Slate, USA, July 9, 2008

John McCain and the GOP continue their efforts to attract Latino voters. To that end, McCain has just released a Spanish-speaking ad for the Latino electorate in Florida. The ad attempts to persuade Floridian Latinos that free trade agreements of the sort McCain champions are good for them.

Here is the text of that ad, as released by the McCain campaign –

Hi, my name is John McCain and I’m the Republican candidate for President of the United States.

When it comes to a strong economy for our state, commercial trade with Latin America is crucial. Three-quarters of Florida's exports are with Latin America, and the Colombian Free Trade Agreement would create even more opportunity.

In this election, my opponent talks about revising Free Trade Agreements with Mexico, Canada, and Colombia. This would hurt our economic future.

Last year Florida's exports to Latin America reached almost $45 billion dollars. Colombia is Florida's third most important export market and this trade agreement would create almost 5,000 new jobs.

Remember, the name John McCain stands for prosperity in Florida, our country and our hemisphere.

It has not taken long for the fact-checking folks at Newsweek to find some problems with McCain Spanish straight talk.

Trade with Latin America makes up fifty-three percent of Florida’s exports rather than the seventy-five percent claimed. The $45 million figure represents Florida’s exports to all countries, not just Latin America. Ignoring “most important” as unquantifiable, Columbia is Florida’s fifth largest export market rather than third – and McCain quoted that figure this May while writing an article for the Miami Latin Business Chronicle. New job creation come from a group whose assumptions are suspect. Regardless, their number is closer to four thousand than five thousand.

Never mind all these twisted, exaggerated, and invented figures. Has anyone seen the actual text of this ad in the original Spanish? I was able to acquire a copy at great personal risk and present it below.

Hola, me llamo Juan McCain. Soy un hombre viejo, secado, blanco que quiere ser el Presidente de los Estados Unidos.

Quiero Hispanos para tener mucho dinero y “bling.” Comercie con América Latina ese muy importante para mis amigos ricos.

Florida consigue muchas cosas de América Latina, como marihuana y cocaína, y el Tratado colombiano de Comercio crearía más oportunidad para tu y tus familias para llenar tus cuerpo cavidades con sustancias criminales cuando usted entra en este país ilegalmente.

Mi opositor en esta elección, el diablo negro Barack Obama, quiere repasar Tratados de Comercio con México, Canadá, y Colombia, a fin de hacerlos más equitativo. Tu impedirá comprar al jinete bajo de Impala Chevy de tus ensueños y mierda barata para la casa de tu madre.

El año pasado, el comercio de Florida con América Latina alcanzó casi 45 mil millones de dólares. Esto es más dinero que el carácter de Al Pacino tenía en el pelicula Scarface. Un Tratado colombiano de Comercio crearía casi 5,000 empleos nuevos. Sería bastantes empleos para todos tus primos . . . asunción no contar primos segundos. El punto es que no esperan trabajar en Home Depot cada mañana y es una cosa buena.

Recuerde, el nombre Juan McCain representa prosperidad en Florida, nuestro país y nuestro hemisferio. También recuerde que el chupacabra Barack Obama quiere ver a Fidel Castro andar las calles de Miami con tus hermanas.

If you cannot read Spanish, just follow this link (<link>) to a simple but serviceable online translation service. Be sure to select “Spanish to English.” The website has a limited word capacity, so I suggest you cut and paste the above message one paragraph at a time. If you do, I am sure you will be as shocked as I was by what McCain and the Republicans are trying to get away with these days.