Dems Pick Villaraigosa to Rebut State of Union, in Spanish

Los Angeles Times ^ | January 25, 2006 | Edwin Chen

[RWR8189]

WASHINGTON -- Congressional Democrats announced today that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will deliver the party's Spanish-language response to next week's State of the Union address

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine will deliver the Democratic response in English from the governor's mansion in Richmond, Va., while Villaraigosa will do so in Spanish from his office in Los Angeles City Hall, said Sen. Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California.

The annual presidential address, before a joint session of Congress and a national audience, gives the chief executive the opportunity to lay out his agenda for the coming year.

Bush's speech will begin at 6 p.m. PST; the Democratic response generally begins about an hour later. The mayor's comments will be carried on Spanish-language networks.

This will be the third consecutive year that Democrats have offered a Spanish language response to Bush's speech.

Two years ago, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico delivered the first such response. Last year, it was jointly given by then Rep. Robert Menendez, now a senator from New Jersey, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.

Bush began editing drafts of his speech yesterday. He is expected to propose an array of new initiatives, including allowing Americans to take tax deductions on more of their out-of-pocket medical expenses.

"We are proud to have Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa delivering the Spanish language response this year," Reid and Pelosi said in a joint statement issued in both languages.

[Czar]

"Huh? Are you makin' this up on the fly?"

Sure looks like it.

[Czar]

"For the sake of the sport I'd prefer that these accounts be allowed to roam freely rather than stuffed and mounted or caged, only to be observed."

ROTFLMAO!

[Reddy]

Well, so much for being an english speaking country.

There was an ad on during the playoffs- in Spanish. There will be one during the Superbowl, too.

Maybe if we all simultaneously turn off our t.v.'s when these non-english programs air, the jolt will be felt all the way to
Mexico City.

[Alia]

As you and I have touched on before -- politics in No. CA and in So. CA are quite different. So. CA yet has pockets (enclaves, if you will) of staunch conservative areas. This cannot be said of the San Francisco Bay Area -- in that there are "enclaves". The SF Bay area is "heavily purple"", so to speak, more blue than red -- it's mano y mano types of politics with individual conservatives amid a sea of screeching liberals. Then there's the eastern portion of the state -- RED.

One is always feeling stronger when surrounded by folks of a like kind. And often I think those who are surrounded or amid a "red zone" have no understanding of those in the "purple" zones, and why THEY see things as they do.

Yes, I remember the Riordan (So. CA) flap during "total recall". He wasn't considered "pure" enough for some.

I read that Gov Schwarzennegger's polling data reveals 71% support by CA Republicans for his agenda in CA.