See also: GOP Candidate Doesn't Want "Middle Easterners" in U.S.
Republican congressional candidate Gabriela Saucedo Mercer says the campaign for her Democratic opponent, Congressman Raul Grijalva, was deceptive about her comment that she doesn't want "Middle Easterners" in the United States.
Mercer's piss-poor explanation: Grijalva's campaign failed to mention that she talked about Chinese people, too.
Earlier this week, Grijalva's campaign posted a portion from an interview Mercer did a year ago, in which she talked about immigration.
"If you know Middle Easterners, a lot of them, they look Mexican or they look, you know, like a lot of people in South America, dark skin, dark hair, brown eyes; and they mix -- they mix in," she said. "And those people, their only goal in life is to, to cause harm to the United States. So why do we want them here, either legally or illegally?"
The problem with that, according to a statement released by Mercer's campaign, is that Grijalva's campaign didn't include her thoughts on Chinese people.
"The truth of the matter is Mercer was referring to OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) who come from various parts of the world crossing the southern border -- legally and illegally -- to exact harm upon The United States," the statement says. "Interestingly, People For Grijalva do not appear to be equally concerned about Mercer's reference to Chinese citizens who cross our southern border. Perhaps it does not quite satisfy the narrative they have in mind."
Her blurb about Chinese people came right before her comments on "Middle Easterners" -- which you can see in this video, with the question starting at the 7:21 mark:
"You think about this, 'other than Mexicans,' are, just last year -- I don't have the numbers, you know I remember taking notes -- but if I remember correctly, it was 25,000 of them they were able to apprehend, 'other than Mexicans.' That includes Chinese, Middle Easterners -- if you know Middle Easterners, a lot of them, they look Mexican or they look, you know, like a lot of people in South America, dark skin, dark hair, brown eyes; and they mix -- they mix in. And those people, their only goal in life is to, to cause harm to the United States. So why do we want them here, either legally or illegally?"
After listening to the entire response, it's not entirely clear what the hell she's talking about, but it sure sounds like she doesn't want Middle Easterners here "legally or illegally." And maybe Chinese people, too.
