There was little controversy in the first Democratic debate for Spanish-language Univision network, except for Bill Richardson being cut off - for speaking Spanish!

The rules required answers be given in English, although the questions were asked in Spanish and interpreted for the candidates through earphones which worked only sporadically early in the debate. This presumably was to be "fair" to the non-Spanish speakers among the candidates, since only Richardson and Senator Chris Dodd speak the language conversationally. Perry Bacon Jr. reports for the Washington Post :

Salinas and Ramos, meanwhile, delivered challenges of their own. Dodd, Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) were called to account for their votes to build a fence on the U.S.-Mexico border. All three noted their support for broader rights for Latino immigrants, both legal and illegal, but they said tighter border security is important. "That has to be part of comprehensive immigration reform," Clinton said, adding that in some points she supported "even a physical barrier."

Richardson called the fence "a horrendous example of misguided Washington policy."

"If you're going to build a 12-foot wall, you know what's going to happen," he said. "A lot of 13-foot ladders. This is a terrible symbol of America."

That seven of the eight Democratic candidates came to South Florida -- Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.) did not attend -- underscored the increasing importance of Latino voters in U.S. politics. Obama's campaign recently announced that he would skip some of the forums organized by liberal groups in the Democratic Party, but he was sure not to miss this event.

Read the whole story at the link above. Odd that candidates would be prohibited from speaking Spanish at a Spanish-language debate broadcast on a Spanish-language television network . . .

But, as with all Democratic debates, Hillary Clinton wins as long as she doesn't obviously lose. Her tepid "pro-enforcement" votes will give her far stronger play in the press than their provisions would have yielded enforcement. The vapid pandering which characterized this session offered no illumination otherwise.