Santorum: Speak English For Statehood
O'BRIEN: This is off of Jeff Toobin's playlist. I haven't heard that song in forever.</s>TOOBIN: This song was like 20 years older than mine. You made fun of my song, you make fun of me for my song being old.</s>O'BRIEN: I'm contemporary of that song. I have never heard of your song.</s>SHEINKOPF: Originally written and very famous French song --</s>O'BRIEN: It's a little slow. You know, early mornings, early mornings. Let's move on. Our whole entire playlist can be found online at CNN.com/StartingPoint. The GOP campaigns are moving -- campaigning to Puerto Rico. There are 23 delegates up for grabs in Puerto Rico. And Rick Santorum was there yesterday. Mitt Romney is going to head there tomorrow. It's an opportunity, of course, to get votes, an opportunity for mistakes, of course. Rick Santorum was asked if he would support making Puerto Rico a state and he told the local newspaper this. "Like any other state, there has to be compliance with this and any other federal law. And that is that English has to be the principal language. There are other states with more than one language, such as Hawaii. But to be a state of the United States, English has to be the principal language." But that's not really true, is it? Our many, many lawyers on the panel today. It's not true at all. All right. Let's bring in Puerto Rico's Democratic Congressman Pedro Pierluisi joining us. It's nice to see you, sir. Thank you for being with us. Let me start with what your reaction is --</s>REP. PEDRO PIERLUISI (D), PUERTO RICO: Good morning, Soledad.</s>O'BRIEN: Thank you -- to Mr. Santorum's comments. The reaction of yourself and then others in Puerto Rico after reading these comments in the newspaper.</s>PIERLUISI: Well, first, it's incorrect to say that there's a federal law imposing English as the only official language in our states. The Constitution doesn't provide anything along those lines either. And in Puerto Rico, as a matter of fact, we have two official languages, English and Spanish. Santorum's view is narrow and limiting view of what America is all about. English is the predominant language in the U.S. and will continue to be so, whether Puerto Rico becomes a state or not. In Puerto Rico, 90 percent of our parents want their children to become fluent in English. So, it's a nonissue and shouldn't be a factor in determining whether Puerto Rico can join the Union or not.</s>O'BRIEN: There's a whole vote on this, of course, come November. Puerto Rico, those who want statehood for Puerto Rico will decide that happens in November. Explain to me the whole federal law in this, Jeff Toobin, about English only, because this has been something that's been debated certainly for a long time.</s>JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: It's been debated, but never any federal law that says English is the official language of the United States. In fact --</s>O'BRIEN: There are 41 states that have decided --</s>TOOBIN: State provisions. But there are many federal laws that say you have to make available to citizens government benefits, government obligations in the language that they understand. I mean, when you have an American courtroom, I used to be a federal prosecutor. It is a requirement that you have an interpreter there, whether they're speaking Spanish, or Urdu or Farsi, whatever it is, the idea is the government has to make sure that people understand what's going on, not that people have an obligation to speak English.</s>O'BRIEN: Politically speaking, as you're campaigning for votes in Puerto Rico, is this a tough issue for him, do you think, Judge?</s>SHEINKOPF: He ought to save his money and buy a house. He's managed to make everybody angry. This is absolutely nuts. Puerto Rico is not going to be a state. This is not the first time a referendum on the issue. It's nonbinding. He's not a congressman. He's a resident commissioner. He has no power, the fellow we just saw on television -- $25 billion goes out of this country every year to Puerto Rico in transfers and aid. It's the nuttiest thing you ever heard, it's a colony. And for him to engage in this kind of behavior, Santorum, shows that he's become kind of Doofus about the matter and shouldn't talk about things having to do with America's last colony at all.</s>CAIN: That kind of far end run of the spectrum that the judge just excited, I have to then point out, this wouldn't be the first time, although Jeff is right, there is no federal law requiring English the official language. When Louisiana was brought into the country, the government said you need to adopt English as language when you do official business. When Oklahoma in 1906 came in to the nation, there was a law that said you have to have public schools conduct English as your official language. It's not the first time. So, let's not paint Santorum as a Doofus or some kind of xenophobic. This is not unprecedented.</s>SHEINKOPF: But this is not about the language. This is Santorum being used by local politicians, about a referendum that has no binding, whatsoever. Puerto Rico is not going to become a state. These referenda happened all the time. And he's just become like a pawn in this game of local political politics.</s>O'BRIEN: Let's go back to Congressman Pierluisi. You have pushed for better instruction in both English and Spanish for students in Puerto Rico. Is the quality of English education in Puerto Rico a problem?</s>PIERLUISI: We have to enhance it. And, you're right, that's what we have been doing. But I -- let me clarify the record. First of all, I am a member of Congress. I represent 3.7 million American citizens in Congress. My title is resident commissioner. But don't forget, Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. We are American citizens and the question of statehood, two things must happen for that to occur. The people of Puerto Rico must request it and then Congress must grant it. And to say that it is out of the question when you don't really -- we haven't had the vote yet. The last time the people of Puerto Rico were consulted on this issue was 14 years ago. It is about time we know whether the people of Puerto Rico aspire to become a state and that's going to happen in November. So, you go step-by-step. But to impose on Puerto Rico a condition that no other state has, it's unreasonable. By the way, federal agencies conduct their business in Puerto Rico in English and our government in Puerto Rico, whenever required, provide service in English, as well. So, it's just a matter of getting the record straight.</s>O'BRIEN: What's the fall out been in Puerto Rico in terms of how the election you feel is going to go? What -- how are the polls going in Puerto Rico?</s>PIERLUISI: Well, our governor is affiliated with the Republican Party and he has endorsed Mitt Romney. I would expect that Romney will prevail, we'll see on Sunday. And -- but in terms of the general elections in the U.S., President Obama has been great here in Puerto Rico. He included Puerto Rico in our program in the stimulus. He also increased considerably the funding that Puerto Rico gets for its health problems. There's no parity, but we got an enhancement as part of the Affordable Care Act. And he's been straight forward on the status issue. He has told the people of Puerto Rico that he will support the will of the majority of the people of Puerto Rico when the time comes for them to express themselves on the status issue.</s>O'BRIEN: Which will be --</s>PIERLUISI: So, he's being with us.</s>O'BRIEN: Which will be come November. We are out of time. But I want to thank you, Congressman Pierluisi, for joining us this morning. We certainly appreciate your remarks on that.</s>PIERLUISI: Thank you.</s>O'BRIEN: All right. Still ahead this morning on STARTING POINT, North Korea's new leader reportedly showing no mercy as he takes control of a military drill this morning. We'll have the latest on that. And in our "Get Real" a word to the wise, don't trust your co- workers. An office lottery pool cheat is caught after he takes the entire jackpot for himself. I've got that story straight ahead on</s>STARTING POINT. CAIN: The guy buys