September 5, 2016

Did you hear that the Spanish media about the election involves astrology?!

Yesterday's "Meet the Press" had a panel discussion that began with the moderator Chuck Todd asking about criticism from "some Latino leaders" about the Clinton campaign's lack of outreach to Latino voters. There has been no Spanish language advertising. Todd turned first to Maria Teresa Kumar, the president and CEO of Voto Latino. "Are they slow? Are they behind?" This ensues:
MARIA TERESA KUMAR: The fact that Trump, is the Republican candidate, has actually given the Hillary campaign tons of media and Spanish media, so much so is that we have--

CHUCK TODD: The free media trumps everything--

MARIA TERESA KUMAR: The free-- no, but I mean to really crystallize it, there is a Latino astrologist named Walter Mercado that we've all grown up with, listening to in Spanish media. He has gone after anti-Trump. So the fact that she is so much media buy in the Spanish languages is good, it's fantastic. But her challenge is actually going to get the Latino millennials, the ones that are English dominant that may not be turning it on....
What?! Astrologist?!! We had to rewind. That just flew by, and she never elaborated her point. I'm going to assume that "go[ing] after anti-Trump" means going anti-Trump/going after Trump. What is this astrology going on in Spanish media? What on earth is the discussion in Spanish? I'd heard that it's different from what we're hearing in English, but... astrology? Oh, my. I hadn't heard about astrology in politics since the Reagan era.

The news from 1988:
President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, are both deeply interested in astrology, the White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, said today, and two former White House officials said Mrs. Reagan's concerns had influenced the scheduling of important events.... Mr. Fitzwater said Mrs. Reagan is particularly worried about the impact astrological portents can have on her husband's safety. But he declined to say exactly how Mrs. Reagan had used astrological information. And the President, answering a question at a photo-taking session, said, ''No policy or decision in my mind has ever been influenced by astrology.''...

Marcello Truzzi, a professor of sociology at Eastern Michigan University, said he has collected evidence over many years documenting the Reagans' interest in astrology. ''I don't think Reagan is a truly avid astrological person, but I think if all things are equal, it has some impact on him,'' said Mr. Truzzi, who also heads an independent institute, the Center for Scientific Anomalies Research.... Professor Truzzi noted that President Theodore Roosevelt was an astrology buff, and that President Franklin D. Roosevelt quoted horoscopes....
Back to the present. Who is this Walter Mercado?



Oh! What did I see there:



Bill Clinton!

So what did Mercado say about el seƱor Donald Trump?



I'm sorry I'm having trouble understanding that. Plus, it's a year old. Here's an article from July in The Miami Herald: "Walter Mercado says Trump presidency would bring ‘total destruction’ of the world."
“I did a chart about what I see in the future and the present of this monster, this backwards person that can lead not only the United States, but the world, to total destruction,” Mercado said in Spanish. “He has no knowledge of politics and no knowledge of any type of diplomacy. He is a person that thinks money can buy anything and thinks that you can buy the conscience of all of humanity. The conscience cannot be bought with these policies that are so insulting and offensive to the human race.... I am totally, completely and absolutely in favor of Hillary, and astrologically, she is the better prospect,” he said. “God willing, the stars will align so that we will have the right president.”

32 comments:

rhhardin said...

Voodoo doll acupuncture might work for Hillary's health.

rhhardin said...

Climate science doesn't remark on astrology out of professional courtesy.

MayBee said...

How narcissistic we have become. Each "group" wants some sort of special outreach. Then gets upset when someone calls them a group.

MayBee said...

I hope this guy doesn't kill himself when he sees Martin Short portraying him on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Paul Snively said...

But remember, kids, it's the Republicans who are ignorant, anti-science rubes.

rcommal said...

I wouldn't bet a single dollar against Donald J. Trump winning, come November. As I've said to my husband, for quite a while now, I can't/won't make a prediction; that said, I'm interested in what the odds among everyone are going to do, end up doing.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

My wife uses astrology to schedule our coitus and I'm still hoping for a blue moon.

ddh said...

Astrologers tell the credulous what they want to hear, and Walter Mercado delivers. But only "if the stars align."

tim maguire said...

If anything leads me to vote for Trump (as opposed to against Hillary), it will be the Trump haters.

Curious George said...

Walter?

rcommal said...

It's silly/foolish to predict that H.R. Clinton will lose, by rights; it's foolish/silly to assume that Donald J. Trump will win, by passion.

& vice versa

---

I don't know how it's going to turn out. I do know what, no matter how it turns out, must get done.

John henry said...

Walter Mercado is Puerto Rican and should be identified as such.

Not as latino which is a made up meaningless descriptor.

show me one socialist success in world history said...

Um, yeah. If that's Walter, I'm Polly. Holding up its hand in the last image reveals the soft white hand of the "man" who has never worked. Trafficking in selling BS to those desperate to avoid the truth is no way to go through life.

Unknown said...

Another Hero the Stupid.

William said...

What do Hispanic gays feel about Walter Mercado? Is his act a caricature or some kind of a homage to Liberace?.......I used to occasionally watch Spanish language television. The gay characters were usually presented as being grotesquely effeminate. Fortunately Hispanics are part of the Democratic coalition so they'll never get called out on it.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

f anything leads me to vote for Trump (as opposed to against Hillary), it will be the Trump haters.

9/5/16, 7:07 AM

Yes. He has all the right enemies.

Mary Beth said...

A year ago Mercado said Trump's chances were "slim". So you can see how accurate hie predictions have been so far. (In other words: Astrology, functioning as expected.)

YoungHegelian said...

MSM discovers yet again that minority communities are host to some ideas that could charitably be called "whack".

Next week's episode: those fun-loving Mexicans & Santa Muerte.

gadfly said...

So Donald is not receiving Mexican support because he continually insults Mexican immigrants. Nosir - blame it all on Walter Mercado! Of course there is the theory going around that Astrologists have more scientific discipline than so-called Climate Scientists do.

mockturtle said...

Astrologers, MSM pundits. Is there any substantive difference?

walter said...

Superior Euro intellect on display.
A friend married a woman from Barcelona. She was a failed Econ grad student who told me "All wealth comes from taxes"
She teaches environmental studies at UIC, I think.

buwaya said...

There arent many states where Spanish language political ads would make much difference. CA and TX are certain no matter what and there isnt much reason to bother. AZ and NM probably so. FL is the big one, look there if anywhere.
BTW, Spanish language media is owned and operated as a political asset as is the rest of the MSM. Who pays the piper calls the tune.

walter said...

Blogger gadfly said...
So Donald is not receiving Mexican support because he continually insults Mexican immigrants.
--
Nice work. Openings for ya at MSM.

walter said...

Whoops..my bad. The "Walter" in question is Puerto Rican..perhaps Spain doesn't really follow um..it...elevated as they are.

Quaestor said...

There's a new astrology mage on the interwebs, he's Doctor Ethereal. His site isn't up yet on YouTube, but be on the look out for his fab new auguries and prognostications.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

But don't forget, all the Trump voters are stupid science-hating white people and all the Hillary voters are educated, science-loving smart people. Never forget!

Marc in Eugene said...

There was a time when I used to watch at least parts of Sabado Gigante, evidently off the air now, and I think I remember that Walter Mercado was a guest on that program more than once. Perhaps just the one appearance made a great impression? in any event I don't see (looking at the S. G. Wiki page) that he was at all a regular guest.

richardsson said...

With the exception of Cubans, most Latin people are Democrats from the time of JFK. His message resonates because it's what they already believe. While Latin women probably find him cute, I don't think most Latin men would be influenced by Walter Mercado. By the way, that's probably a stage name.

Wilbur said...

25 years ago:

I saw my work friend's favorite girlfriend on Sabado Gigante wearing spike heels and a bathing suit. She worked in our office, and, while I knew her, I didn't know she moonlighted as a model. So I innocently mentioned it to him on Monday.

His jaw dropped and the anger visibly rose in him. Turns out he didn't know she did this, eventually prompting The Fight of The Century.

Oopsie.

Marc in Eugene said...

Sabado Gigante sure was entertainment, whether one watched with a 21st c ironical eye or with those of a first generation Mexican-American.

the gold digger said...

People here are listening to Madrid?

Andy said...

Every day this Presidential campaign just reaches new levels of weirdness.