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From the Fact Check Desk: Obama's New Spanish Language TV Ad Es Erróneo
September 17, 2008 5:53 PM
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has launched a new Spanish-language TV ad that seeks to paint Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as anti-immigrant, even tying the Republican to his longtime conservative talk-radio nemesis Rush Limbaugh.
As first reported by the Washington Post, Obama's ad features a narrator saying: "They want us to forget the insults we’ve put up with…the intolerance…they made us feel marginalized in this country we love so much."
The screen then shows these two quotes from Limbaugh:
“…stupid and unskilled Mexicans”
—Rush Limbaugh
"You shut your mouth or you get out!”
—Rush Limbaugh
The narrator then says, “John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote…and another, even worse, that continues the policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families. John McCain…more of the same old Republican tricks.”
There are some real factual problems with this ad, which is titled “Dos Caras,” or two faces.
First of all, tying Sen. McCain – especially on the issue of immigration reform – to Limbaugh is unfair.
Limbaugh opposed McCain on that issue. Vociferously. And in a larger sense, it’s unfair to link McCain to Limbaugh on a host of issues since Limbaugh, as any even occasional listener of his knows, doesn’t particularly care for McCain.
Second, the quotes of Limbaugh’s are out of context.
Railing against NAFTA in 1993, Limbaugh said, "If you are unskilled and uneducated, your job is going south. Skilled workers, educated people are going to do fine 'cause those are the kinds of jobs NAFTA is going to create. If we are going to start rewarding no skills and stupid people, I'm serious, let the unskilled jobs that take absolutely no knowledge whatsoever to do -- let stupid and unskilled Mexicans do that work."
Not one of his most eloquent moments, to be sure, but his larger point was that NAFTA would mean that unskilled stupid Mexicans would be doing the jobs of unskilled stupid Americans.
I’m not going to defend how he said it, but to act as if this was just a moment of Limbaugh slurring Mexicans is not accurate. Though again, certainly if people were offended I could understand why.
The second quote is totally unfair. In 2006, Limbaugh was mocking Mexican law, and he wrote:
“Everybody's making immigration proposals these days. Let me add mine to the mix. Call it The Limbaugh Laws:
“First: If you immigrate to our country, you have to speak the native language. You have to be a professional or an investor; no unskilled workers allowed. Also, there will be no special bilingual programs in the schools with the Limbaugh Laws. No special ballots for elections. No government business will be conducted in your language. Foreigners will not have the right to vote or hold political office.
“If you're in our country, you cannot be a burden to taxpayers. You are not entitled to welfare, food stamps, or other government goodies. You can come if you invest here: an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage. If not, stay home. But if you want to buy land, it'll be restricted. No waterfront, for instance. As a foreigner, you must relinquish individual rights to the property.
“And another thing: You don't have the right to protest. You're allowed no demonstrations, no foreign flag waving, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our President or his policies. You're a foreigner: shut your mouth or get out! And if you come here illegally, you're going to jail.
“You think the Limbaugh Laws are harsh? Well, every one of the laws I just mentioned are actual laws of Mexico today! That' how the Mexican government handles immigrants to their country. Yet Mexicans come here illegally and protest in our streets!
“How do you say ‘double standard’ in Spanish? How about: ‘No mas!’”
But even if one is uninclined to see Limbaugh's quotes as having been taken unfairly out of context, linking them to McCain makes as much sense as running a quote from Bill Maher and linking it to Obama.
Asked for backup as to how Obama could link McCain to Limbaugh, the campaign provided this interview with McCain refusing to condemn the Minutemen from from the Kansas City Star:
Q: ‘Are they a good thing? The Civil Defense Corps, do you think -- do they help in the immigration fight, or not?’
A: ‘I think they're citizens who are entitled to being engaged in the process. They're obviously very concerned about immigration.’
Q: ‘Are they helpful?’
A: ‘I think that's up to others to judge. I don't agree with them, but they certainly are exercising their legal rights as citizens.’
Asked about the “lies” they’re accusing McCain of telling, the Obama campaign provided evidence that McCain in July 2008 told La Raza that he would have voted for the DREAM act, a bill that provides scholarships for the children of illegal immigrants, even thought he earlier in the campaign season said he would have voted against the bill.
Let’s delver further into this.
In the November 2007, Myrtle Beach Sun-News, McCain said of the DREAM Act, which he had cosponsored in the past, "I think it has certain virtues associated with it. And I think other things have virtues associated with it. But the message is they want the borders secured first."
The newspaper noted that McCain said he’d vote against a temporary worker program, even though he supports the idea. "I will vote against anything until we secure the borders," he said. "There is no way we're going to enact piecemeal immigration reform."
Before La Raza, McCain was asked by a young Latina if he’d support the DREAM Act, and he said, “Yes. Yes.”
The full exchange, however, goes like this:
QUESTIONER: Hi. I’m a part of One Dream 2009 and I am one of the 6 million who either have an undocumented parent or is undocumented and I wanted to know if you would support humanity all around the world and support our Dream Act that we are trying to pass.
MCCAIN: Yes. Yes. Thank you. But I will also enforce the existing laws of a country. And a nation’s first requirement is the nation’s security, and that’s why we have to have our borders secured. But, we can have a way and a process of people obtaining citizenship in this country. And, we cannot penalize people who come here legally and people who wait legally. And so, that’s a fundamental principle on which we have to operate. Thank you.
The Obama campaign also provided a number of seemingly conflicting comments McCain has made about offering greater funding for education programs in the No Child Left Behind act -- telling the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in June that he “would fully fund those programs that have never been fully funded,” while not suggesting any greater funding for the bill when he’s talked about education in front of whiter audiences.
That ignores the fact that McCain has suggested reallocating the way the $23 billion for NCLB is spent.
McCain has changed his rhetoric and his emphasis when discussing immigration after almost losing the GOP presidential nomination because of it.
He now says the borders must be secured before anything else happens. And in that, he’s opened himself up to charges of flip-flopping, though the Obama campaign is quoting him selectively and unfairly to make their points.
The greater implication the ad makes, however, is that McCain is no friend to Latinos at all, beyond issues of funding the DREAM act or how NCLB money is distributed. By linking McCain to Limbaugh’s quotes, twisting Limbaugh’s quotes, and tying McCain to more extremist anti-immigration voices, the Obama campaign has crossed a line into misleading the viewers of its new TV ad. In Spanish, the word is erróneo.
-- jpt
September 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (614)
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It's funny to hear uninformed people call Obama a Socialist and many of them don't know what a true Socialist government is. Hint, hint...the biggest "socialization" in HISTORY is one involving a $700B BAILOUT. Bush just nationalized (i.e., SOCIALIZED) the banking system! We villainize Hugo Chavez for nationalizing Venezuela's oil industry, YET the US turns around and does the SAME THING. Does NO ONE not see the glaring hypocrisy in that???
The Republican Party of today is a grossly misguided joke. This ain't your father's Republican Party!
Posted by: VetForObama | Oct 14, 2008 1:11:03 PM
about healthcare
Posted by: Terry | Sep 29, 2008 9:16:17 AM
Obama's recent efforts are a sign of a floundering campaign. Obama just doesn't want to be President bad enough. Proof of this: picking boring Joe Biden. The way to win: sack Biden (cook up health reasons), get Hillary as VP. Get new campaign strategists from ranks of Clinton veterans. Effectively take the initiative and hold on to it through Election Day. Result: President-Elect Barack Obama. Likelihood of Obama embracing *these* changes and becoming President? Zero. (Obama = Dukakis II) Likelihood of "President Sarah Palin" in 2012? 100%
Posted by: Stacy A. | Sep 23, 2008 8:40:18 PM
While it might not be right to link McCain and Limbaugh, they are in the same party. McCain has chosen to run his race as a Republican. This is who he's gotten into bed with. Is it any less fair than Obama being tied to Raines or the Chicago Machine (Daly & others). If the Republicans are going to play guilt by association, why shouldn't the Dems?
Posted by: Elizabeth | Sep 22, 2008 10:37:43 PM
So Bush was bad because he divided us. Obama is good because he will unify us. Of course, he left out the "how". We are now seeing the great unifier unmasked as just another politician, albiet with a radicalized agenda. The only unification will be the form you get in an autoctatic, socialist state.
Posted by: overlord59 | Sep 22, 2008 7:34:09 PM
It would be nice to get all the facts on both sides, without all the name-calling. Looking at the background of the four involved in this election, a McCain-Palin administration is much more likely to effect humane - and why not say it - Judeo-Christian immigration reform. The side which is against any good comprehensive reform if it hints of "amnesty" has to go back to its Christian roots. There's plenty of hate on both sides, but the people who will effect reform are the ones who have character and have already risked their careers in going against their own party at times to work for the people. What's most ironic is that most Spanish-speaking undocumented immigrants are more conservative in their family values, beginning with the pro-life issue. Their "spokesmen" from liberal college campuses, with some exceptions, seem to be using them to gain more power.
Posted by: D. Fontes | Sep 21, 2008 7:50:43 PM
It's funny. Anyone who knows McCain like I do from C-Span knows this is totally wrong about him. Obama has no shame, he smeared Hillary up and down. He claims to be a nice guy but this is so stupidly dirty and ignorant that I think it will work. McCain has been doing outreach to the immigrant community for a long time. Heck, he is from a border state, like duh. Course, Chicago politicos who put ad together might not think about it, but what politician could get elected if they insulted their constituents over a course of decades?
So, in concluding, the left is desperate, on the ropes, the media isn't telling the real popularity numbers about McCain/Palin and this will prolly be reported as fact.
I feel sad for you liberals, because you have to lie, smear, demonize other Americans just so people will elect you leftists.
Axlerod, Obama and Soros, you can't win on your issues alone, no one likes them.
Posted by: my kol | Sep 20, 2008 11:43:49 PM
Rush is not running for president Mccain, and Obama are. A willingness to sacrifice the truth for ones political ambition speaks volumes about character or the lack thereof.
Posted by: arelvee | Sep 20, 2008 8:55:12 PM
Rush is not running for president Mccain, and Obama are. A willingness to sacrifice the truth for ones political ambition speaks volumes about character or the lack thereof.
Posted by: arelvee | Sep 20, 2008 8:55:10 PM
Wow Limbaugh supports Mccain..Hmmm so it must be true.. I always knew Obama would resort to full blown racism, But wait I think the best is yet to come..
Palin fixed roads, and infastrucure with the bridge to no where.. She never lied she says I said Thanks- No thanks DUH!!
Good Job reporting real facts on this story. I am proud of you.
Posted by: Debbie | Sep 20, 2008 5:40:38 PM
The cost for health insurance premium: Senator and House of Representatives. Is it a token amount? How much are the payment?
Posted by: BJ Kay | Sep 20, 2008 11:43:36 AM
You people cant be this ignorant. Mccain has been spewing lies for the past two months. What difference is this from Mccain saying Obama supported sex education for kids. WAKE UP...Its going to get nasty
Posted by: Concerned AMerican | Sep 20, 2008 9:35:47 AM
Mccain tries to associate the bank buyouts to Obama. How is this ad any different. Two wrongs dont make it right , but there are several ignorant people that cant tell the difference. So , stop crying. You have to fight fire with fire. Period
Obama 08
Posted by: Concerned AMerican | Sep 20, 2008 9:32:12 AM
No wonder they have a jackass for a mascot!
Posted by: starflyer | Sep 20, 2008 7:31:26 AM
Just a note, the Ad never says the McCain has anything to do with Limbaugh. Only quotes Limbaugh as a source of the insults mentioned. It doesn't say McCain is doing the insulting.
Posted by: Association | Sep 19, 2008 7:13:33 PM
I'll agree with you on the fact that a direct association with Limbaugh is tenuous at best, but I don't think they were twisting Limbaugh's quotes.
He was saying that he wants to treat immigrants like second class citizens. Whatever happened to the idea that we're a nation of immigrants? "Give us your poor,...etc..." What Limbaugh was saying was, in my opinion, more objectionable than what the quotes showed.
I think too, that McCain is supporting these sorts of policies. Maybe old McCain wasn't a bigot, but the jury is still out on new McCain. One thing is for sure, though, he certainly wouldn't object to being put in office by a bunch of bigots.
Posted by: Patrick in CA | Sep 19, 2008 7:10:12 PM
UNFORTUNATELY FOR McCAIN,THAT HOW WE (LATINOS) FEEL!
Posted by: Teresa Alves | Sep 19, 2008 4:30:22 PM
Stupid ad to quote Limbaugh. Limbaugh isn't running.
And it's lazy: there is no need to lie about McCain: just the truth would do him in fine.
Party hacks running the elections... fooey.
Posted by: gberke | Sep 19, 2008 3:05:36 PM
Democrats inciting fear in a minority for votes? What? Who knew??
Posted by: What? | Sep 19, 2008 2:59:57 PM
I have to love it. "Not one of his most eloquent moments . . ." Did Limbo ever have an eloquent moment?
Posted by: Matt | Sep 19, 2008 1:28:33 PM
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