What I find interesting is here you have another politician ignoring a problem that they helped to create, and are now trying to sweep it under the rug. I am a German married to an American. When I came to the U.S. I did not expect anyone to learn German just because I showed up. In Europe, we have official national languages. I don't understand why the U.S. does not. We Germans speak German. The French speak French, Italians, Italian, etc etc. SOME of us - notice I said "some" - speak another language, depending on if we live in an area of the country that borders another country. This has more to do with borders moving over the past 100 years, vs people immigrating from one country to another. You learn the language of your area, and if you happen to live in one country, but work in another. There are many Germans who only speak German, and I'm sure the same can be said of my neighboring countries. I learned English because I work in International business. That's the only reason. There are many Turkish, Serbian, and Italian immigrants in my country, yet I speak none of these languages - and Germany doesn't tell me to. The immigrants, at least all that I have come across, all speak German. The America I grew up dreaming about is not the America as it exists today. The U.S. should remember that it is it's own soverign country, and not the world's country, as the politicians here would like people to believe. Declare English the official language and be done with it. Speak what you want around the house, with family, but have an official language like most other countries so that everyone can communicate on equal ground.

If you move to a foreign country you should learn the predominant language of that country! I was shocked to learn that the US has not designated English as our official language! I was really pissed to learn the California Driver's Code is produced in 7 languages. I lived in the Bay Area where there was a lot of Asian immigrants also and a large number of them resist assimilation. That is not right if they get the same medical care and otherbenefits as people who have been here for many generations. I personally find nothing wrong with hospitals who deport illegal immigrants as I read recently in the news. From a friend in Colorado I learned that a county there nearly went broke caring for a very sick baby born to an illegal. Something is very wrong with that picture! On the other hand, yes, this is not Mayberry anymore and the world is shrinking so people do need to learn a language other than English. We need to able to understand each more clearly.

Really ignorant thread. That is why the economy is tanking, and we are falling further behind the world. The Chinese speak enough English to sell us everything and the Indians and Asians speak enough English to accept your outsourced job. And you're worried about your ancestors.
You had better get with the program. This is the 21st century and this is a global society - it isn't Mayberry anymore. We have gone from a producer nation to a consumer nation, and we can barely consume because our national debt is so high that our dollar is worth a dime. You need to get off the couch and learn to speak Spanish, Chinese, French or something. I've been to 12 countries and damn near everyone can speak English, French and other languages.
Stop watching FOX. It is there mission to keep you stupid and by the look of the thread, they are succeeding.

I HAD planned to vote for the man. Then this bullsh*t. Puh-leez- they are NOT learning English. I don't WANT to press 1 for English. Let them press 1 for Spanish. We give away a lot of free healthcare that the rest of us can't afford to buy and make to much money to qualify for and with the tax money I give Uncle Sam. Pay your own damn way if you want to be in the land of the free. We have enough wanting a handout instead of a hand-up already.
Yes, I AM burned out by my hard earned tax dollars being appropriated to people that have no plans to properly assimilate into our society.Kudos to those hardworking people that have however!Stay here if you've EARNED the right.I hope to move away from my beloved USA. I find it's not MY USA very much anymore.
Just shows what a man will do for the Latino vote. Sad.

They speak French and they speak German over in Europe? Really? And because tourist visit, they often will speak in english too accommodate visitors? But now we know The French speak French and The Germans speak German in Europe? Get this man a Teleprompter! His whole point needs crutches because it is LAME!

What an outrage! My children should learn to speak Spanish. Why, they are American. What an insult to my ancestors that were proud to be Americans, speaking English. when I went to school, English was required every year But a foreign language was required for Jr. High and two for High School. From a list including Italian, Latin, etc., etc.

Did you miss something? Sure, your common sense. Let's break it down for the listening and or hearing impaired...
McCain said Learning a second language is good, and most would agree...
Obama said, stop worrying about the immigrants having to learn English, that's not your concern. Your concern should be to make sure your children learn Spanish so that they can converse with the illigal immigrants who are not going to learn to speak English. I'm paraphrasing of course...

He said that "They'll learn English". Ummm, they won't. Not if our government keeps providing them everything in their native language. Understand that our National language is English, meaning that as a citizen of our great country this is the language that you should know. Back in the 80's (boy I miss the 80's) to become a citizen you had to speak English, take the test in English and arguably know more about our government than some 8th graders. Now you barely have to know anything, and you are given the "test" in your native language (meaning for this discussion, Spanish). That is wrong and the problem needs to be fixed. Obama is not the one to do it. Mind you neither is McCain, but at least he'll be less lefty looney than Barrack (can anyone else believe that our next president may be names Barrack Hussein Obama).
And by the way Curtis, the main stream press has been and continues to give You vote for him, I'm moving to Canada!!!

IF I decide to move to Europe (illegally of course), then I will learn their language. As long as I live in the USA, whose language just happens to be English, then if you come here to live and take advantage of our welfare, food stamps and other programs, then learn to speak the language. If we are giving you free care, school and everything else then the least you can do is learn to speak the language. If my grandchildren wish to learn another language then it should be an option not a requirement.

The interesting failure of the main stream press is that two days later John McCain suggested that Americans learn a "foreign language" when talking before the NAACP and there was no outrage, yet the right jumped all over this second language suggestion, but not a peep when John McCain suggests basically the same thing!

Did I Miss Something???
Intgrity somewhere in balanced news coverage?

Quit tripping!!! All he meant was to quit worrying about immigrants learning to speak English and concentrate on your own children's ability to be able to learn different languages.

It is a great thing to be bilingual. But my child should not have to learn spanish to survive in his own country.

[...[...Immigrants have to learn English. If they don't, they will not be successful in America. Students ...]]

[...[...Another Obamanation.My audio-Thus Spake Obama: thus-spake-obama more about “obama on speaking span...]]

[...[...Another Obamanation.My audio-Thus Spake Obama: thus-spake-obama more about “obama on speaking span...]]