Arnold Schwarzenegger, Talk Radio, Spanish Television

STATING THE OBVIOUS

Arnold's Honesty Infuriates Left, Fuels Talk Radio







Is there anything more obvious than the idea that only total immersion will lead to foreign language fluency?

So why did that very concept, expressed in simple terms, get California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in so much hot water today? And will it prove a tough lesson for the Governator?

After all, Arnold's speech before Hispanic journalists gathered in the Bay Area city of San Jose was meant to promote President Bush's amnesty proposal for illegal immigrants, hated by conservatives but likely very popular at the convention.

What did Arnold get in return for supporting their cause? Nothing but negative headlines carried worldwide, all because he suggested today's immigrants spend more time learning English:

Schwarzenegger: Immigrants should avoid Spanish-language media to learn English


SAN FRANCISCO: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's remarks that immigrants should avoid Spanish-language media if they want to learn English quickly left some Hispanic journalists shaking their heads.

"You've got to turn off the Spanish television set" and stay away from Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night at the annual convention of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. "You're just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster."

Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the U.S. from Austria, was responding to a question about how Hispanic students can improve academic performance. The audience included many journalists who work for Spanish-language media outlets.

"I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say and I'm going to get myself in trouble," he said. "But I know that when I came to this country, I very rarely spoke German to anyone."

And sure enough, some journalists at the convention knifed him in the back at the earliest opportunity:

"I'm sitting shaking my head not believing that someone would be so naive and out of it that he would say something like that," Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said Thursday.

Nogales said immigrants need Spanish-language media to stay informed and "function in this society."

Pilar Marrero, the political editor for the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion, chuckled at the governor's comments, saying many Hispanics did not have time to learn English.

"They're too busy working," she said.

They don't have time to speak it on the job?


And sure enough, Californian talkers knew a great topic when they saw one, with hosts from San Diego to San Francisco leading off with the story. KFI / Los Angeles host Bill Handel (right) devoted his 7am hour to the controversy, while KSFO's Lee Rodgers and Melanie Morgan Show was all over it as well.

According to Morgan, "I HATE having to defend Governor Schwarzenkennedy, but when he's right, he's right. But it's amusing that the Governor ended up insulting one of his biggest campaign contributors: Univision!"

And that pretty much sums up the bed Arnold has made for himself: after years of sucking up to these special interest groups, he's repaid with scorn and derision.

Hey, it's not too late to back a better horse, is it?


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Top Arnold image: AP