Univision Has a Lot of ‘Splainin’ to Do

(Chuck Muth) – A news director for a Spanish-speaking television station slammed Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Sandoval in a column a couple weeks ago for remarks Sandoval allegedly made about his kids looking Hispanic.

“(Sandoval) was asked how he would feel if his children were stopped in the street and asked for their papers,” wrote Adriana Arevalo, according to a column inked by Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston on Sunday. “He answered, with a note of pride in his voice, ‘My children don’t look Hispanic.’”

Big deal. My kids don’t look Hispanic either. So por que el problemo?

(Yes, I flunked Spanish in high school….but I felt really, really good about myself, so that’s all that counted.)

OK, all kidding aside, here’s the thing: Arevalo never heard Brian Sandoval actually say this!

She wrote her column based on what her staffers say they heard Sandoval say.

So where in the hell does Arevalo get off claiming Sandoval had “a note of pride in his voice” if she never heard him say it in the first place?

And what was the full context of the conversation?

And are we supposed to just take this second-hand account relayed by folks who very well may have an axe to grind on this issue at face-value and without skepticism?

So let’s go to the video the television station claims it has to verify the accuracy of the news director and her staff’s version of the incident.

Oh, that’s right. The video, which the station refuses to release, we’re now told HAS NO AUDIO!

How very con-veeeen-ient.

In following this “news” director’s standard for commentary based on feelings and second-hand reports, allow me to say I don’t buy this story for a minute. I believe those involved are mad at Brian Sandoval because he favors Arizona’s right to take action against illegal immigration since the feds haven’t. So they either made up the story, or they embellished it, or they took the comments out of context or they outright lied.

That’s right. I’m calling bullsh*t on this one.

If this irresponsible, untrustworthy news director can’t prove that Brian Sandoval said what she claims he said and in the manner and context in which she claims he said it, she ought to be fired. Pronto.

And by the way, check her immigration status while you’re at it. Her name sounds Hispanic to me.

(Just kidding. Geez, ease up, will ya?)