August 30, 2007, 11:34am | #

If you vote for Mitt Romney, you will become White & Delightsome and the curse of dark skin that God put on you because your ancestors were not valiant enough in the Pre Existance will be lifted.

Unless you can run post patterns & grab a lot of weak side rebounds for BYU. Then, you're OK.

Chuck | August 30, 2007, 11:36am | #

lunchstealer, as a Univeristy of Florida alumnus it is my sacred duty to rag on FSU whenever the opportunity arises. We actually have to take an oath to that effect before they will give us our diplomas. I believe FSU has a reciprocal arrangement.

VM | August 30, 2007, 11:39am | #

KKKenKKK is Baaaaacccckkk!

HARRO KKKenKKK.

WHEEE

WHEEEEEEE

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Scooby | August 30, 2007, 11:42am | #

KenKK:

No, you do not have to speak English extremely proficiently to become a US citizen, certainly not to the fluency level required to communicate complex ideas.

Of course, this is dog and pony show political debates we're talking about, so the fluency required is quite limited. How do you say "dey took arr jarbs!!!" in Spanish?

Tancredo Watch | August 30, 2007, 11:46am | #

Tancredo missed a golden opportunity: Having been the only Republican to bother to show up for the NAACP-sponsored debate, he would have again burnished his image had he shown up for this debate. He would have been able to emphasize that he is not against Hispanics as such, and that he supports providing opportunities for Spanish-speakers to gain better command of English, and that he is simply against the scourge of illegal immigration.

But then - nobody would have believed him.

dhex | August 30, 2007, 11:47am | #

los ladrones tomaron nosotros trabajos?

i think i mean my spanish kinda sucks

jimmydageek | August 30, 2007, 11:50am | #

they took'er trabajoooooo!

Translation for Dhex | August 30, 2007, 11:58am | #

The carpenter is nailing the maiden

jimmydageek | August 30, 2007, 12:30pm | #

Actually, I believe dhex said "the thieves drank our jobs"...??

jimmydageek | August 30, 2007, 12:31pm | #

wait....nosotros....i believe that's "us" or "we"...

so, "the thieves drank us jobs"....:)

THIS IS MY MISSION, SGT HULKA | August 30, 2007, 12:41pm | #

AND IT IS MY TRANSLATION.

SO THERE. NEENER NEENER.

[sneaks off]

jtuf | August 30, 2007, 12:45pm | #

Unless they plan on extolling the delights of eating milk and eggs, I can't see much downside in debating through a Spanish translator. Language belongs in the cultural sphere, not the political sphere. The GOP should either accept Hispanics or start writing all their campaign material in Jersey Dutch.

de stijl | August 30, 2007, 12:55pm | #

"My hovercraft if full of eels."

Minion of URKOBOLD | August 30, 2007, 1:07pm | #

NOT HUNGARIAN

gaijin | August 30, 2007, 1:17pm | #

Language belongs in the cultural sphere, not the political sphere.

Where does one end and the other begin? On college campuses? In the home? With Noam Chomsky?

Noam Chomsky Blow Up Doll | August 30, 2007, 1:38pm | #

During the Sweaty Pillow Fight Scene from page 69 of the leather-bound edition of "Heather Has Two Mommies", of course.

Now, go to your room!

Gahan | August 30, 2007, 1:45pm | #

It's actually: "Nos quitaron el trabajo," for anyone genuinely interested

Gahan | August 30, 2007, 1:48pm | #

And I assume these debates would actually be held with interpreters. I find it hard to imagine any of the candidates (with the exception of Bill Richardson) having enough command of the Spanish language to say anything of substance. And the ones who did would have an unfair advantage. But then, these debates never have been about substance...

MRW | August 30, 2007, 2:05pm | #

Anyone else find the term "anchor baby" as loathsome as I do? Anything someone says or types after that becomes white noise.

Scooby | August 30, 2007, 2:15pm | #

This just in: Giuliani has studied up on Dundero's vacation Spanish book and will be attending the Spanish debate. He now knows how to say "nueve-once" and "Soy alcalde de America." He is now prepared to deliver his entire stump speech at the debate.

KenK | August 30, 2007, 2:33pm | #

I certainly find the term "anchor baby" as loathsome as anyone else.

I wish that ONLY those born to US citizens would automatically become US citizens.

Then the term "anchor baby" would be obsolete.

de stijl | August 30, 2007, 3:05pm | #

KenK,

Yeah, that 14th Amendment sure sucks, dude.

PS - Michelle Malkin is an anchor baby.

MRW | August 30, 2007, 4:30pm | #

KenK,

Strain a little harder to miss the point, please. And no, you don't find the term "anchor baby" loathsome at all, otherwise you would not have used it to denigrate US citizens.

OneifbyLand | August 30, 2007, 9:32pm | #

In court, evidence obtained illegally cannot
be used it is called "Fruit from the Poisoned
Tree". Citizenships obtained by children of
people who are in the USA illegally(Illegal
Aliens)are also "Fruit from the Poisoned Tree"
and most citizens feel that the 14th amendment
is being gamed and abused and must be changed.
The use of Anchor Babies as Human Shields and
a Fifth Column for Illegal Immigration and
Open Border advocates has to be child abuse.

Chell | August 30, 2007, 10:11pm | #

"I wish that ONLY those born to US citizens would automatically become US citizens."

I will support that concept when the GOP supports abortion.

joshua corning | August 30, 2007, 11:34pm | #

Both my grandmas were anchor babies so you all can go fuck yourselves.

S.A. Miller | August 31, 2007, 1:28am | #

Yeah it is too bad they turned down conferences in Florida organized by the National Association of Latin Elected Officials and the National Council of The Race.

Chell | August 31, 2007, 7:43am | #

Short of becoming a Marxist state of the East German, not Chinese character, or even better, the Pol Pot type in Cambodia, the US will never solve its illegal immigration problem. Singapore has tried all kinds of measures for years, and it is pretty close to a police state, and yet, they have lots of illegals every year...the measures by the US government is pretty laughable in comparison.

Isaac Bartram | August 31, 2007, 1:03pm | #

The use of Anchor Babies as Human Shields and
a Fifth Column for Illegal Immigration and
Open Border advocates has to be child abuse.

Yeh, because women with anchor babies cant't be deported.

Right?

***WRONG!!!!****

Hipple, Rev. Paul T. | August 31, 2007, 3:05pm | #

Thank you, thank you for this story!!! This is fantastic news!!! Rep. Tom Tancredo wins yet another major debate among the other Christian Republican candidates, showing He is the leader and everyone else is the follower of the leader!!!

Tennessee Conservative | September 1, 2007, 1:35am | #

Illegal aliens should return to their home country voluntarily or be deported.

Tennessee Conservative | September 1, 2007, 1:38am | #

Alice Bowie is apparently a few years behind on the history of Europe. There is no longer any iron curtain.

More individuals from Mexico are allowed to legally immigrate to this country than from any other country in the world.

Illegal aliens should voluntary return to their home country or be deported.

Tennessee Conservative | September 1, 2007, 1:40am | #

Tancredo Watch believes illegal aliens should be given legal status and a path to citizenship.

Tom Tancredo was correct in refusing to attend this debate. If you live in the U.S., you should learn to speak English.

Chell | September 1, 2007, 8:17am | #

Tancredo cannot win diddly squat when it comes to the Primaries, illegal aliens or not. Even in the straw poll he only finished 4th behind the open border man, Sam Brownback. So much for Tom "Crankared" Tancaredo from Colorado. Come back to me after the Iowa Caucus and NH primaries.

Bopo | September 1, 2007, 6:15pm | #

"Besides, these guys (republican candidate) are pushing for initiatives to kick all the latinos out anyway.

It's NOT Imigration Reform...It's Latino containment.
"

You're an idiot.

I can remember when having debates in languages other than the one spoken predominantly in this country was called pandering. Now, not having them is somehow akin to racism? I suppose any candidate having a debate in Minnesota needs to speak Arabic to appease Somali Muslims. Candidates in California need to be able to speak Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese, it would seem to avoid being called anti-yellow bigots. I guess since Mitt Romney was successful in Massachusetts, he must already by fluent in Gaelic, so I guess he has that advantage, at least.
This site has become so eager to bash the Republican party, it has thrown common sense out the window and is now openly advocating linguistic balkanization. Answer me this, is this site wholly or only partly subsidized by the DNC?


"I wish that ONLY those born to US citizens would automatically become US citizens."

I will support that concept when the GOP supports abortion"

Yet another libertarian showing contempt for the Constitution. It seems that libertarians are no better than the Republicans or Democrats when it comes to support of that particular document. For a group of people who bitch non-stop about this administration's constitutional violations, you guys seem all to eager to dispense with the Constitution when it fits your needs. Yet more proof that libertarians are so ridiculously phony, they make John Edwards look authentic.

Bopo | September 1, 2007, 6:16pm | #

"My hovercraft if full of eels"

No thread would be complete without a totally useless and utterly retarded Monty Python reference.