Obama downplays language 'land mine'

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By Liz Sidoti ASSOCIATED PRESS

DAYTON, Ohio | Democrat Barack Obama batted away conservative criticism Friday over a comment he made about Americans' lack of foreign language skills.

"The Republicans jumped on this. I said, absolutely immigrants need to learn English, but we also need to learn foreign languages," the likely Democratic nominee said as the 1,000-plus crowd in a school gymnasium cheered. It's a position he has long held.

"This is an example of some of the problems we get into when somebody attacks you for saying the truth, which is: We should want our children with more knowledge. We should want our children to have more skills. There's nothing wrong with that. That's a good thing. I know, because I don't speak a foreign language. It's embarrassing," Mr. Obama said, chuckling as his audience did the same.

At issue was a remark the Illinois senator made Tuesday in Powder Springs, Ga., that drew laughter from the crowd — but disdain from conservatives and groups advocating English as the official U.S. language. His remark has caused buzz on the Internet and talk radio.

The Americans for Legal Immigration PAC said in a statement: "Barack Obama has stepped on a political land mine by stating Americans should be forced to learn to speak Spanish." But that's not what Mr. Obama said.

He was answering a question on education when he said he doesn't understand people who say "we need English only."

"I agree that immigrants should learn English," Mr. Obama said. "But instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English — they'll learn English — you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish. You should be thinking about how can your child become bilingual? We should have every child speaking more than one language."

He argued that the country should be emphasizing foreign language study in classrooms.

"You know, it's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is 'merci beaucoup!' "Mr. Obama said, laughing.

The Obama campaign on Friday also shot back at McCain and Republican Party assertions that Mr. Obama voted to raise income taxes even on individuals who earn $32,000. In a radio ad airing in Northern Virginia and in Dayton, Ohio, the Obama campaign accuses McCain of "just making stuff up."

At issue is Mr. Obama's vote on a nonbinding budget resolution in March that called for President Bush's tax cuts to expire. Such a step would have allowed tax rates to return to pre-2001 levels, meaning an individual with taxable income of about $32,000 would have faced a tax increase. Taxable income is what's left after taxpayers account for deductions.

Democrats have routinely called for an end to Mr. Bush's tax cuts, but many, including Mr. Obama, have proposed to replace them with tax cuts aimed at lower- and middle-income taxpayers.