Don’t say “papaya” in Miami, and other lessons for wooing Latino voters
*FYI, candidates, are you listening? VL
By Dara Lind, Vox
In August 2012, Mitt Romney gave his only interview on Spanish-language radio of the presidential campaign — with a station Democratic strategist (and Martin O’Malley adviser) Gabriela Domenzain calls “the most conservative Cuban radio station in Miami.” With only one chance to make a good impression in a swing state — one in which Latinos are a little more open to Republicans than in other states — he just needed not to screw up. And he got through the policy questions without major error. But “at the end of it,” says Domenzain, “the guy’s like, ‘You’re in Miami — are you excited? What do you like about being here?’
[pullquote]National candidates in both parties are still trying to figure out how to campaign effectively in the Latino community.[/pullquote]“And Romney,” she continues, “is thinking about — he’s going to a fruit stand later.” So he told host Carlos Santana, “I am a big fan of mango, papaya, and guava.”
Record scratch. “Papaya” is Cuban slang for female genitalia, in the nastiest way. The gaffe turned Romney into a tremendous punch line among Latinos.
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[Photo by The White House/Flickr]
