Today’s political candidates are increasingly savvy in their attempts to targeting Spanish-speaking voters. But as attempts to court Latino voters have become increasingly commonplace, so have cultural blunders. A noteworthy example from a past election: When Gerald Ford was running in 1976, he bit into a tamale at a campaign stop without first removing the inedible corn husk. Whoops.
Jude Joffe-Block is senior field correspondent for Fronteras, a multimedia collaboration focusing on the southwestern border between Mexico and the United States, led by KJZZ in Phoenix and KPBS in San Diego. Ruben Navarette is a nationally-syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!