The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
John Marzan ·
Sep 9, 2011 at 1:16pm
Was when MSNBC trotted out Telemundo's Jose Diaz Balart to ask the Republican candidates about Immigration.
Ironically, given MSNBC’s repeated meme that the Tea Party is racist, the moderators patronizingly trotted out an Hispanic anchor to ask the candidates about immigration, then dismissed him when they moved on to other issues. This was classic MSNBC race-baiting against the GOP. Why didn’t they bring up a twelve-year old girl to ask the HPV question? Maybe I shouldn’t give them any ideas.
Couldn't Brian Williams and John Harris have ask those same questions themselves re immigration?
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Aug '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
That was a shockingly patronizing stunt.
Edited on Sep 9, 2011 at 6:23amDec '10
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Subtext: See, we know a Mexican.
Aug '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
The funny thing is, if it wasn't for his last name, I would have pegged him as a random white guy from Minnesota. If I change my last name to something foreign-sounding, can I become an interrogator of candidates, too?
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
It made me feel icky to see it. What next, rolling out a granny in a wheelchair to ask a question about Social Security?
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Agreed. It was totally bizarre. And it was awkward how they made him stand up on the stage and point at candidates. He did a pretty significant segment of the questioning -- why didn't they just give Balart a seat at the table? It made it all the more patronizing.
Apr '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Cringemaking in every way.
Heeeeeeeeeere's our Hispanic!
And Diane, you're right, invite the guy to sit down, for heaven's sake.
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
As someone who hasn't been paying attention to politics for too long, this kind of thing is just hilarious to me. Just like when Ed Schultz said that Rick Perry's "black cloud" quote was about Barack Obama, this stuff is too funny.
And then when it stops being funny it becomes depressing.
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Just parenthetically, if that was their idea, they screwed up. José Diaz-Balart is Cuban-American. He's got two brothers serving as Republican congressmen from Florida. But I guess to certain minds (theirs, not yours), Spanish-speaking people are fungible?
Edited on Sep 9, 2011 at 1:48pmMay '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
The only way that segment would have been more racist and patronizing is if they had a mariachi band play him on and off the stage.
Mar '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
What could be more weird than an MSNBC debate in the Reagan Library?
Dec '10
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Bill Walsh
Just parenthetically, if that was their idea, they screwed up. José Diaz-Balart is Cuban-American. He's got two brothers serving as Republican congressmen from Florida. But I guess to certain minds (theirs, not yours), Spanish-speaking people are fungible? · Sep 9 at 1:47pm
Edited on Sep 09 at 01:48 pm
You picked up on the subtle subtext that to the left brown is brown. See what happens if you call a Mexican a Cuban to his face or vice versa.
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Should they not have to answer to everyone? Why would that have been so bad? I didn't really see any problem with him asking the questions, he is just another American wanting some answers from people who claim to be capable of leading our country.
Apr '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
simplyvargas
Should they not have to answer to everyone? Why would that have been so bad? I didn't really see any problem with him asking the questions, he is just another American wanting some answers from people who claim to be capable of leading our country. · Sep 9 at 2:57pm
The problem is that he was not "just another American," he was used as a tool to dig at the candidates on immigration. As soon as Brian Williams announced "our colleague from Telemundo" every sentient being watching knew exactly what was coming next. If Balart was acting as "just another American" why didn't he ask about tax reform? Or energy policy?
Apr '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
simplyvargas
Should they not have to answer to everyone? Why would that have been so bad? I didn't really see any problem with him asking the questions, he is just another American wanting some answers from people who claim to be capable of leading our country. · Sep 9 at 2:57pm
The problem is that he was not "just another American," he was used as a tool to dig at the candidates on immigration. As soon as Brian Williams announced "our colleague from Telemundo" every sentient being watching knew exactly what was coming next. If Balart was acting as "just another American" why didn't he ask about tax reform? Or energy policy?
Jan '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Sure it's creepy, but this kind of thing happens often in the mainstream media. Make a mental note to watch for it when a racially diverse panel is discussing an issue, they often call upon the racial minority to introduce or comment on the issue one would stereotypically associate with that group.
It's so very ham handed but the Left is all about racial 'bean counting'.
Edited on Sep 9, 2011 at 5:08pmOct '10
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
I felt sorry for Jose Diaz Balart for being used as a prop.
Edited on Sep 10, 2011 at 3:26amMar '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
So utterly patronizing--as though the issue is a sideshow, not worthy of being debated in the middle of the debate with the moderators.
Feb '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
As I mentioned in another post post-debate, even the way the seated moderators greeted him - "Welcome, my friend!" - sounded so stagey and false. At least they didn't refer to him as an amigo.
Apr '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
He could have declined to participate in that way. And he should have.
Apr '11
Re: The Weirdest Part of the Last GOP Debate
Perhaps a Texas death row inmate could have been walked out in chains to ask Perry a capital punishment question. Sure it's patronizing, but worse it's silly and distracting. I won't forget him being paraded out there, but I've already forgotten his exact question and the candidates responses.