Adapting To Them: Dems Hold Spanish Language Debate
“She and Ramos will ask questions in Spanish, and the candidates, wearing UN-style earpieces, will hear a translation in English.”
(AP)-Eight Democratic presidential hopefuls on Sunday are to stage the first-ever televised Spanish language debate in a bid to garner votes from the rapidly growing bloc of Hispanic voters in the United States.
The candidates — only two of whom are fluent Spanish speakers — are not expected to answer questions in Spanish but their responses will be simultaneously translated for the live broadcast on the Univision network.
“The candidates will be speaking to the fastest-growing segment of American society. It’s a sign of respect,” said Univision anchor Maria Elena Salinas who will co-moderate the debate along with colleague Jorge Ramos.
She and Ramos will ask questions in Spanish, and the candidates, wearing UN-style earpieces, will hear a translation in English.
Minor time delays are expected as their responses are translated into Spanish by a single translator for television viewers, while the audience at the University of Miami can wear headsets to hear the debate in either language.
English-speaking television viewers at home can follow the debate by reading closed captions, typically used for the hearing impaired.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, both of whom are fluent Spanish speakers, have been told they can only answer in English during the debate to “level the playing field,” a Univision spokeswoman said.
However, observers admitted that the rule may be difficult to enforce as the candidates aim to show how well they can connect with the 16 million Hispanic voters eligible to cast ballots in next year’s election.
“It’s live television. Is somebody going to run over and tackle Richardson and Dodd if they start speaking Spanish?” asked Alan Schroeder, a journalism professor at Northeastern University.
Richardson spokesman Pahl Shipley called the rule “kind of ridiculous … Why the candidates who do speak Spanish should be penalized is fairly frustrating.”
Sunday’s debate, scheduled for 2300 GMT, will be the 10th televised debate this year ahead of the November 2008 vote.
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Disgusting. Look at them. They’ll do anything for votes. No integrity whatsoever.
September 9th, 2007 at 1:25 pmwill biden blame petraeus for the “lies” fm anbar and elsewhere in iraq in our new national language???
September 9th, 2007 at 1:27 pmthis will be hilarious, what a bunch of assholes
It would not matter if the majority of Americans would get off their ass and vote instead of letting special interest segments decide who is elected
September 9th, 2007 at 1:32 pmWhat about French for all the Canadians.
si no puede
What’s next, a Hitler youth debacle, I mean, debate for those immigrant russian votes?
September 9th, 2007 at 1:37 pmI press “1″ for English. But I am more than happy to address the slumber party in their new diggs. How about:
Oye Putas and Putanoes:
Mamala pinga made con.
How’s that Dhimocratz. Happy now?
September 9th, 2007 at 1:48 pmOr this:
¡Chingaís a tus madres, putas!
September 9th, 2007 at 1:57 pmThis is bullchit! Not only are illegals here and hold jobs illegally, they are encouraged to vote illegally too?
I love the “leveling the playing field” bit…. yeah… we want them to hear Spanish, but since Hillary doesn’t speak fluent… no one can.
Typical!
September 9th, 2007 at 2:29 pmWhen are these candidates going to give a damn about U.S. Citizens, the war in Iraq, poison from China, enforcing employment laws, and building a fence to keep illegal aliens out of the country. Or did we miss something and illegal aliens can now vote.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:42 pmwe are the only contry still debating our national language. english, economically speaking , is far more practical than spanish. want evidence find out what language most foreigners are learning outside the country: english, but hey why should new american citzens and immigrants have to adapt to their new environment?
The democartic party encourages apathy and the lowest common denominator.
September 9th, 2007 at 5:30 pmThis is what pisses me off about the immigration situation here. I am a Naturalized Citizen who came here legally with my family and served honorably in the US Armed Forces. I earned my place here. US Citizenship shouldn’t be just given away.
My family assimilated and learned the f*%@in’language. The accommodation of today under the banner of “multiculturalism” is bu%&*#it! This is what you get when everyone wants to be a hyphenated American instead of an American first, a balkanized nation. You end up with self-imposed segregation and a racist special interest behavior of which politicians are more than interested in pandering towards, which results in translation at a Presidential Debate of which the constituents that vote must be US Citizens. Funny how that works eh?
September 9th, 2007 at 6:10 pmThe US sanity test has begun. None of those pea brains is qualified to manage a kennel. The D’rats have reached the bottom of the barrel and are scraping holes in it.
September 9th, 2007 at 6:57 pmWhat have lost respect for the Democratic Party now and forever more. And you Republicans beware! I have now signed up to vote INDEPENDENT! We,the vast majority voters who vote Independent, have had enough of your bulls**t. We will not go the way like Canada and Quebec or the once decease country of Yugoslavia! Beware politicians we had enough!
September 9th, 2007 at 8:47 pmIf I were to move to another country, I would expect that in order to become a functioning member of thier society that I would need to learn thier language. Why then, is the language used in America in question at all? You came HERE in order to shed the kind of oppressions you were exposed to elsewhere, so learn American English and have a wonderful and successful American life.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:23 amThis country was founded in the language of English and religious basis of Christianity, I don’t want our money changed, our anthem changed; you have the right to worship anyway you want, but don’t mess with the foundation all these freedoms were orginally set upon. We should put our Pledge of Alligence back into our schools and show some consistency in our standards and pride in our countries Founding Fathers.