Video: Newt apologizes for “ghetto” comment in Spanish
posted at 4:50 pm on April 4, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Kid from Brooklyn sends this along with the subject heading, “Hispandermania!” Which I believe is a Kaus coinage, is it not? Either way, it’s simply delightful.
Newt’s right to apologize for his comment, which he’s been trying to spin since it escaped his lips. (The Chicago Tribune has video.) The fact that he’s doing it in Spanish, though, is too funny considering that the “ghetto” remark was in the context of a speech opposing bilingual education. He’s willing to take a stand on English-only — but not when his own political future’s in jeopardy.
Needless to say, his Spanish reeks, although in his defense he does say he’s still learning. I do like the hand-over-heart gesture near the end, too. Just shows you how much he’s pained by this.
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I hate apologies.
Gerber mashed squash for a nation of infants.
a4g on April 4, 2007 at 5:00 PM
The wind beneath his political wings just turned into a hiccup.
fogw on April 4, 2007 at 5:01 PM
Irony.
amerpundit on April 4, 2007 at 5:02 PM
Kaus’ use of that term goes back to 2002, so it may well be his. I hear it most on Boortz.
If Rudy opened the door for Fred! by sticking to his guns on abortion funding, then Newt just laid out the welcome mat.
The hand over the heart is the outward physical expression of Newt’s Clintonian ethics. He’s not even in, and already, he’s backtracking and trying to triangulate. “Siento su dolor”.
Picture Fred! delivering this lame-assed suck-up.
Kid from Brooklyn on April 4, 2007 at 5:04 PM
I’m so sick of apologies. Just say what the hell you mean and stick with it.
darwin on April 4, 2007 at 5:07 PM
Great point. I mean, his original description was accurate. COMPLETELY accurate.
Que se vayan los illegales. Respeten por favor nuestras leyes
dc84123 on April 4, 2007 at 5:10 PM
As a good ol’ Republican all I can say is where is Harry S Truman when ya need him? Newt…….you had it right the first time. If you are apologizing because La Raza didn’t understand your comments then you just lost a million votes.
Limerick on April 4, 2007 at 5:11 PM
“Cubro mi asno.”
SouthernDem on April 4, 2007 at 5:13 PM
Another potential candidate with too much baggage.
In the end, there can be only Fred!
Coyote D. on April 4, 2007 at 5:15 PM
Estupida estupida estupida!! Newt esta loco por pensando que el necesita disculpar por deciendo la verdad. Newt stop the hispandering, you just lost any support you may have had! My wife is a recent immigrant from Colombia who is learning english and even she thinks it is stupid to have a bi-lingual country. Newt, get lost! Fred, welcome to the Republican nomination sir.
NeverSubmit on April 4, 2007 at 5:19 PM
Bien jugado, Senor.
I think you mean “cubro mis nalgas”.
Kid from Brooklyn on April 4, 2007 at 5:19 PM
Before Fred! I was firmly in the Newt camp. Now it better be Fred! or I have no vote to cast.
Limerick on April 4, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Yeah, I think “cubro mi asno” translates to “cover my donkey”. Best I could do though.
SouthernDem on April 4, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Most of us wouldn’t have known he made the original comment.
Now he apologizes for a comment that needed no apology and looks weak.
Please post the responses of Tom! as they become available.
Valiant on April 4, 2007 at 5:22 PM
I know it would have been political suicide for him to continually defend what he said but the bottom line is that he was making a good point (though very clumsily) when he said that Spanish is the language of the ghetto. English is the language of business and political discourse in the United States. Thats undeniable. If you disagree with me then please name me one person you NEED to communicate with who speaks ONLY Spanish. Exactly.
His problem was that he was just not very tactful in how he said what he said to begin with. He shouldn’t have said Spanish is the language of the ghetto. He should have said that it is very difficult to become successful in the United States of America if you CANNOT speak English.
Zetterson on April 4, 2007 at 5:23 PM
Cover my donkey?
Cover my buttocks?
I think what you both are trying to say is…
Besa mi culo / cola
Pucker up Newt
NeverSubmit on April 4, 2007 at 5:24 PM
1950’s…..I was the oddball in school because where I grew up the red hair sorta gave me away. The big difference was that Jose, and Manuel, and Carla all spoke perfect English.
Their parents didn’t, but they did. What a racist community I lived in. The kids learned English, and the Pledge of Allegience, and stood in line at the AFEES station with their draft cards just like me. Friggin racist America anyway. Turning everyone into an American. I am so ashamed.
Limerick on April 4, 2007 at 5:31 PM
Does this mean that they’re going to make Elvis apologize for doing “In the Ghetto”?
As for Newt, this is a great disappointment. Don’t apologize when people get offended because the truth hurts. That’s their problem to deal with, not yours.
Well, donkey-covering is important too. An uncovered donkey is the Devil’s playground.
ReubenJCogburn on April 4, 2007 at 5:34 PM
cubro mi Michael Ware works.
fogw on April 4, 2007 at 5:37 PM
Newt just made a cullo of himself, imho.
Parley on April 4, 2007 at 5:40 PM
Los rasgones del cocodrilo están fluyendo.
Fred! is so smart to not jump in, yet…
Entelechy on April 4, 2007 at 5:42 PM
Mea maxima culpa from another speed bump in the ‘08 race.
spmat on April 4, 2007 at 5:43 PM
The most racist people I have ran across here in the US are hispanics (specifically Mexicans), I know this because I am fluent in spanish and they don’t think a “gringo” like me would understand them. You should see the look on their faces when I answer them in spanish, and tell them what I think of their bigotry. Most have nothing more to say and are just plain old embarrassed that they have been caught. When I travel to Colombia, I don’t encounter the bigotry and racism like I do here, and as a bonus there is absolutely no political correctness! When Newt says spanish is the language of the ghetto he’s not too far off the truth, central and south american countries are not much more than giant ghettos, there are exceptions, but his comments were not far from the truth.
NeverSubmit on April 4, 2007 at 5:51 PM
Okay? He’s apologizing for…?
SouthernGent on April 4, 2007 at 6:16 PM
g>Hey guys, the tinfoil hatted leftist loons won’t be able to understand a word Newt says”!
His Spanish may not be perfect (heh) but at least he can talk it…I know, I didn’t have to read the printed words on the screen, well, not very often. It is to be hoped that the “Latino” community gets it.
sharinlite on April 4, 2007 at 6:24 PM
How about if you come (sneak) into this country and don’t learn English you will wind up in a ghetto, or a small town in a blue state and turn it into a ghetto.
Too bad you can’t tell the truth and possibly fix things anymore.
Hening on April 4, 2007 at 6:25 PM
Ok I think people are missing the point here. This isn’t an apology as much as it is an explination of his statements. Sounds the same but isn’t really. If he flavors it as an apology then it will get passed about the media and people will get to hear it. He is getting him message about the importance of English out there to the ones that need to hear it and being denied the reasoning. Also, by his speaking in Spanish, he is undercutting the opportunity for The Media to play with the translation.
- The Cat
MirCat on April 4, 2007 at 6:32 PM
I can’t see the video because I’m still at work, but the description is enough to make me ill. Newt, Newt, why?
Why are white people always apologizing for saying what is really on their minds? I’m sure he thinks the language of the ghetto is Spanish and every American or immigrant should be literate in Standard American English. Who does not agree with that? English needs to the official language of the United States period.
Theworldisnotenough on April 4, 2007 at 7:07 PM
I saw no need to apologise. He used the word in the proper context. It isn’t Newt’s fault that people don’t know the proper meaning of words.
Pam on April 4, 2007 at 7:09 PM
Newt needs to pry his lips from the special interest @ss of the Hispanic population. Newt just did himself in (according to me), which leaves Fred!.
It’s disgusting. Do the activists have pics of all the GOP candidates with farm animals or something?
linlithgow on April 4, 2007 at 7:14 PM
I liked the first video better. What he originally said was 100% correct. Apologizing just makes him look like a push over.
John on April 4, 2007 at 7:25 PM
Did he learn nothing from Ann Coulter? She didn’t apologize and that story went away fast. All you have to do is stand up to the media and the Left. Really, it’s all you have to do!
DO IT, DANG IT!
SouthernGent on April 4, 2007 at 7:29 PM
No entiendo el problema. El tenia razon.
Like an earlier post mentioned, Ann was right to tell the leftest media to stick-it. “Play the man Newt.”
Mojave Mark on April 4, 2007 at 7:47 PM
He might have lost a few votes here but I bet he just picked up some Hispanic votes. I understood what he said. He stuck to his point that to be successful here Latinos need to assimilate and that starts with learning the language. He just apologized for the insensitive way he said it.
I’m sick of apologies too. Only because it seems to me that it’s only the Republicans who apologize.
CCRWM on April 4, 2007 at 8:03 PM
I submit that it already is.
Well, that a certain form of it, which I call Legal English. The Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, and United States Code, as well as the codes of the several states, are written in English. Every opinion of the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal is written in English. Every Executive Order is written in English.
The Monster on April 4, 2007 at 8:19 PM
His Spanish was quite good but the pronunciation left something to be desired.
pjcomix on April 4, 2007 at 9:00 PM
I Like Newt he’s a super smart guy that cuts through the crap.
This of course shows that anybody can make a mistake though apologizing in Spanish won’t accomplish anything positive.
What we all need to remember is that Leopards don’t change their spots no matter how much mud they smear on themselves.
After every election, politicians will go right back to the foundation they started evolving from in order to win and that means Guiliani will support abortion and defeat our second amendment, McCain will sign an amnesty bill and consort with communists and Newt will sidle up to big money and most favored player perks.
Were Newt is falling behind with me right now is on the character issue.
No character, no walk the straight and narrow and no defend the Constitution, no votes Newt or anybody else.
I’m fed up with convertible Conservatives.
Speakup on April 4, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Lo Siento!
Bienvenidos Sr. Fred!
Viva La Raza!
PinkyBigglesworth on April 4, 2007 at 9:55 PM
Que lastima!
Sr. Newt, no habla “ghetto”…..
PinkyBigglesworth on April 4, 2007 at 9:57 PM
His apology wasn’t for the consumption of gringos. I thought he came off as genuinely sincere.
Newt is no idiot. If I were his advisor, I would have taken a poll of his favorability among latinos, then have him make a mildly offensive remark. Poll again. Then have him apologize for it and then poll the community again to see what effect his apology/explanation had on them.
Any candidate that gets the latino vote WILL BE the next POTUS.
csdeven on April 4, 2007 at 10:47 PM
I didn’t see an apology and I’m glad because there was no need for one. I would classify this as a clarification of his previous comments not an apology.
RobertCSampson on April 4, 2007 at 10:52 PM
Mr. Speaker,
I had to revisit this post because, I just could not let it go………
I, too, learned to speak, read, and write Spanish in school, but when you get to the Barrio (not Ghetto, maybe Spanish Harlem on the East, but come to Southern California, and it’s La Raza/Conquista Central) on the street, it’s another aspect. Yet being from Italian heritage, I was not offered the same respect. So, growing up, I was taught, rightly, to be an American first, band with my brothers (other ethnic groups) and fight the endless school yard duels on a daily basis.
Enter MECHA, La Raza, Reconquista, etc…..
They are not interested in your apology or plea to join the “American” society, they are interested in a “Mexican Infitada”….
Brother Newt, you need to get your butt out of Washington, come down to the border, and see what the hell is going on!
http://www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html
PinkyBigglesworth on April 5, 2007 at 3:52 AM
I read the entire context of Newt’s comment. There was no need to apologize as he was quite correct. All he did by apologizing was give ammo to the leftists.
DannoJyd on April 5, 2007 at 5:57 AM
Hipocrites wrapped in tortillas abound.
Mellen on April 5, 2007 at 9:40 AM
This whole issue confounds me. People will learn English, you don’t need legislation or immersion or whatever. How do I know this? Because it has happened before. Popular misconception aside, our current % of foreign language speakers and of immigrants (legal and not legal) does not surpass the % of the early 20th century.
Large pockets or ghettos if you prefer, of Germans, of Polish, of Russian speakers etc learned the common tongue because it was a necessity to prosper. Isn’t this the mantra of conservatives–let people make their own choices, give government, especially the feds, out of people’s lives.
Children need to learn English–if bi-lingual is the best method, then use that. If immersion is, use that. But don’t make the decision based on some half baked xenophobic notions.
honora on April 5, 2007 at 10:21 AM
Honora, is it xenophobic because it came out of the gringo’s mouth?
Gingrich brutishly mirrored what I consider to be (as of now) the greatest single piece of advice my parents have ever given me. However, it still rings true. Assimilation and mastery of the English language are the hallmarks of Latino success. The opposite path leads to modern-day slavery as an underpaid worker with no rights, no benefits, constant exploitation, and no real recourse for redress.
My only beef with Newt is with his sorry postscript.
Kid from Brooklyn on April 5, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Yes, honora, kid from brooklyn has it right. You libs want to keep minorities in your ghettos and keep them enslaved to you for their existance so you can demand their votes at election time.
csdeven on April 5, 2007 at 12:08 PM
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