Palin: ‘Let’s speak American’

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) said on Sunday that immigrants should “speak American” if they live in the United States.

{mosads}She quickly corrected herself, saying she meant that immigrants should speak English.

The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee was responding to a question about whether she agreed with GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump, who last week taunted rival Jeb Bush for speaking Spanish on the campaign trail.

“I think that 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, you know, is helping to build America. And that’s good,” Palin said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And that’s a great relationship that he — 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’d better be here legally or you’re out of here. B, when you’re here, let’s speak American,” she continued. “I mean that’s what’s — let’s speak English and that’s a kind of a unifying aspect of the nation is the language that is understood by all.”

Bush, who is bilingual and married to a Spanish-speaking immigrant, has not backed down, saying he will continue to speak Spanish as he campaigns for the White House.