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New Ad In Puerto Rico: "Soy Barack Obama"
In this new ad that just started airing in Puerto Rico, Obama shows off his not-too-bad Spanish speaking skills...
Translation coming in a sec.
Late Update: The translation is after the jump. In the ad, he seeks to bond with Puerto Ricans by saying: "I was born on an island, and I understand that food, gas, and everything costs more."
I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.I was born on an island, and I understand that food, gas, and everything costs more.
Puerto Rico has a right to a better future.
My plan offers new incentives to replace the 40,000 jobs that have been lost.
And invest in the education of Puerto Rican children.
On June 1st, it would be an honor to count on your vote.
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I don't speak that much Spanish, but that sounded pretty darn bueno!
May 28, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Do we have any recent polling of PR? Or are we just going into this primary blind?
May 28, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mostly blind. There was one poll taken months ago (in other words, essentially obsolete by now). I am not sure if anyone else is going to release new polls between now and Sunday, but as of now we are essentially blind. With that much said, here is my own prediction: Clinton by ~5%. In delegate terms it will be largely a wash.
May 28, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
I remember someone on MSNBC saying that historically PR goes the way that its governor goes. He's endorsed Obama. Then again, he's under investigation.
May 28, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Found the link, which has a link to the actual poll:
Clinton up by 13%
May 28, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Doh:
Polling
May 28, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
A 2-month old poll from 411mania.com is all we got? This should be fun.
May 28, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Antigua votación = mierda.
No mas.
May 28, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
NPR interviewed a Puerto Rican political expert the other day. He said he thought Obama would do surprisingly well next Tuesday. It seems a lot of people relate to him because of his mixed racial background.
May 28, 2008 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's what I found: Clinton 50%, Obama 37%
http://electioninspection.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/latest-puerto-rico-south-dakota-polls/
May 28, 2008 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's old too. That's all that's out there. I'm sure this has tightened up some. Richardson's campaigning for Obama there. How can you not like Richardson?
May 28, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Today's new Puerto Rico poll
May 28, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
classy.
May 28, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama/Kaine 2008!
Tim Kaine also speaks Spanish and fluently. I don't, so that's about all I've got.
May 28, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is a warm up for some solid GE ads in Texas, NM, Calif., etc.
May 28, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has Sen Clinton produced any ads in which she speaks in Spanish herself (for PR or any other market)?
May 28, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I just laughed out loud in my office at the thought of a Hillary ad where she was over-dubbed in Spanish, like some bad kung-fu movie.
May 28, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hee. Now I'm thinking about Hillary as Mothra.
May 28, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Although in that scenario, who would be Godzilla? He is a radioactive, mutated dinosaur... sounds a lot like McCain to me.
May 28, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
So true, too funny!
May 28, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't speak Spanish. Could fluent Spanish speakers comment on how good that sounded?
And hyperRevue, there was polling of Puerto Rico in either March or April (I just found it a couple of days ago, but don't have the link, and can't remember exactly when it was done, which makes this whole comment pretty useless, come to think of it) that had Clinton up by 13 points.
May 28, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a persnickety Spanish speaker from Venezuela, I'd say that although his pronunciation was of course not perfect, neither did he by any means murder the language.
The actual vocabulary he uses to convey what he is saying is at an intelligent level, not the over-simplified Spanish one often encounters in the US.
He was certainly carefully coached and pulled it off quite well, sounding very intelligent.
May 28, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
it sounded very good
May 28, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
He didn't overdo it. He sounds like a gringo, but a gringo with style.
May 28, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Woohoo!
May 28, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Haha, awesome!!
Best president ever! :P
May 28, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, please. Like Bush's people do, they have a stand in do a voice over so it looks like Bush speaks fluent Spanish. Anyone and their Mother can imitate Bush's voice - what do you think they did in the 2004 Spanish ads?
Bush claims he knows Spanish, but always denies speaking it when asked.
May 28, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Then that's a pretty good impersonation of his voice, because that really looks and sounds like Obama speaking. Nice coordination between the fake-Obama voice and the real Obama articulators...
May 28, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oops, my last post was a slam on Hillary Clinton, NOT Obama. Hit "Send" too fast.
I meant, if Hillary suddenly came out with a Spanish ad in PR, it'd most likely be a voice over from a stand in that sounds like her.
SHRIEK!!!
May 28, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
His accent isn't too bad. I'm impressed.
May 28, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is SO surreal. Well, it made me laugh at least
May 28, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
intrade has Hillary winning PR easily. and Obama winning MT and SD easily.
none will be close according to intrade.
expect supers to fall in line next week.
May 28, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Followed shortly by the few, remaining Hillary supporters. Get your unity candles out....
May 28, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Intrade results and $2.50 will buy you a cup of coffee. I honestly have no idea why we are all expecting PR to be a lopsided victory for Sen Clinton. She has an obvious advantage as the senator from NY, given the close ties between NY and PR, but Obama has an obvious advantage in being the candidate favored by the political machine (still controlled by Gov Acevado Vila, regardless of his indictment). I expect that her advantage trumps his, but not by double digits. I would be surprised if Clinton were actually to win by the 13% that the one poll had her up. I very much expect a single digit margin.
May 28, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I imagined Bush in that same ad, USING his own voice. He can't even speak the English language correctly, just the thought made me laugh.
May 28, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
We're blind, but you can bet the campaigns aren't. Interesting no internals have leaked from either side and neither side is doing any expectations setting. I don't know wtf it means, but its interesting. (Of course, if I did know what it meant, it might turn out to be totally boring.)
Also interesting he didn't unleash these language skills in Texas, California or Nevada. Or during his recent trip to Florida. Says a lot about how touchy anything that can set off immigration kookism is in this campaign. Apparently, its okay for Democratic presidential candidates to speak Spanish in places we grabbed directly from Spain, but not okay to speak Spanish in places we grabbed from places that freed themselves from Spain. And, apparently its absolutely forbidden in places we actually purchased from Spain.
May 28, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
As regards Florida, I expect that it might have something to do with the fact that his Florida appearances would be live, as opposed to taped in a studio. You are right, however, about how it is interesting that he was willing to run Spanish language ads in TX and NV, but not ads in which he actually spoke Spanish to the camera. Evidently the campaign thinks that there is more of a price to be paid by alienating Anglophones than there is a benefit to be accrued from courting Hispanophones. I wonder if bilingual candidates in (say) Manitoba find that same dynamic at work vis-a-vis French-language ads?
May 28, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
In Manitoba - like most of Canada - the candidates have to DEBATE in French (and English.) So, good or bad, everyone gets to hear them. And while some of the Anglo's are pretty appalling, they tend to get kudos for trying. Most amusing, PM Chretien's ENGLISH was pretty bad - but he became beloved for it. (That, plus keeping us out of Iraq and taking us into Kyoto.)
Though it HAS taken 30 years for red-neck Anglo's (c'est moi) to accept any politician even being ABLE to speak French.
Most interestingly, we're now seeing national leaders who can speak Mandarin etc. - the country is becoming multicultural so fast. Talk about weird ads to see - imagine McCain in Mandarin.
May 28, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember Chretien's English as frequently amusing. I was not aware that Anglo-Manitoban politicians were expected to debate in French. To think how that compares with our Unavision debates where Richardson and Dodd were forbidden to speak Spanish. So no one tries to win votes based on trying to foment an us-vs-them battle between the Franco- and Anglo-Canadians?
May 28, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Last National election, all candidates for PM debated in French. Two of the leaders are Francophone, one raised in Quebec and the Conservative leader is in heat for Quebec, so he joins too.
Foment an "us-vs-them" battle? Less these days. It's always been driven by angry-old-Anglo-men, and there's fewer of them daily.
Division these days is more often between the incredibly rich and Republican Right politics of Alberta, and the rest of the country, who have to actually pay for oil - with some fearing Alberta wants to break away to join the U.S. So Democrats be advised - this is NOT in your interests! We've got 9 provinces who are left of Massachusetts, and 1 to the Right of Texas.
May 28, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
For whatever little it is worth, Obama's campaign projected a 9 pt loss in February.
May 28, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
oh my god... i can't believe i'm going to say this but that ad obama did in puerto rico was awesome... i have to say he did really good.
May 28, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I remember someone on MSNBC saying that historically PR goes the way that its governor goes. He's endorsed Obama. Then again, he's under investigation... I am glad to hear you say that hyperRevue.
how can the people of puerto rico vote for a man that there governor has endorsed who is under investigation....... I bought into that ad by obama untill you made that statment.....
Puerto Rico.... show your support for hillary clinton.... don't support who your governor supports..... remember your governor is under investigation.
GO HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!
shame on obama trying to change me....shame shame shame and trying to change minds of those in puerto rico...shame shame shame.....
Obama should tell the governor of puerto rico that he does not accept his endorsement.
May 28, 2008 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Shame on Obama indeed! How dare he tempt you with logic and reason! And all that WINNING he's been doing - so distasteful.
Don't you ever get tired of all the contortions you have to do to keep up with the Clinton's tortured logic du jour?
May 28, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey! I know you! KFO Represent!
May 28, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
W00T! Go go go Knitters for Obama! (and for those of you who would laugh, KFO has raised over $10,000 for Obama and counting!)
May 28, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention donated over 1000 hand-knit items for premature and/or underprivileged babies.
May 28, 2008 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
high-fives Minjo
May 28, 2008 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
*sniff*
Really?
My preemie and I thank you.
May 28, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup! Here's a blog post I did about our Pennsylvania drive.
May 28, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is so great. Mine came home from the hospital on a cold Feb day in a beautiful hand-knitted cap. There were many random acts of kindness from strangers while we were there, all of them much appreciated. And as you clearly know, keeping a preemie warm is essential to his health. Preemies for Obama!
May 28, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't the (now former) governor of NY endorse Clinton? Isn't he under investigation?
May 28, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, Obama!! Why are you displaying the ability to change people's minds! It's not like that's a desirable Presidential skill or anything!
May 28, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
The governor of Puerto Rico should step down while under investigation and Obama should not accept the endorsement of the governor.
May 28, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Google much? His name is Anibal Acevedo Vila. I bet you have no idea who the Governor of Puerto Rico is or what he allegedly did.
It's amusingly transparent that were Vila to support Hillary, you'd be demanding that the charges against him be dropped. Not to quote Foghorn Leghorn or anything, but your argument is about as sharp as a sack of wet mice.
May 28, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ouch! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOL.
Take that, HillaryClinton08!
May 28, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Leghorn for VP!
(Though he'd get fried in Kentucky.)
May 28, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
They do not fry roosters. They are to tough. If you eat them at all you have to boil them for dumplings or soup.
May 29, 2008 1:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
HillaryClinton08 used to be ok, until HillaryClinton08 started making the standard troll comments in the previous thread.
Too bad.
May 28, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Luckily, I posted a link to this analysis from the Daily Kos on my blog:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/21/75834/3293/165/519524
Aren't we all happy I held on to it?
May 28, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
He had a strong accent, but you could tell he was trying and making an honest effort at getting it right -- at communicating, not just mouthing some foreign words for applause. But I wish someone had told him that Spanish D's are smoothed to voiced th's... that was his main problem, aside from the usual American sound of the vowels (not something a learner can really fix). The message was affable enough, though I suppose not much was really required at this point.
May 28, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you know which Spanish accent he was trying for? For all we know, Puerto Rico has a very anglicized Spanish dialect.
May 28, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, just asking, is this govenor under investigation by the Bush Administration?? If so, there may be questions that should be asked regarding how valid it is. I would like to learn more. I think the people of Puerto Rico are being used by the Corporate powers that be and anyone who might actually stand up for people's rights would be a target and therefore could be unjustly prosecuted. Don Siegleman's case for example. Can anyone who is aware of the alledged charges enlighten me?
May 28, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great ad, I mean REALLY ! How can you not like and respect this man ? He is real, I tell you , He's the Democrat's Reagan, as far as communication. I think he is better that Bill was, less manipulation, more honest and he reaches out when he speaks. I think that the Repubs are slowly realizing that this thing is gonna be a blow out !
May 28, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the desk of:
Terrible McAwful
Senator Clinton is putting together a TV ad, in response to Senator Obama's ad now showing in Puerto Rico.
We are asking for help from some of you who are fluent in Spanish. Please email or call us with the Spanish for;
Obliterate, Assassination, Sexist, Shame on you Barrack Obama, Slavery, Zimbabwe, Bitter, Cling, Rev. Wright, Gas Tax Holiday, Fighter, Snipers, White Americans, Sweetie, Hard Working Appalachian Puerto Ricans, and Woop-De-Doo.
May 28, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
So now the question is how internal politics are going to play into this, as both candidates are doing their best to skirt the statehood/status quo/independence issue.
May 28, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not Both, Hillary said she was for statehood last week ! I will be so thrilled when this thing is over.; I was abit afraid that Barack was not gonna play defense..But with McCain, he is going full throttle ! Against Hillary is was much more difficult for him to really fight back. It is gonna be a very interesting fall campaign.
May 28, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting.
That might play into Obama's hands, as he's been fairly neutral (of course, that's from the same NYT story you just pointed out was way out of date).
May 28, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Translation: "Hello, I'm Brack Obama and I can speak Spanish better than George Bush, and definitely better than Hillary Clinton. I was born on an island just like you, which is why I won Guam by seven votes. I would be honored if Puerto Rico didn't offer me a humiliating defeat just before I win the nomination."
May 28, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK credit where credit is due. That was pretty funny :)
May 28, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. Well done, Otto.
May 28, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK credit where credit is due. That was pretty funny. Insignificant island territories of the US, unite!
May 28, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the desk of:
Terrible McAwful
Senator Clinton is putting together a TV ad, in response to Senator Obama's ad now showing in Puerto Rico.
We are asking for help from some of you who are fluent in Spanish. Please email or call us with the Spanish for;
Obliterate, Assassination, Sexist, Shame on you Barrack Obama, Slavery, Zimbabwe, Bitter, Cling, Rev. Wright, Gas Tax Holiday, Fighter, Snipers, White Americans, Sweetie, Hard Working Appalachian Puerto Ricans, and Woop-De-Doo.
May 28, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
P.S. If you happen to have a few dollars to send along it would help so we could air the ads.
May 28, 2008 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a PR poll out--
http://ruralvotes.com/thefield/?p=1277
May 28, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Regarding Vilá's endorsement of Obama (from the wiki on P.R.'s governor):
"Acevedo Vilá endorsed Democratic Presidential Candidate senator Barack Obama, after Obama wrote a letter saying that he would accept the Constitutional Assembly as one of the mechanisms to define Puerto Rico's political future. After Vilá's indictment, however, Obama's campaign moved to name William Miranda Marin (city mayor of Caguas), as a new co-chair of Obama's campaign in Puerto Rico.[8]"
May 28, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't get it. Why is Obama wasting money and pandering to voters in Puerto Rico when they are saying that he already has the nomination? It doesn't make any sense. Unless the Obama campaign is once again saying one thing and doing another, the same way it did with with Hillary's RFK comment.
May 28, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
You really cannot tell a bloger from a campaign can you. Obama keeps saying the contest is not over because he does not want to piss off Hillbots any more than is required. He is campaigning so that he will be ahead even in the false metrics that Sen Clinton is pushing so that even her innumerate supporters can figure out that she was beaten fair and square.
May 29, 2008 1:10 AM | Reply | Permalink