Davis says he was 'just joking' about Schwarzenegger's pronunciation

[Ediacara]

Davis says he was 'just joking' about Schwarzenegger's pronunciation
By Alexa H. Bluth -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Monday, September 8, 2003


EAST LOS ANGELES -- Gov. Gray Davis on Sunday said he was "just joking around with someone in the crowd" when he remarked a day earlier that "you shouldn't be governor unless you can pronounce the name of the state."

Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign officials continued to call on Davis to apologize for his remark, which they called an "anti-immigrant slur."

But Davis did not apologize, instead downplaying a comment that referred to the Austrian accent of the actor who is running to replace him in the recall.

"We were just kidding around in a private discussion," he told reporters after participating in a Mexican Independence Day parade in East Los Angeles.

More at the Sacramento Bee

[sendero]

1. as usual....

... Pukes can say anything, and I mean *anything* about a Dem, but Dems are supposed to be nice guys who never tell it like it is.

It was not an "anti-immigrant" slur, it was an "anti-Arnold" truth. Tough sh*t dopes.

[Ediacara]

3. *sigh*

The accent is fake IMHO. He's been in the United States for 25+ years and should have a very good grasp of proper English pronunciation. I think the accent is a put-on, and probably something he's trademarked...

[DavidDvorkin]

9. That's a silly accusation, DinoBoy

It's common for people who move to a new country as adults to never lose their accents, no matter how long they live there.

[Patriot_Spear]

10. Yah, dat's not sehr funny, Herr Dinoboy...

...Und you vill haff to be punished serverly.

[5thGenDemocrat]

14. Yeah, just listen to Henry Kissinger

He's the smartest man in the world, been here over sixty years and he still talks like Sergeant Schultz.
John
"Dot iss veddy incorreckt." Cracks me up every time.

[Parche]

29. hurl

everytime I hear henry kissinger speak or see him I want to
hurl a cheney!!!!

[CO Liberal]

16. As an Actor, He Could Have Had Vocal Training

Many actors and newscasters have done this over the years in order to lose their regional accents. It can be done.

[hel]

21. But he never needed to talk

in his movies, so why would he need vocal training? :)

[Fridays Child]

2. Good for Davis--he's taking a page from the Repub playbook.

They never apologize for anything they do or say, and they love forcing Dems into defensive positions. Good for Davis.

[fla nocount]

4. A Governor should be required to spell it as well. n/t

*

[Patriot_Spear]

5. Welcome to politics Governor Gang Bang...

Pity factor: Zero point zero.

[symbolman]

6. Where IS

"Killifornia" anyway? :)

[CatWoman]

15. STOP IT!!!! STOP IT!!!!!

You guys are KILLING me!!!

:D

[robbedvoter]

7. And Arnie - who voted for prop 187 is pro-immigrant - he made 4 films

in Mexico! (true rationale he gave) If I were him, I'd tone down the 'immigrant" identification - especially when promising to revoke the licences bill! The whole rope and the hangman bit, Arnie!

[David__77]

8. Sorry Arnie.

Hmm... I think I would not make this joke, though it did make me laugh. It made me laugh not because accents are funny, but because Arnie's grasp over the issues is so tenuous that the idea that he cannot speak clearly kind of struck me as an accentuation of that truth. And what's with the accent anyway? I mean, he has a stronger accent now than in his movies! I mean, does it just blossom when he's "himself," or is it contrived or what? It really doesn't matter either way.

But one thing is for sure: His candidacy is further alienating Latinos from the GOP. His rantings about undocumented immigrants to California being able to drive is just preposterous. The right's anti-MEChA campaign is doing the same. Even Latino GOPers know it's a farce. Demographic realities--the outflow of Anglo rightists, the forward march of social progress for the LGBT community, and the increasing activism of a new generation of Latino and labor activists means that regardless of the outcome, the trend is favorable for CA progressives.

[wtmusic]

11. They're both right

And they're both wrong for California...

Go Cruz!!!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

12. Remember when Arnie Boy called...

Cruz Bustamante a "receding hair line with a mustasce" version of Grey Davis!!! Where is Mr. Bustamante's apology Arnie??? You repugnant piece of hypocritical swine that you are!!

[kskiska]

13. Arnie's Repug opponent's team said pretty much the same thing

"If they've called us about getting out, maybe the message got lost in all the other phone calls we're getting," said John Feliz, McClintock's campaign director. "I think we're going to give Arnold a run for his money."

As for the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger's recent absence from the campaign trail, "I hear they're giving him English lessons," Feliz said.

Besides, why is it okay to joke about Arianna's accent, but not Arnie's?

[SoCalDem]

17. Ahhhnold actually started it by calling attention to his own accent

so he cannot cry "foul" now , when someone else "jokes" about it..

People who have accents KNOW it.. they cannot expect others to just not "notice" it..:)

Come on Ahhhhnold, lighten up:)

[IndianaGreen]

18. In that part of the country, Davis is the one with an accent!

and if he says the same about Arianna, then he is as racist as a Republican.

I don't make fun of Democratic candidates' accents when they try to speak Spanish (I am bilingual), so they shouldn't make fun of a person's accent, whether they are immigrants or descendants of immigrants.

I include regional accents as well, of which we have plenty in here!

Comprende?

[David Zephyr]

19. California is a Spanish Word

which is most ironic in all of this, isn't it?

[IndianaGreen]

20. California was stolen from Mexico

as was a good chunk of the Southwest, let's not forget whose land we are talking about.

Mi querido amigo David.

:loveya:

[Character Assassin]

24. Pure fantasy....

California was stolen from Mexico as was a good chunk of the Southwest, let's not forget whose land we are talking about.

Last I checked, we're talking about US territory, IOW, our land. Stolen? You don't mean like how the Spaniards 'robbed' the natives already here when they showed up, do you?

Perhaps you just overlooked that little tidbit.

[David Zephyr]

25. Stolen Indeed, IG.

The ruling class of Mexico lost to the ruling class of the United States with poor Mexican kids and poor American kids dying in our Opeation Mexican Freedom war.

Of course, those that fought on both sides wound up with nothing, but their wounds and some "medals".

The Gentlemen Huntington, Stanford, Crocker, Hopkins certainly benefitted greatly from the U.S. "liberation" of Alta California as did Hearst and others.

Isn't it just the biggest coincidince that the U.S. soldiers invaded Mexico City in 1848, one year before the Gold Rush?

That's why I am so supportive of Cruz Bustamante. It's a riot watching white Republicans cringe in fear of Davis losing, but Bustamante winning. It gives me great satisfaction.

It also gives me great satisfaction watching some white Democrats also cringe at Bustamante's chances and explain how they only are against the Recall, but are not supporting Bustamante on the Second Question. Fuck 'em.

Mi querida y estimada amiga IndianGreen.

:loveya:

[fla nocount]

30. Little theft going on in the ME as well IG. You know that better than me

Indigenous people vs. European invader. Looks like the pale-face has an agenda.

[symbolman]

22. Apparently he's capable

of pronouncing the word (forgive me) "nigger" just fine, according to the latest on Drudge - which I don't like to link, but I believe the link is available in another Latest News thread..

What a treat this clown is.. amazing, rapist, dopesmoker, purveyor of filth..


The Repigs must be so proud..

[IndianaGreen]

23. I don't take ethnic slurs lightly, even those made in jest

and I care little whether the person making them has a "D" or an "R" after their name.

We are having a large influx of Mexican immigrants in my neighborhood. They work hard. They love their families. They bring their rich culture with them. We all benefit! I don't think that making fun of their accent, those that can speak English, is kosher at all!

[DavidDvorkin]

26. Well said, IndianaGreen

I'm an immigrant, myself. I still have traces of an accent.

Mine is a British/South African accent, so it's not one of those people make fun of. The opposite, if anything -- that's one of the accents Americans tend to admire. Nonetheless, this whole thing offends me. Making fun of someone's accent is no different from making fun of any other ethnic or racial characteristic.

(Now, I'll admit that logically I should therefore be offended that my accent gains me some kind of respect or stature with some people. I'll just choose to be illogical in this regard.)

[David__77]

27. I agree with you, but actions speak louder than words.

Davis is no enemy of immigrants or people of color, while "Pete Wilson II" Arnie most certainly is. I feel compelled to add this crucial point. That said, I would ask that we all find other things to make fun of Arnie for--and there certainly are plenty of things to choose from!

[Hawkeye-X]

28. Want to know a funny thing?

Being born here in the US. I have a speech problem, which required me to go through speech therapy. It left me with some sort of accent, and once I went to France/Italy/Switzerland and spoke French, the French folks could understand me better than the Americans, and thought I was from there!

:evilgrin:

Hawkeye-X

[Forkboy]

32. you say dopesmoker like it's a bad thing

:)

[Democat]

31. What about Arnold calling blacks "niggers"?

The fucking media goes after Davis for a joke, but won't report on Arnold calling blacks "niggers" repeatedly?

This is an outrage!

Everyone should write to this paper and tell them to report on Arnold's blatant racism.

http://www.drudgereport.com/ar1.htm

[Forkboy]

33. I get a little tired of

the "I said it in a private conversation" excuse.

Dem or Repub makes no difference.