NATIONAL NEWS

Jill Biden apologizes after remark about Latinos causes stir

Jul 12, 2022, 12:28 PM

FILE: U.S. President Joe Biden (C) looks on as First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (R) speaks during an Eid a...

FILE: U.S. President Joe Biden (C) looks on as First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (R) speaks during an Eid al-Fitr reception at the East Room of the White House May 2, 2022 in Washington, DC. The White House held the event to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden apologized Tuesday for saying Latinos are “as unique” as San Antonio breakfast tacos during a speech to the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization.

“The first lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community,” tweeted Jill Biden’s spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.

The first lady flew to San Antonio on Monday to address the annual conference of UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy group formerly known as the National Council of La Raza. She also spoke at a Democratic Party fundraiser at a private home before she returned to Washington.

But Biden’s attempt at a compliment floundered when she described Latino diversity “as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.”

She also badly mispronounced “bodegas,” small stores in urban areas typically specializing in Hispanic groceries.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists and others registered their offense on social media, with the journalists’ organization tweeting that, “We are not tacos.”

“Using breakfast tacos to try to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region,” NAHJ said.

The association said the first lady and her speechwriters should “take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.”

Hispanic voters generally favor Democrats, though the group’s support patterns vary widely in different parts of the U.S., and Latino support for the Democratic presidential candidate softened in 2020 compared to 2016, according to Pew Research Center data.

Some Democrats have suggested that the party isn’t working hard enough to maintain Hispanic support. In her speech, Jill Biden outlined how President Joe Biden has responded to the community, including by appointing Latinos to the Cabinet and other high government posts and helping them get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Separately, last month, Republican Mayra Flores won a special congressional election in a usually Democratic area of South Texas. Now completing a House term expiring in January, Flores is an avid Trump supporter and the first Mexican-born woman elected to Congress.

Jill Biden spent part of Tuesday showing Mexico’s first lady, Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, around the Library of Congress while Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador was at the White House meeting with President Biden.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

Five suspects in the Memorial Day shooting that injured nine people near South Florida’s bustling...

Jamiel Lynch and Nouran Salahieh

5 suspects arrested in the Florida shooting on Hollywood Beach that injured 9

Five suspects in the Memorial Day shooting that injured nine people near South Florida’s bustling Hollywood Beach Broadwalk are now in custody, police announced Monday.

22 hours ago

This rendering shows how scientists think the Psyche asteroid appears up close. (MaxarASU/P. Rubin/...

Ashley Strickland

NASA’s Psyche mission will launch to an unexplored metal world this fall

A NASA mission to explore a metallic asteroid is set to launch in October after software issues caused an initial delay that prevented the spacecraft from lifting off in 2022.

22 hours ago

FILE - California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a news conference at the Capitol in Sacramen...

Tran Nguyen and Olga R. Rodriguez

California officials blast Florida’s DeSantis over transfer of migrants from Texas to Sacramento

California leaders have lashed out at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and hinted at a criminal investigation over the arrival of two flights of migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas and then were sent to Sacramento.

22 hours ago

FILE - Semi-automatic handguns are displayed at shop in New Castle, Pa., March 25, 2020. A federal ...

Claire Rush

Permit-to-purchase: Oregon’s tough new gun law faces federal court test

The federal trial over Oregon's voter-approved gun control measure started Monday in Portland.

22 hours ago

Police lights...

Betty Yu

Thieves steal $100,000 in cigarettes, cash from California smoke shop

Family-owned small business Cigarettes R Cheaper suffered its biggest hit last month in its long history in San Francisco.

22 hours ago

FILE - Sections of a USA Today newspaper are displayed Aug. 5, 2019, in Norwood, Mass. Journalists ...

Alexandra Olson

Hundreds of journalists strike, demanding leadership change at biggest US newspaper chain

Journalists at two dozen local newspapers across the U.S. walked off the job Monday to demand an end to painful cost-cutting measures and a change of leadership at Gannett, the country’s biggest newspaper chain

22 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Brunette guy in headphones playing games on his desktop computer...

PC Laptops

Looking For a New Computer? Use This Desktop Buying Guide

Choosing a new desktop computer can come with a lot of questions, so we created this desktop buying guide.

Portrait of happy boy playing and splashing water in the swimming pool...

Get Out Pass

Family Fun Activities in Utah You Have to Try This Summer

These family fun activities will entertain you all summer, so if you ever feel stuck in a rut wondering what to do, refer to this guide!

Woman IT specialist in elegant suit working on notebook computer in data center next to server rack...

Les Olson

Your Complete Guide to Outsourcing IT Services

This guide covers everything you need to know about the different benefits of outsourcing IT services to meet your small business needs.

diverse group of friends dance outside under string lights...

Lighting Design

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Lighting

Read for the most frequently asked questions about outdoor lighting to help narrow the search for your home.

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Jill Biden apologizes after remark about Latinos causes stir