Booker’s Reaction to O’Rourke’s Spanish Is the Best Meme of the Debate

Erica Gonzales
Photo credit: NBC
Photo credit: NBC

From Harper's BAZAAR

  • Candidates Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker, and Julián Castro spoke Spanish during the Democratic debate on Wednesday night.

  • Castro is the only Latinx candidate in the Democratic presidential race.

  • Online viewers turned Booker's reaction to O'Rourke's speaking in Spanish shortly after the debate began into a meme.

The Spanish language was the surprise star of the first Democratic primary debate Wednesday night, as multiple candidates appealed to Spanish-speaking viewers and voters while onstage in Miami.

Former congressman Beto O'Rourke en Español while answering his first question at the event, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker followed up while discussing the border crisis, and former Obama cabinet member Julián Castro, the only Latinx candidate in the Democratic presidential race, spoke Spanish in his closing statement. Moderator José Díaz-Balart, a news anchor for Telemundo (which broadcasted the debate along with NBC and MSNBC), also spoke the language while asking a question.

According to TIME, among O'Rourke's comments were: "We need to include every person in the success of this economy." ("Necesitamos incluir cada persona en el éxito de este economía.") And, "We will treat each person with the respect and dignity they deserve as humans." ("Vamos a tratar cada persona con el respeto y dignidad que merecen como humanos.")

Speaking about immigration, Booker said, "The current situation is unacceptable." ("La situación ahora es inaceptable.")

Castro kept his comments brief, saying, "My name is Julián Castro and I am running for president of the United States." ("Me llamo Julián Castro y estoy postulando por presidente de los Estados Unidos.") He declared to "say adios to Donald Trump" after the 2020 election.

Photo credit: NBC
Photo credit: NBC

Whether it was viewed as forced or genuine, the candidates' decision to speak Spanish was not random. Pew Research Center projects that the 2020 election will "mark the first time that Hispanics will be the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the electorate." Refinery29 points out that Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the U.S. and over 40 million people in the country speak it at home. With Telemundo airing the debate and Miami, a Latinx-majority city, hosting it, the presence of a massive Spanish-speaking audience was undeniable.

Political strategy aside, viewers nonetheless took note when candidates went bilingual during their speaking turns. Some even went so far as to meme O'Rourke and Booker.

People also paid attention to Booker's reaction to O'Rourke's speaking Spanish just minutes into the debate. When he did the same later in the night, some questioned whether the NJ senator delivered a serious a side-eye because his competitor beat him to the punch.

Others wondered if Senator Elizabeth Warren was going to jump in.

Users also joked that the candidates at the second half of the Democratic debate, airing tonight, would have to learn or speak in another language too.

Even candidates themselves even brought it up.

The second Democratic primary debate airs tonight, June 27, at 9 p.m. on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo.

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