The New Mexico governor used the term as part of a joke instigated by talk show host Don Imus during a March 29, 2006, segment of his “Imus in the Morning” syndicated radio program, simulcast on MSNBC. “Bernard on the staff here has been claiming you’re not really Hispanic so-- that you're just claiming that for some sort of advantage or something,” Imus said to Richardson, tongue clearly in cheek. “You can just answer this yes or no and this will answer that question. Would you agree that Bernard is a maricón?”
Without missing a beat, Richardson replied in Spanish, “Yo creo que Bernardo, sí — es un maricón si él piensa que yo no soy hispano. [General laughter] Was that good enough or what? [General laughter]”
“That’s good enough for me,” Imus replied.

That said. I sleepily searched through the Spanish language media for some report on the debate last night and found nada. Did I take a nap or was this ignored in the Latino press? Maybe the press was too preoccupied with the immigration issue?

When I asked Governor Richardson (yes I asked him-look how sweaty he got upon seeing me) about such forums/debates for Latinos, he pointed to the upcoming National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed officials Democratic forum. But that forum, to my knowledge, isn't televised nationally like tonight's forum was. So are Latinos being pandered to but not really brought into the political process. Are we an afterthought/add on to other race issues?

Perhaps I expected too much. Perhaps I got caught up in the spin in the media room and lost my jaded edge and actually believed in electoral politics.

Time flew, let's see who comes back to talk in the media room. Rumor has it Obama will not be coming....

Is outsourcing an issue_ The candidates are mixed on this so far. What must be said is that Hillary Clinton (as she winning this debate) is being the most concrete with all her answers. She lays things out in points that are easy to follow. The majority of the Dems seem to look at education as the way to go. Richardson is really coming off as pro-business which could hurt him in a debate when peope want to hear about people at the grassroots level.

The radical in me loves Kucinich for saying that NAFTA and the World Bank need to go but I know that won't get votes.

Someone needs to do a word count on how many times the words drugs, crack, jail have been used because it seems like the candidates seem to think that is the root of evil rather than what causes those things to be used the way they are

Bill Richardson (the great brown hope) is actually talking about more money for corporations going into the inner cities.

Finally someone, (Obama saves the day), talks about the lack of money behind No Child Left Behind (although I won't even get into the issue of the problems with the program itself.

What I am waiting for someone to mention are two issues about education: the tracking of children of color and the language access issues that essentially shu non-English dominant parents out.

Collective moans just filled the media room as Hillary Clinton said it takes a village to raise...yes we know, it takes a village of well meaning white liberals.

The first question asked was if race was still the #1 factor today, especially in light of today's Supreme Court decision which basically elimates race as a factor in terms of educational considerations for grades k-12. So far Hilary and Biden have given answers that everyone wants to hear but I wish that Bill Richardon would have conquered the issue of the black/white paradigm. And you know you have a problem when John Edwards can't even say slavery.

As expected, the event is an Obama lovefest (someone please play that reggaeton song). I'm pleased that Obama did go beyond the black/white issue of race by at least mentionaing Latinos (although you have to wonder if he said that because Bill Richardson shouted himself out as the first Latino running for president.

Check it out here.