Sarah Palin had a message for immigrants on Sunday: “you better be here legally” and “when you’re here, let’s speak American.”
Responding to a question by Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State Of The Union” about whether candidates like Jeb Bush should speak Spanish on the campaign trail, the former Alaska governor described it as a “benefit” to be bilingual, but added she thinks a message can be sent to immigrants that “A) You better be here legally, or you’re out of here. B) When you’re here, let’s speak American.”
Palin quickly corrected herself saying, “let’s speak English.”
“It’s a benefit of Jeb Bush to be able to be so fluent in Spanish, because we have a large and wonderful Hispanic population that is helping to build America, and that’s good,” the former nominee for vice president told Tapper. “That’s kind of — that’s a great relationship and connection that he has with them, through his wife and through his family connections.”
“On the other hand, you know, I think we can send a message and say, you want to be in America? A) You better be here legally, or you’re out of here. B) When you’re here, let’s speak American… Let’s speak English. That’s kind of a unifying aspect of a nation is the language that is understood by all.”
Palin also admitted her inability to distinguish between Spanish and French when she took both in high school.
“I took Spanish in high school and I took French in high school. Shouldn’t have taken them both because I got them all mixed up by the time I was graduating. But again, benefit of Mr. Bush.”