LANSING, Mich. — The portrayal of a young Asian woman speaking broken English in a Super Bowl ad being run by U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra against Michigan incumbent Debbie Stabenow is bringing charges of racial insensitivity. The Associated Press quotes GOP consultant Nick De Leeuw skewering the commercial as "appalling." Hoekstra did not respond directly to a question about whether he could have made the same point without using the woman riding a bike near rice paddies and speaking in broken English. “What we have said is what the American people feel .
– A US Senate candidate sounded upbeat today after his Chinese-themed ad in broken English triggered accusations of racism, the Huffington Post reports. "I’m excited," Michigan GOP contender Pete Hoekstra told Politico. "It has jump-started the debate.” The ad shows a Chinese woman biking through rice fields and thanking Hoekstra's rival—Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow—for borrowing excessive amounts of money from China. "Your economy get very weak," she says. "Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie 'Spend-it-Now.'" Hoekstra's campaign also launched a website that includes Chinese writing and Stabenow's face on a Chinese fan. Even a GOP consultant lashed out in response, saying "shame on Pete Hoekstra for that appalling new advertisement," and a non-partisan Asian group accused him of trying to "encourage anti-Asian sentiment." As for Democrats, they set up a website accusing Hoekstra of hypocrisy.