Politicians Mangling Spanish, '¡No Comprendo!' (VIDEO)

It was bound to happen. And it will happen again. And again.

As Latino voters gain influence in helping decide who gets elected in the United States, politicians are forced to be ever more attentive to the interests of this community.

On Wednesday, it was Herman Cain's turn to try to speak Spanish with some gusto as he tried to describe just how much he liked his cup of strong Cuban coffee, served at Miami-institution, Cafe Versailles. But he forgot to note the difference between Cuban -- the coffee -- and Spanish -- the language.

And he's not alone. Political leaders as sophisticated as President Obama and Jackie Kennedy have had their turn with Spanish to engage Latino voters. Others, like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have fearlessly applied the Spanish they have learned in their course of their lives, to mixed reactions. Bloomberg's awesome efforts even inspiring a popular Twitter parody, El Bloombito.

The 2012 election season continues to heat up. We can rest easy knowing that there will be more examples to add to this manglin' spanglish gallery over the coming months. Stay tunando! ;-)

WATCH POLITICIANS TRY THEIR HAND AT SPEAKING SPANISH:

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• Herman Cain

  On his recent campaign stop in Miami, Herman Cain took some time to try some Latino cuisine, and offend a few Latinos along the way. After biting into a croqueta at Miami's famed Versailles Cafe, Cain asks, "How do you say delicious in Cuban?" Cuban, as many know, is not a language. In Spanish, however, delicious is <em>delicioso.</em>

• Barack Obama

  "I was born in an island and I understand that food, gas and everything else, is more expensive. Puerto Rico has the right for a better future. My plan offers new incentives to restore the 40,000 job which have been lost and invests in the education of Puerto Rican kids. This coming July, it would be an honor to count with your vote." Obama is really pushing for the Puerto Rican vote. He visited the island in June of 2011. The first president to visit Puerto since John F. Kennedy in 1961,<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/us/politics/10rico.html?pagewanted=all" target="_hplink"> according to NYTimes. </a> Keep your eyes and ears open for the next spanish speech by Obama.

• Jackie Kennedy

  "Dear Friends, this is the wife of John F. Kennedy, candidate in the U.S. presidential election... When world peace is threatened by communism, it's necessary to have a leader in The White House who is able to guide our destinies with a firm hand... Long Live Kennedy!" 1. No need for introduction. As if the entire world didn't know who Jackie Kennedy is. 2. It's nice to see she's friendly with latinos and 3. Given the Trade Embargo with Cuba has been firm since 1962, we're guessing that Miss Kennedy's spanish speech wasn't exactly detrimental to her husband's campaign.

• El Bloombito

  Oh yes, that day Bloomberg so kindly "summarized for the spanish speaking audience" the city's plan to clean up after Irene and inspired one of the best twitter accounts of all times: @ElBloombito. The twitter account mocking Bloomberg's spanish has over 25,000 followers. The hilarious spanish-speaking alter ego was created by Rachel-Figuero Levin. "The Spanish is just so blatantly hilarious,"<a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/128711298.html" target="_hplink"> she said to NBC New York.</a> "It's the diction. It's the pronunciation. It's the accent." To @ElBloombito account, Bloomberg responded from his personal Twitter account "It's hard to learn a new language at age 69", according to NBC New York. Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ElBloombito" target="_hplink">@ElBloombito </a>here.

• Hillary Clinton

  "Si Se PuedA!" Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, got her protest chant a little mixed up. "Si Se Puede!" ("Yes It Can Be Done") was the motivating slogan first popularized by Cesar Chavez back in the 1960's when referring to social change for immigrant workers.

• Jeb Bush

  "This diverse community with energy with, uh, uh, great potential and possibility of advancing our country, is going to be the one that decides the elections. And if we fall behind because we dont do the effort and or we're being irrespecutful, or whatever, then, that's lack of common sense." So, essentially, you need the latino vote Jeb?

• Craig Romney

  In Mitt Romney's ninth spanish-language television ad, his son Craig spoke to Latino audiences about his father's beliefs and origins. "I would like to tell you how my father, Mitt Romney, thinks," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/craig-romney-mitt-mexican-ad_n_1682238.html#slide=1165327" target="_hplink">Craig Romney says in the ad, translated to English by the campaign.</a> "He values very much that we are a nation of immigrants. My grandfather George was born in Mexico. For our family the greatness of the United States is how we respect and help each other, regardless of where we come from."

• Barack Obama

  Just a week after announcing his decision to halt deportation for some undocumented young people, President Obama <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/obama-naleo-speech-immigration_n_1619126.html" target="_hplink">spoke at the NALEO conference</a> and schmoozed away with the Latino audience. "Que placer estar aqui con tanto amigos!" ("what a pleasure being here with all these friends") said Obama at the beginning of his speech.

Comments

[mcshankerson]

07:12 PM on 11/21/2011

I would definitely give them credit for the attempt. In fact that is the first thing I tell my coworkers, an attempt at a language is always appreciated vs. someone who looks over people who haven't mastered English.

But to say how do you say this "in cuban?" Are you kidding me? That is not just ignorance that's incompetence and pure inconsideration of people.

[Arthur Harold Cooper]

01:38 AM on 11/21/2011

In the United States of AMERICA, we commonly and correctly refer to our legal citizens as Americans. We generally refer to a patriotic person as true American. These are common terms of coloquial usage. It is also correct to refer to residents of the westren hemisphere as Americans as well. The official language of the Republic known as the United States of America, is English.

We have many native tongues as well. As we become more educated and more liberal in our learned languages, we become more tolerant of languages other than or own. My generation learned Spanish and French. The younger generations are learning Mandarin and other Chinese dialects in efforts to be marketable to firms trading in the Asian markets.

We "Americans" adapt to our culture as heartily as we learn about and embrace our heritage. I would encourage everyone to learn another language and use it frequently. I am 63, I am a WASP and I speak English, French, Spanish, Hungarian and some German.

You may stumble, at first, in speaking another language but I give you three cheers for trying. Now quityourbitchen, go learn Mandarin and get hip!

[Michael Kogut]

01:50 PM on 11/22/2011

There is no official language of the USA. Go google it. It's common knowledge. English is the de facto, or in practice but not in law, language.

[Aissatou Sunjata]

08:07 PM on 11/22/2011

With all due respect, there are about several generations you are skipping over in your comment. There are those of us who grew up learning and speaking English. We lived among Dominican Republicans, Hispanic and we may have dabbled in a little Spanish enough to understand when we were being cursed out. Beyond that we thought that they would adopt English as we had to do so. Now, we have become a multi-languaged with English being the least spoken, understood or comprehended. We who followed through on a language we thought would never change in America are now being forced to at our age learn other languages. I don't believe anyone should have to learn another language, but I do think that being that the native language is English here, unless someone is like you interested or someone is going to obtain a career which requires another language, it should not be a sign that we who don't are somehow less fortunate or less informed. I feel if in some who share history, we were captured, humiliated, ancestors, raped and slaughtered and devalued and we still survived, those who are descendants, heck we don't even know our own original language and just because others do why are we required to appease when we still have not received reparations for what what done to us? Just my opinion.

[Ossit]

01:19 AM on 11/21/2011

Getting sick and tired of posters calling me condescending when it's their own resentment showing of seeing another who does know a little bit more. I don't think I'm better than anyone at all. We all should teach each other what we know about or just quickly look up. Why people are threatened by that is beyond me just like it's beyond me that people demand Spanish speakers speak only English but criticize their accents or fluency when those same criticizers refuse to even learn another language.

If Cain chooses to address potential Spanish speaking voters, he'd better learn the difference between someone's language and country of origin. You're a Cuban from Cuba. You speak Spanish, not 'Cuban'. You'd be speaking in the Latin American Spanish dialect, not the Castilian dialect of Argentina and Spain. Slight variation in words. Castilian sounds like it has a lisp. "c" sounds like "th" A Cuban would still understand it. The two country/regional dialects have the same grammar and syntax rules, they're both written the same. It is condescending for someone to say to Cain hey use the right dialect when he can use whichever Spanish dialect he was taught which any Spanish speaker can understand. It's condescending when that person thinks a dialect is a separate language when they don't know a thing. That's not being condescending that just knowing something.

[westphalen]

01:08 PM on 11/21/2011

Like our president on his first visit to Australia were people speak Austrian? (Say What?)
People make mistakes, some blatant. Get over it.
There are bigger problems to solve

[Ossit]

02:21 AM on 11/22/2011

Obama should know who he's talking to, westphalen or he'll sound like a fool. Bet most think Aussies do speak Austrian not realizing that Aussies do speak English and Austrians speak German and are from Austria. Arnold S. isn't from Germany by the way he's Austrian but his language is German and people all the time criticize his accent in English.Yeah there are bigger problems to solve. But Cain is trying to be one of the problem solvers by being elected and he's lingually stupid trying to appeal to a voter segment who have every right to be addressed in Spanish which is a beautiful language. My Cuban born but Spain raised Spanish teacher of years ago would've laughed her head off she heard Cain. She was a stickler for perfect pronunciation and grammar. Grammar I stank in. I have no accent in Spanish.It was my and my brother's first language until we were forced to learn English. Mom was American but spoke 4 languages fluently.

[Mitch Johnesee]

04:47 PM on 11/22/2011

Didn't he say that in Strasbourg, Austria? He claimed that Austrian was a language while is Austria... not Australia.

[jude2uuu2]

12:59 AM on 11/21/2011

MEXICANS DON'T SPEAK SPANISH EITHER, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SLANG

[nawseeya]

06:46 AM on 11/21/2011

so because they have their own slang that means they don't speak spanish? what language do the speak?


we have our own slang in America doe s that mean we dont speak english?

!Dios mio!

[AZ Stang]

12:29 PM on 11/22/2011

Unfortunately, you're close to the truth. It's hard to disparage non- native speakers who attempt to speak a second language when there are a great many native- born Americans who have such a poor grasp of English. Making fun of someone attempting a second language just discourages them.

[jude2uuu2]

05:29 PM on 11/21/2011

Why is it that South American Countries that speak true Spanish do not like Mexico? I know it's not the language, but maybe the way they treat other Countries...

[adamantthe1st21]

12:19 AM on 11/21/2011

As a foreign born American who speaks several languages i never had any doubt that Obama was mediocre.It 's showing everyday.Nothing in the world is more dangerous than conscientious stupidity.

[nawseeya]

06:44 AM on 11/21/2011

how is this "conscienti­ous stupidity." manifesting in Pres.Obama?

[adamantthe1st21]

08:13 AM on 11/21/2011

Are you that blind ? I believe so.

[lindenfeldlh]

12:03 AM on 11/21/2011

So, big deal. The Cubans speak Spanish. Why are we picking on Cain so much about not speaking Spanish or something. Most Mexicans can't speak English.

[jaguar6cy]

11:47 PM on 11/20/2011

Who benefits from a Multilingual and Multicultural America? It helps many people easily access the government services and benefits to which they have become entitled by being poor. Progressives (liberals and democrats) like this policy, but only because they can use it to buy votes and get reelected. They know they cannot win elections unless they buy votes, so they enact and use government benefits to do it. But keeping those people poor is necessary for this to work. If they ever succeed economically, the voter base will erode. Requiring a multilingual multicultural society ensures that the affected poor will stay out of the economy and stay poor far longer. As a result they will continue to want more progressive benefits far longer. It’s terrible economic policy for the country and terrible for the economic progress of the poor, but it keeps them poor longer and that is what progressives really want. They don’t really care. They need the votes and the government unions need the jobs. Union members vote too you know.

[pnllsprkf]

11:21 PM on 11/20/2011

I find Cain offensive at HI

[jaguar6cy]

11:16 PM on 11/20/2011

Establishing a Multilingual and Multicultural America is a fundamental goal of liberal progressive policy. It helps many people more easily access the government services and benefits to which they have become entitled by being poor. Progressives like this policy and they want it to expand. But the main thing they want is to be reelected. And they know they cannot win elections unless they can buy enough votes. So they enact government benefits in order to buy them. Putin is a little better at it, but he does the same thing, and they are learning from him very fast. In order to keep a majority of voters they must pay them enough, and the demand for votes never ends. And their multilingual multicultural America policies guarantee the existence of a stable class of poor and unsuccessful voters. It has worked perfectly for years. But keeping people poor is necessary for this to work. If they ever succeed in America, the voter base will erode. And progressives can never permit that to happen. A multilingual multicultural society ensures that the affected poor can and will stay poor far longer and will continue to want more progressive benefits and policies. It’s terrible policy for the country and terrible for the economic progress of the poor, but it keeps them poor longer and that is all progressives really want anyway.

[krazzicraig]

11:00 PM on 11/20/2011

For all the people that think Cain is all that ,look up a company named Aquila Inc. and Cain. Cain was on the board . This company was Enron on a smaller scale . There is no way this guy is who he is telling the country he is.

[rockum]

10:37 PM on 11/20/2011

With Cuban roots and having lived near Cafe Versailles where Cain visited, I assure readers there are Cuban words and expressions not shared with the rest of Latin America or Spain.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Spanish

I trust Cain knew Cubans speak Spanish. I trust Obama knew Austrians speak German. But, if you believe this a true gaffe by Cain, you should admit Obama's 2009 remark in Strasbourg, France was equally serious.

"...Europe is not that different from the U.S. Senate. There's a lot of... I don't know what the term is in Austrian... wheeling and dealing."

I believe Obama's was actually worse due to setting. Obama was speaking at a high-profile news conference. Cain's off-the-cuff remark was made in the informal setting of a restaurant with friendly shouts of "what do you think of the croquetta?," and "try a pastry," and in a context where he also laughingly joked about the strength of Cuban coffee.

Let's be honest, we're human; Even the brightest among us make blunders; it's not just seniors who have senior moments. When others (even our political enemies) make them, it's an opportunity to show some grace, not portray them as morons. Choose perfection as our standard, and it won't be long until our hypocrisy shows.

Case in point, I could find no Huff article regarding the Austrian gaffe, and this article's Obama link doesn't lead to his May, 2009 welcome to "Cinco de Cuatro."

[lindenfeldlh]

12:07 AM on 11/21/2011

Great points. You have stated it well. Except I think you meant Strasbourg, Austria. Not a criticism, just to point it out to you.

[westphalen]

01:16 PM on 11/21/2011

How about a few days ago on a stop in Hawaii were Obama referred to Hawaii as ....here in Asia..... Do I need to add that he LIVED there?
Did you see a Huff article on that?
People make mistakes. I laugh and move on but it is the unfair coverage that is disturbing.

[praymondc]

10:26 PM on 11/20/2011

Hillary and her Spanish aside, at least all the commentary, decent, disagreements, agreements tossed around on ths board is in English...Still, this is not a a particular point of pride as it also reflects our lack of education, our ignorance of other languages. Europeans sometimes comment that Americans are lazy about learning other languages, a comment usually countered by: "We Americans don't need to speak any language other than English." Ironically this very conversation, more likely than not, is taking place with a German whose speaking fluent English because of a superior education system in that county. Furthermore, Americans who learn another language, German for example, while in country... are more than elated to show-off this extraordinary achievement even at the elementary level... an achievement that's always acknowledged, and even praised, by the Germans and others I'm sure.... As one who learned to speak and read German by virtue of good luck exposure to native German speakers... I can tell you there's no other experience that bring quite as much joy as communicating with others in their own language.... Indeed, it is a great pity that our children are not exposed to this educational adventure, that for adults, could be so enriching and fufilling in understanding and reaching out to the rest of the world.... I suspect that if one could say "Peace Brother" in the other fellow's language... there would be a lot more of it.

[GreetingsToU1]

10:43 PM on 11/20/2011

Oh stop behaving like such a snob and get off your high horse. Americans do learn other languages. Chinese, German, Spanish etc. are taught from grade school on up which comes in handy if we have visitors or go to their country, but permanent citizens of the United States should still know how to speak and understand the English language.

[praymondc]

11:05 PM on 11/20/2011

Commencing you post with an insult, reflects more than a language deficiency on you part... it reflects your inability to communicate constructively in any language.

[blgrs44]

11:05 PM on 11/20/2011

most european countries have english in their school programs because of tourism. it is dollars and cents. i do agree with you about speaking other languages. my ancestors are italian and i was taught that language at a very early age. i am much more comfortable with italian than french, which my father thought was imperative that i learn. i took 4 years of high school french and 4 years of college french i can make myself understood and i can certainly read it, but i cannot say i am overly proficient at it, and i certainly do not "show off" my "prowess".
to be truly proficient at a language, it has to be taught as "the mother tongue". an english teacher at my high school played a tape of chaucer's "canterbury tales" spoken in "old english" every day at the start of class. i'll be damned if i still can't recite it 40 years later.
anyway, the point behind this is....no, not many americans feel it necessary to learn other languages, and that is sad. most of them can "get by" in a foreign country because most other countries (especially in tourist areas) have many people who speak english. my beef comes with people who decide to move to a country, and then expect that country to offer EVERYTHING in their language. it becomes worse when they decide to live in a country illegally.

[praymondc]

01:15 AM on 11/21/2011

English has become something of an International language to be sure, still, it's not as if the people one meets in the streets of Germany, France and or Italy, etc , are likely to speak it... In restaurants, large shops and stores there's usually someone who can help with the English language. I spent several years in Germany and loved it. Your country of ancestory, Italy, is one of my favorite places in all the world. I've been to Rome, Venice (several times), Florence, and even made to the top of Pizza's leaning tower in the late sixties... You are fortunate to speak the language. If all immigrants into this county would have passed on the language, as your parents did, we'd all be richer for it... I imagine you've been to Italy, but if not, you've missed something very special. I certainly agree, one can never be quite as efficient in other languages and in one's mother tounge... and, of course, basic communication should be the goal, except for diplomats : ) Even so, teaching language in American schools, starting at the elementary level, would be a great leap forward in learning other languages... student exchange programs are also a great help... Four years of High School French sounds pretty exciting... and if you ever found yourself in France, maybe in Quebec, I'm sure it would make life a lot more interesting.... Take care and thanks again for sharing.

[jwtexas1]

10:23 PM on 11/20/2011

@nawseeya - !Sí, y luego hacer lo que les plazca!

[nawseeya]

10:56 PM on 11/20/2011

pelotudos locos

((((OOOPS!!!))))

[jwtexas1]

11:39 PM on 11/20/2011

Si, muy locos!

[miahurley]

10:22 PM on 11/20/2011

Let's all try to remember that a common language unites us. Trying to "include" all languages divides us.

[praymondc]

10:52 PM on 11/20/2011

Learning other languages advances our place among peoples and nations and in no way negates English as the dominate American language.... A business man or American soldier who find thelmselves in Germany, or perhaps, in France, for example, would do well to have some understanding of the language.... Unfortunately, your post exemplifies an all too common attitude in this country... in reality, a reflection of a deficient educational system as regards the teaching of other languages.

[Arthur Harold Cooper]

01:55 AM on 11/21/2011

praymondc you are a brilliant, well rounded and well educated person. I respect you and think you are well spoken.

[miahurley]

02:12 AM on 11/21/2011

Praymondc, I have nothing against learning foreign languages. I took five years of Spanish and lived in Germany, learning their language. I respected their country and their language while I lived there and all I am asking is the same respect for our language in our country.

[nawseeya]

10:57 PM on 11/20/2011

ok, so excluding foreign languages, exclusion being a form of BULLYING, is the American way? OH YEAH I FORGOT IT ISSSSSS!!!!!!

[miahurley]

02:14 AM on 11/21/2011

Please read my response to Praymondc, and I forgive you for being so mistaken and unpleasant.

[Neopolitan]

10:11 PM on 11/20/2011

Jeb Bush speaks good Spanish. George Bush and Bloomberg should not even attempt it.