| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, March 11 2002 |
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| In this midterm election year, we can expect a bit of a change in the political language. And it's not so much that politicians have decided to toughen their speeches in this post-Sept. 11 era; it's that many of them are taking Spanish lessons. As shocking as it might seem to some, Spanish is becoming the new language of politics in a clear sign of the growing importance of the Hispanic vote.
The March 1 debate between two Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidates was a first in recent history. The debate, held first in English and then in Spanish, created another debate about whether Hispanic voters prefer to get their politics in English or in Spanish. Former State Attorney General Dan Morales decided to translate his answers into English during the Spanish portion of the debate. Morales said most voters, even Hispanics, are more fluent in English. He also criticized his opponent, millionaire businessman Tony Sanchez, for dividing voters by race and ethnicity. Sanchez, in turn, accused Morales of being ashamed of his heritage.
Although important issues were discussed during the twin debates, the most significant part was that one of the debates was in Spanish. The winner of the Democratic primaries held this week will run against Gov. Rick Perry, who is also on the Spanish bandwagon. Last year, Perry traveled to Mexico for a Spanish immersion course. Bilingual politics in a state like Texas is not surprising. After all, one out of every three Texans is of Hispanic origin, and Hispanics account for 20 percent of the electorate in that state. But what about the rest of the country?
For some time now, politicians across America have been adding Spanish-speaking personnel to their staff. But this year, some politicians are going a step further. The Republican National Committee announced that it is offering Spanish lessons to party leaders across the country. The first course begins March 18. For 10 days, a group of 10 Republican bigwigs will get intensive Spanish lessons at Berlitz language school in Washington. Sharon Castillo, deputy director of communications for the Republican National Committee, says that the Spanish immersion course is part of a broader package as an outreach to the Hispanic community. "Why?" I asked. "Studies have told us that Hispanics react better to Spanish-language programming and marketing," Castillo told me. I got an almost identical answer from Guillermo Meneses, director of Hispanic media for the Democratic National Committee. "We have seen that Latinos respond more positively when the message is communicated in their own language," he said.
Even though there are several Democratic members of Congress learning to speak Spanish, Democrats already have a head start on Republicans. Out of the 21 Hispanics in Congress, 18 are Democrats and already speak Spanish. The language and the issues -- such as immigration, welfare, education and jobs -- are what make the Democratic Party more attractive to Hispanic voters, according to Meneses. But the GOP's Castillo says that "for the first time, Hispanics who have traditionally voted for Democrats are taking a fresh look at Republicans, because our leader understands the issues that are important to them." She is talking about President George W. Bush, of course. Bush frequently spoke Spanish in his campaign speeches. He celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the White House and established a Spanish version of his weekly radio address.
All this effort to speak the language of Cervantes has one goal in mind, and it's not preparing for a vacation in Acapulco, Mexico, or a trip abroad to Barcelona, Spain. It's to attract the fastest-growing voting group in the country. And while I think itflattering, I see it largely as a symbolic gesture. The secret to attracting the Hispanic vote is not in the language but in the message. Get ready, because this is only the beginning of a long year of politics en español. |
