Richardson, en Espanol

Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:08 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Athena Jones and Domenico Montanaro
In his comments at the news conference naming him President-elect Obama's choice for Commerce Secretary, Richardson made remarks in both English and Spanish.

For those wondering, here is a translation of his remarks in Spanish:

"To our Latino community, thank you for your support and your confidence. Thank you for your votes for our candidate, who is now our president-elect. As he told us 'Yes we can.' Our vote has been our voice. This election has demonstrated our strength and our unity. We have to continue fighting for our rights, while we pursue the American Dream for everyone. To the millions of people of America, Latin America and the Caribbean, we must strengthen our ties and remember the importance of a united hemisphere.

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Comments

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'...Franken Ahead 22 Votes Now, Campaign Says

Al Franken's campaign announced on Wednesday that, for the first time since the Minnesota recount began, the Democrat has actually pulled ahead of Republican Sen. Norm Coleman.

Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Franken's chief counsel Marc Elias said the campaign's own internal count showed them up 22 votes, a jump from the 13 vote deficit that they faced on Tuesday.

"We have approximately 138,000 ballots left to count," said Elias. "94.3 percent of the state has now been counted... Obviously that number is going to change, but we are pleased thus far with how things are going."

If true (the official state and newspaper numbers show a margin more favorable to Coleman, owing to the many challenges each campaign has logged), the tally underscores just how incredibly close the Minnesota race has become. On Wednesday, the state will go over ballots from Wright County -- a largely Republican area that could thrust Norm Coleman back into the lead....'

Ain't life SWEET !

YES, Minnesota, there IS A SANTA CLAUS !!
AND HE'S MAGIC !!

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How about a Palin/Coleman ticket for 2012 ?
They're both LOSERS !!!

MSierra, SF (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:32 PM)

I still think, while Hillary will be good, SoS should have been Bill R.'s.
^^^^^^^
Eric & Ron:

I, too, found it interesting that Condi went to India. The immediate thought racing through my condescending brain was, “Well, I guess it makes sense – I keep hearing that there were warnings about the impending catastrophe – and who better than Condi to help them put a happy spin on their inertia and lack of response?” But you know, my condescension not withstanding – WTF? Seriously. I wonder if anyone has vetted Hillary’s piano playing skills? Which brings me to my other condescending point, why on earth does Hillary want SoS? She would be a much better Lioness in the Senate. SoS really doesn’t really pack the same punch. It is an incredibly important job, don’t get me wrong; but long term, what does that get her?
^^^^^^^^^
So many did a good job taking on J. Merle - but here was my contribution,
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"Hey President-Elect Obama....how's about a peak at your birth certificate, eh?" J. Merle Stanley, Westchester, NY (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 9:56 AM)

Are you implying PE Obama’s birth certificate is a Mountain? I believe the word you want is “peek”. I guess you don’t have faith in your government to properly vet candidates for POTUS? I mean these are the same folks that missed that Daily Briefing on Terrorists. Did you know, just yesterday Bill Gates was going to send you Thousands of dollars in prize money just by forwarding that e-mail? What? You failed to forward the e-mail? I guess that’s more of Bill Gates Money for the rest of you DUMB Republicans that want to believe the worst, doomsayer talking point of your idiot puppet master, Rush Limbaugh. Why don’t you come back and play once you’ve actually researched your OWN talking points? Thank goodness your side has Richard from Washington State and Mike Murphy, otherwise I’d think you were all a bunch of morons.

PS. Here is a copy, since you couldn’t be bothered - http://fightthesmears.com/articles/5/birthcertificate

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:32 PM)

I think a lot of Americans don't realize how much we treat Latin America like dirt. When we see people like Chavez and his other ultra-left buddies in other counties coming to power in legitimate (or semi-legitimate) elections, we should ask ourselves "why?" Lots of these people feel America is intentionally giving them the short end of the stick. Comments like this from Richarson will hopefully be useful.

Wilson, Seattle (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:34 PM)

Have you listened to Obama's speech patterns when he is talking at these press conferences? Many times he says one word at a time, pausing after each word. It's like a robot or is does he have a reason for speaking that way? It is really strange.
Orville J, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:09 PM)
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It's called choosing your words carefully. I know it seems a little odd because we rarely see it in our leaders.

Mark,Seattle (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:42 PM)

I believe it is incumbent upon our public officials to communicate the same messages in English that they communicate in other languages. Barack Obama has said that he does not believe in slice and dice politics. All Americans should be getting the same message from our public officials and comments should not be made to specific targeted audience that are not translated by those officials into English.

Sharon, Washington, DC (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:43 PM)

While the Hispanic community want to see more Hispanics in important government positions, my guess is that what is really important has to do with the immigration policies of the Obama administration. This will be an opportunity for Obama to reach across the isle to McCain and get joint legislation passed.

Ron Indiana (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:51 PM)

someone needs to remind this guy this he's in America, so speak American!

Michael Furlong, Long Island, NY (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:54 PM)

If you have trouble understanding Gov. Richardson, perhaps you ought to take the trouble to learn Spanish. After all, HE is bilingual.

JCR, CF, IA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:18 PM)

Speak American? Did you really just say that?

LB, VIrginia (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:27 PM)

He really did just say "Speak American." Luckily for those of us who have a brain, we realize our power lies not in ignorance, but in the depth of our own intelligence, and how we choose to utilize our brains. I, for one, will be brushing up on my spanish speaking abilities, as I know we are, as we have always been, an evolving and involving country.

SmoothieGirl, FL (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:36 PM)

Amazing how small-minded fellow Americans can be regarding language at this momentous occasion... As an ESL instructor, I hate to be the one to inform you, but Spanish and Chinese are quickly overtaking English as a dominant language around the world. You might want to open your minds a bit and be thankful we have leaders who can communicate with other world leaders more easily... I'm very happy about Richardson's appointment.

Nancy, Berkeley, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:38 PM)

Michael what language is "American"

rle (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:41 PM)

Michael Furlong, Long Island, NY (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:54 PM) someone needs to remind this guy this he's in America, so speak American!

Michael:

Not to try and belittle the point you are trying to make but Spanish speaking people from across the border are Americans too. If one makes a trip south of the border to various Spanish speaking countries they will learn quickly to identify themselves as being from the United States of Amercia because those south of our border also consider themselves Americans, South Americans. So there are Mexican Americans, Bolivian Americans, Panama Americans, Argentina Americans, Chile Americans, etc.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:48 PM)

Speak American? Did you really just say that?

LB, VIrginia (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 4:27 PM)

I speak South American, y'all!

Sanchez Lopez-Ryerson (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:02 PM)

America is not just the United States. That's why in Canada they refer to cars as North American made cars. The Pan American Union contains country members from two continents and the Caribbean. In fact, there are many more Americans who speak Spanish than English and some speak French, Portuguese and Dutch as well. The proper term for our language may well be US English which has a great number of regional variants in both pronunciation, inflection and word meaning. People from Long Island should certainly know that.

EJ, Waterloo, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:05 PM)

Hey Michael Furlong. - talk to me in "American." Is that similar to English, or something else? How many languages do YOU speak?

DLR, Los Angeles (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:12 PM)

If I were in Mexico, I'd be expected to speak in Spanish...
so to those of you who voted Obama.....here you go...this is just the beginning......maybe the US will end up as poor of a place as Mexico...and I personally think we should all have 5-6 kids and let the government pay for them.....

Sharon Loper Atlanta, TX (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:15 PM)

someone needs to remind this guy this he's in America, so speak American!
Michael Furlong, Long Island, NY (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 3:54 PM)
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American is not a Language.......

Ana San Diego CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:16 PM)

Governor Richardson is bi-lingual in English and Spanish because his father went to Mexico City as part of his banking career and married a Mexican citizen whose language was Spanish. I read that she continued to live in Mexico City after her husband died. In my lifetime it has been considered to be poor etiquette to whisper to someone in front of someone else, or to speak to someone in another language in front of someone else. Same difference here, I think--although the magnitude is greater.

Adele, Seattle, WA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:21 PM)

There was an item on the November 4th ballot, in Missouri,which asked folks to vote as to whether or not English was the language to be spoken at all public meetings. The answer was "yes" via majority vote.
I taught school in Florida and I was learning to speak Spanish because I thought it would help to communicate with my students. I learned that students had difficulty obtaining jobs if they could not speak English. Several of the students came to me and asked that I only speak English as they wanted to be "Americans and think American" and become a part of this country. Even though Bill Richardson is bilingual he would put his skills to better use by teaching folks the language of the land.

minka, MO (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:25 PM)

Senor Furlong,

Where Gov. Richardson comes from, Spanish and Native American languages are the original languages. English, as our forefathers brought over from England, is not.

Gracias

Senora Bailey Quarters, Mpls, MN (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:26 PM)

Oh, yeah, they said it...'speak american'. Shameful.

Valerie, LV, Nevada (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:33 PM)

I am not Hispanic and appreciated Richardson's comment in Spanish. Many American's are so closed minded. We are probably the only society that are arrogant enough to think everyone should speak English. Most European's speak 2-3 languages. American's need to get real and realize that we live in a multi-ethnic world.

claudia tucson az (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:37 PM)

I get it - Obama nominated Bill Richardson to be the Commerce Secretary for the Spanish speaking people. Now we have to wait and see who becomes Commerce Secretary for the rest of the people.

minka, MO (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:46 PM)

American? Language of the Americas? French, Portuguese, Spanish and English

RP, Seattle, WA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:46 PM)

Gracias por el traduccion!

Caridad (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:57 PM)

Our government officials should speak English when addressing "we the People." If they are attending a Latino event where everyone speaks Spanish, then I have no problem. Now having said that, this whole thing is "much ado about nothing."

George Barrington IL (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:00 PM)

"Speaking American"--does that mean one of the languages of the over 500 Indigenous nations that pre-date the American "English" presence by thousands of years?" and which one would you choose?

Spanish speakers were also here before English speakers--being trilingual I absolutely it is an advantage to be fluent in more than one language.

Anyone that speaks languages other than English & English are good role models for most Americans who are monolingual--as a nation, they are not viewed positively by the world because of this detriment.

Berni S. Maria, Whiteriver AZ (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:08 PM)

The main idea here is that Richardson is very well qualified to be Commerce Secretary. I do not care if he can speak "Klingon!" As long as, he gets the job done correctly, and helps move our nation forward. That is fact!

Rock,JanesvilleWisconsin (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:39 PM)

Thank god Richardson is just Commerce Secretary. Look at what happened when we had a President that spoke spanish.

For the slow thinkers, think former Texas governor.

Paul - Hemet, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:42 PM)

Because I too am bi-lingual, I understood Gov Richardson's message to Latino's this morning.
As far as "Speak American" goes, he did, and very clearly with no accent or difficulties. So, to those who have a problem with him speaking a different language than english, I say, learn a second language yourself, just as Gov Richardson has done - it opens up new ways of communicating and even new ways of thinking and it proves there is always more than one "right answer." I do agree, however, that the media should be able to and should be sure to close caption anything spoken in a language other than english, simultaneously.

CdV LA CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:56 PM)

I don't mind at all that he spoke in spanish. Hmmm. I wonder why? Perhaps...I don't think the world only revolves around me and my fellow english speakers? Maybe I'm not so petty and selfish as to think that?

Just a thought.

Ian Southern Colorado (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:57 PM)

Micheal Furlong, what the heck is "speak american." The last time I checked that wasn't a language and it comes to show how damn racist this country is.

Wright, Oakland, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:02 PM)

Michael, by speaking two languages, you could say he IS speaking American. You on the other hand, u only speak English. Do you see the different? Stay with the times buddy.

Simon, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:48 PM)

Guys and Dolls, did you stop to think that, as Commerce Secretary, he just might be speaking as much for foreign as for domestic consumption? Most of this hemisphere speaks Spanish, especially those places where we have trade problerms and political fences to repair. And thanking the Hispanic community for their support for Obama was quite properly done in Spanish. It was a brief comment; nobody was trying to play "hide the ball". You spiritual heirs to nativist "Bill the Butcher" should chill...

Rick Allison, Issaquah, WA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:56 PM)

Richardson has made this appeal to race before. He is supportive of the demographic dominance Hispanics will have in America in the next few decades, politically and culturally. And that includes Spanish as the co-equal and eventual, dominant language.

RK, FL. (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:25 PM)

English or Spanish, is he talking to Americans or Mexicans.

Free American Tehachapi Ca. (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:32 PM)

Let's all learn to speak Spanish, as soon as we move to Mexico!

Free American Tehachapi Ca. (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:35 PM)

someone needs to remind this guy this he's in America, so speak American!
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So he should speak the language of the Aztecs or the Navajo, or maybe he should speak Algonquin? Those are American languages. By the way most people speak English in North America. The rest of the Americas speak primarily Spanish or Portuguese.

While I believe English should be declaired as our National language at some point. Realistically we won't see that any time soon. Don't forget that there are many here who speak Manderin, Vietnamese, Tagalog and a hundred other languages. If they also speak English that is great but expecting others to speak to them in their native language is not right. Until we achieve the desired level of English speaking (as we once had) to get the message out we need to use whatever language will do the trick. A huge portion of our population speak Spanish as their primary language and so it makes sense that someone in the Administration would speak Spanish to them. By the way Bush speaks Spanish and has done so to Hispanic audiences.

eagle1776 (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:50 PM)

we have freedom of speech in america - no where does it say that speech has to be in english - also - i am bilingual - just don't speak spanish as it is not my desire to live in spanish speaking country so don't tell me to take the trouble to learn spanish

mel (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:59 PM)

THE ONLY TRUE AMERICANS ARE OUR NATIVE AMERICANS.THE REST OF US ARE ILLEGAL ALIENS.NOBODY INVITED US TO THIS COUNTRY.WE AS AMERICANS DON'T SPEAK "AMERICAN" IT IS CALLED ENGLISH.ANYBODY THAT CAN SPEAK MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE IS AT AN ADVANTAGE OVER THOSE THAT CAN'T.

RUDEDUDE GLENDALE,AZ (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 10:11 PM)

I thought Spanish was American. That language has been in North America long before English sailed to these shores. Actually both languages are transplants here so the English only group have little to base their arguments except linguistic bigotry.

Anyone vote for German as the national language - it was considered at one time in our history.

Micheal Groshong, McMinnville, Or (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 10:36 PM)

Why are Americans so fearful of other languages and other cultures? It is time to see America as a participant in the world community..not the world as a participant in the American community.

R Winters Sacramento, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 10:57 PM)

Be advised, the whites are in negative population growth. By the year 2042 or earlier they will be a minority. By the end of the century they will be..........
Oh to Mr. Furlong, I am bilingual, I speak both American English and British English. They are quite different, you know.

William , Sautee, GA (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 11:13 PM)

I AM SORRY AND I KNOW SPANISH IS FAST BECOMING OUR FIRST LANGUAGE ONLY BECAUSE THOSE THAT SPEAK IT WILL NOT LEARN ENGLISH. WHY DID RICHARDSON HAVE TO DO HIS SPEECH IN PART SPANISH? WHY DIDN'T THE OTHER APPOINTEES DO THEIR SPEECH IN OTHER LANGUAGES?

JANE SANTA FE NM (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:06 AM)

WELL WHY DO I HAVE TO LEARN SPANISH? I LIVE WHERE THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN IS ENGLISH.IF I MOVE TO A SPANISH OR FRENCH ETC COUNTRY I WILL LEARN THAT LANGUAGE BUT LAST TIME I CHECKED I STILL LIVED IN THE USA-AND THE LANGUAGE IS ENGLISH

JANE SANTA FE NM (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:10 AM)

I JUST THINK IF WE ARE GOING TO GIVE HISPANICS THAT DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH THE CHANGE TO BE SPOKEN TO IN THEIR LANGUAGE WHY NOT ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE USA AND DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH? I AM HIGHLY OFFENDED THAT HISPANICS GET PREFERENCE WHEN THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT SPEAK OTHER LANGUAGES DON'T AND I LIVE IN NM

JANE SANTA FE NM (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:17 AM)

To Mr.Michael Furlong in Long Island, NY, did You know that the culture in a person is measured too in how many languages He or She speaks ?? By the way, how many do You speak ?? Si me entendio ?? Est que me comprendez Vous ??

AL Richmond Va (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:32 AM)

I was absolutely moved by Gov. Richardson's moving address to the Hispanic Community of our country. It brought tears to my eyes and a swelling in my heart. I think sometimes Americans forget that this land once belonged to Native Americans who spoke many tribe languages, and to the Spanish and French. Individuals in Europe grow up learning many languages, and therefore, they have been able to create much unity. I hope, in some way, we can embrace this type of unity that brings all of us together as a community. A dream coming true that was envisioned by great leaders like Cesar Chavez, Dr. Marin Luther King Jr, Bobby Kennedy who marched through the streets of Montgomery, and now Barack Obama as our new president. Let us all stand together with all our differences in one dream of hope for benevolence and compassion.

Jensea Storie, San Diego, California (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:32 AM)

Wow... I'd like to learn to speak American too.

Roman, Riverside, CA (Sent Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:36 AM)

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