He gives an answer in a piece he wrote for today's Miami Herald-
I declined the invitation to participate in the Spanish-language Republican presidential debate on Sunday because I do not want to endorse the further Balkanization of American political life.My Philippine born wife who immigrated to this country 18 years ago says Tancredo is right. "When in Rome do as the Romans" she said.[...]
Can anyone imagine Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft having a Republican primary debate in German or Italian in 1912? Of course not. Indeed, I believe Teddy Roosevelt's admonition applies today. I do not believe it is proper to appeal to the ''Hispanic vote" or the "Asian vote" or the "Black vote." I believe we must appeal only for American votes.
Any political debate is aimed at citizens. It is about issues of concern to the entire community, not a segment of the community. It is vital that all political debates and discussions take place in the public square, not in separate enclaves. Our democracy does not need different messages broadcast to different audiences in different languages that are not heard or understood by other groups.
James Joyner at OTB wrote in regards to Tancredo's colum-
its essence strikes me as exactly right. And certainly, it's far better than the wimpy "scheduling conflicts" nonsense trotted out by those who skipped other niche debates.Maybe my wife and James are both right. A debate for the highest office in the land should be conducted in the language most people in this country speak. However I have doubts about his sincerity in saying what he did.
His immigration views are hard right, if not xenophobic, and I just feel that is what is really at work here. Call it my customary doubts about the truthfulness of what most any politician says or because Tancredo thinks Spanish speakers can't be American as he wrote above.
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race, Republican, Tancredo, debates
Tags: Tancredo
Comments (2)
Bravo to him!... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jo | December 8, 2007 6:41 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Bravo to him!
1. Posted by Jo | December 8, 2007 6:41 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 8, 2007 06:41
2. Posted by Jim Appleton | December 10, 2007 10:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Its time to stop being led by the nose by the majority of our mealy-mouthed so-called 'leaders' who will move from
position to position in order to gain votes which would benefit themselves without regard to any real convictions of conscience.
Now they have a Spanish debate? Since when do we need debates other than English ?
These politicians forge ahead thinking of themselves before our country's welfare.
The most clear-cut, honest presidential candidate is Tom Tancredo (or else a new
independent party candidate).
They had better stop pandering to all the fringe groups and start paying attention to the majority English-speaking Americans or else they are going to all be out.
2. Posted by Jim Appleton | December 10, 2007 10:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2007 22:05