Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, must have wanted a hefty dose of humiliation this Christmas, and boy, did he get it. In a desperate attempt to pander to the state’s Spanish-speaking voters, Polis posted a cringe-worthy video of himself attempting to sing “Feliz Navidad,” but instead mangling both the words and tune of the classic song.
¡Feliz Navidad Colorado! pic.twitter.com/BjS5lmzELz
— Gobernador Jared Polis (@GovofCoEspanol) December 25, 2023
Polis, who won re-election last year by a significant 15-point margin, clearly underestimated the backlash he would receive from his social media stunt. As if the video itself wasn’t bad enough, it came at a time when the state is facing a crisis caused by the influx of migrants from Biden’s border disaster. The New York Post reports that sixteen busloads of migrants were recently dropped off in downtown Denver, most of them coming from Venezuela, Colombia, and Guatemala.
Even the Latinxs are cringing.
— James Lindsay, America's top op (@ConceptualJames) December 25, 2023
Unsurprisingly, the majority of comments on Polis’ video were scathing and critical. One might even say they were “utterly excoriating” (if there is a single positive comment among them, it’s nearly impossible to find). But what’s most interesting is that the video was only posted on Polis’ Spanish-language account, which has a mere 650 followers. The governor’s main account, followed by a much larger audience, was spared from this embarrassing display.
It’s a telling sign of what lengths Democrats like Polis will go to in order to pander to certain demographics. While the English-speaking population may not have been subjected to Polis’ singing skills, it’s clear that his attempt at catering to Hispanic voters fell miserably flat.
Colorado has been making headlines for another reason lately, thanks to the state’s Supreme Court handing down a controversial ruling that kept former President Trump off the Republican primary ballot. The court’s decision was based on an unproven and baseless charge of insurrection, and has many Americans, even Trump opponents, questioning the integrity of the court. As the author notes, the only question now is whether the U.S. Supreme Court will unanimously overturn it.
But as egregious as the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling was, Polis may have just topped it with his humiliating video. Trying to win over voters by appealing to their language and culture is one thing, but this blatant pandering is simply nauseating. Polis has sunk to a new low and has only succeeded in exposing himself as a weak and desperate politician.
It's cultural appropriation to pander in this manner.
— Mstrchrle (@stephen_bates) December 25, 2023
“In any language, ‘humillacion’ like this is grounds for disgust,” the author concludes. And they’re absolutely right. As Americans, we deserve better from our elected officials, regardless of their party or their attempts at pandering to certain groups. Polis’ actions are a stain on the already tarnished reputation of politics, and it’s time for voters to demand better.