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RedditThe McCain campaign has continually tried to downplay John McCain's repeated gaffes on foreign policy issues, his supposed strong suit.
So it will be particularly interesting to see how they spin McCain's bizarre interview with a Spanish language reporter in Miami, where McCain didn't know who the Prime Minister of Spain was (it's Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero) and kept confusing Spain with a country in Latin America.
Take a listen. Relevant section starts about three minutes in.
Josh Marshall has a more detailed rundown. He also cites the perturbed reaction of the Spanish press:
The great majority appear to think the McCain was simply confused and didn't know who Zapatero was -- something you might bone up on if you were about to do an interview with the Spanish press. The assumption seems to be that since he'd already been asked about Castro and Chavez that McCain assumed Zapatero must be some other Latin American bad guy. A small minority though think that McCain is simply committed to an anti-Spanish foreign policy since he's still angry about Spain pulling it's troops out of Iraq. Finally, a few of those who lean toward the first view speculate that McCain may have confused Zapatero with the Zapatista rebel group in Mexico.
Just before getting tripped up on Spain, McCain bragged about his Latin American expertise. "I know the issues, I know the leaders," McCain said. Apparently the same fluency doesn't extend to the other side of the Atlantic.
UPDATE: McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann clarifies this morning that McCain will not commit to a meeting with Zapatero. That seems like a needlessly confrontational and reckless geopolitical posture, given that Spain has the world's 8th largest economy and 780 troops serving in Afghanistan alongside NATO allies. Huffington Post reminds us that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Zapatero last year and said that "the United States and Spain are allies. We're in NATO together; we are serving together in Afghanistan." McCain himself told Spain's El Pais in April that he'd meet with Zapatero. Why the change of heart?
UPDATE II: Blogger Hilzoy makes a great point: "McCain and his campaign are willing to insult a foreign leader and damage an alliance, rather than admit to a moment of confusion."
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Well, now be fair....
McCain's just harkening back to his days as a dirigible bomber during the Spanish-American War!
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 10:54am
Remember the Maine!
Good ol' Johnny, always reliable.
But at least Palin has a clear view of Russia, weather permitting.
Posted by sloper at 09/18/2008 @ 11:08am
Since McCain is now trying to appeal to Middle America, most of whom have not raveled outside of the United States, McCain is able to get away with his lack of knowledge concerning world leaders.
The real solution is getting Middle America to travel more so that they can see that the world is a lot more complicated than what one would see at a Club Med resort in Cancun.
Posted by Metteyya at 09/18/2008 @ 11:22am
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 11:33am | ignore this person | warn this person
http://www.gallup.com/poll/110446/Gallup-Daily-Obama-47-McCain-45.aspx
You might want to take another look at those polls, Mr. Troll...
Posted by chinesebandit at 09/18/2008 @ 11:41am
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 11:28am
What has this got to do with the topic of the thread ?
About the only connection that I can come up with is that Spanish is spoken in Cuba and - stunningly - in Spain.
Regurgitate your troll-spam elsewhere, por favor.
Posted by skeletonman at 09/18/2008 @ 11:45am
darin-It isn't racism.It's the modern GOPs support of a VP candidate who has supporters that say that she is corrupt and dishonest for wanting to end the investigation into her corruption and dishonesty and love her for her corruption and blatant dishonesty.Of course,there are some of her supporters who believe that she is innocent,but is just amazingly stupid for wanting to end an investigation that would prove her to be innocent.McCain/Palin's numbers are up because the modern GOP values covering up wrong doing,abusing power,lying,and stupidity.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 11:54am
I don't mind a good troll now and then, and I have even be known to bite on well-presented bait, but Darin, you run a real risk of being put on ignore due to lack of pertinence. If you want to get your message out to the heathen lefties, you at least have to make it relevant to the topic at hand.
If you just want to be an ass-clown, well then, clown away...
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 11:55am
McCain is more and more incoherent in his answers day by day.
I'm not really amused by it either.
Posted by PaulVo at 09/18/2008 @ 11:58am
"I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! I've GOT to change the subject! PLEASE GOD, LET ME CHANGE THE SUBJECT, PLEASE!"----Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 11:28am
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 12:02pm
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 11:54am
I'M, from Darin to LIBZ, you REALLY do get suckered in by these guys way too often.
Darin WANTS you to discuss racism...so he doesn't have to discuss John McCain trying to sound like William Randolph Hearst!
Don't help him.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 12:04pm
Wait'll McCain finds out Zapatero leans toward the left. The Spanish electorate simply wasn't suppose to react like they did after the Madrid train bombings. It's un-American! Obviously, all leftists are terrorist sympathizers! Can Gibraltar be turned into another Guantanamo?
Posted by Sorelish at 09/18/2008 @ 12:05pm
off topic (as always)
Obama is not going to win North Carolina and Virgina...
In case anyone out there has such delusions...
It ain't happenin'..
The press is wasting valuable space/time even discussing the possibilites...
Posted by bleedingheart at 09/18/2008 @ 12:06pm
McCain is more and more incoherent in his answers day by day.
I'm not really amused by it either.
Posted by PaulVo at 09/18/2008 @ 11:58am
This episode in particular really raises serious questions as to his mental acuity. The early stages of Alzheimer's could very well be the cause...and could very well be the reason why he won't release his medical records.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 12:08pm
Mask-I didn't help him.I pointed out,yet,another reason why I can't go with the modern GOP and pointed out their lack of morals and values.I changed the subject from racism to their love of corruption and dishonesty.I have libz on ignore.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:09pm
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:09pm
Yes, I'M....you are.
Darin wants to drag the thread AWAY from a discussion of McCain wanting a Surge Up San Juan Hill (actually Kettle Hill, btw)....to something negative about Obama or democrats or SOMETHING else.
And by responding to that, you'll assisting him in that endeavor.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 12:12pm
Believes Czechoslovakia still exists...confuses Spain with Latin America...seriously, now, doesn't that sound like Alzheimer's?
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 12:12pm
Mask-He will avoid your discussion and will avoid mine,too.Is he still posting his attempts to change the subject?
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:14pm
"Border relations between Spain and Canada have never been better".
4 more years of Bush...
Posted by crabwalk at 09/18/2008 @ 12:18pm
McCain's time was 2000.Once you reach a certain age things,like your brain,just don't work like they used to and you start to slip,like we have seen McCain do so many times.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:20pm
Darin, is Spain Cuba too, just like Sweden? I can see the Spanish Language thing getting you confused, but Nordic/Spanish?
BTW, Franco has been gone awhile, just FYI.
Posted by crabwalk at 09/18/2008 @ 12:20pm
Can Palin point to Spain on a map?
Did Levi use authentic Spanish Fly? I hear that stuff burns Jesus when it touches him.
Posted by crabwalk at 09/18/2008 @ 12:22pm
mask-I,typically,never get get angry,but the modern GOP has made me angry and I woke up angry at them,which never happens, and darin was the first I could find to express that anger at.Sorry if it was off topic,but I feel better.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:27pm
Next town hall meeting...love to sneak somebody in to ask-
"Senator, regarding your former immigration bill....if Prime Minister Zapatero came here illegally but was working hard, paying his taxes...would you allow him a path to citizenship?"
"No, my friends, I'm no longer for my own plan and would vote against it for the obvious flaws that I put into it....no, my friends, I would secure our border with Spain, before making any move on a path to citizenship!"
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 12:27pm
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:27pm
Dude, just clueing you in. They WANT you to respond to their off-topic crap...so that THAT, and tangential posts from people on one side or the other, distract away from a MAJOR gaffe by THEIR candidate.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 12:28pm
Mask-Like I said.I was just expressing my anger and feel better.These people don't care about major gaffes from their politicians or much of anything else,including this country.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:32pm
One would think that Obama would be on the news every night, ridiculing this kind of thing. But apparently he feels the need to look serious at all times. He does need to look presidential, and he's got that suspiciously dark skin to contend with. He did get off a nice one about a cadre of bank lobbyists, or as they say in the McCain campaign, a staff meeting. Pretty funny. Too bad the average voter still doesn't know what a lobbyist is.
I'm wondering if either of these guys really wants to be president.
We're up to our necks in two high-maintenance war situations, up to our ears in debt, and we just borrowed another half trillion to own most of the mortgage and insurance industries.
Gee, who wouldn't want that job?
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 12:48pm
Mask-While it is quite important to point out that McCain is having more senior moments it's,also,quite important to continue to point out that McCain is actively involved in covering up Palin's wrong doing since so many Americans have short attention spans and will forget about that the second it is off the front pages.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 12:56pm
Here I am just Biden my time, the news being so bad that a gaffe would Palin comparison, waiting for some guy to drop Obama on me, and here you are just Darin me to respond.
If I were in the same room with you I'd take McCain to you in a second, you pest!
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 1:11pm
BTW, does this mean McCain won't invite Spain to join his "League of Democracies"?
What about France?...what about the Germans?
What about "Czechoslovakia"?!??!?!?!?
heheh
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 1:12pm
darin-Get back to us when Castro is running for something in America.In the mean time,why don't you tax your brain and post something relevant to the topic rather than,pathetically,trying to change the subject,although that act is understandable.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 1:22pm
Rim shot for MyParadigm...
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 1:26pm
Shouldn't he know these kind of things. I don't expect him to keep track of every head-of-state of every country. Just the big ones. Especially those that are our allies. So either he was being mean or he was "confused". That's so pathetic, it's funny.
Posted by k330k at 09/18/2008 @ 1:27pm
Castro has raped 35,000 of his country's women over the past four decades.
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 1:02pm
The Republicans have raped everyone of us since 1996.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 1:27pm
Sorry to feed the troll...I just couldn't resist.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 1:28pm
balrog-feeding the poor is a charitable act and you should not feel bad about it.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 1:30pm
I propose once McCain wins and the GOP returns to power in Congress....
they immediately enact a resolution to change the name of the side dish in the Congressional cafeteria from...
"Spanish rice" to "Freedom rice" and the "Spanish flu" to "Freedom flu"!!!!
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 1:35pm
Shame on you Ari for so blatantly misrepresenting the facts.
Listening to the interview, it's obvious about McCain's knowledge of Latin American Issues and the leaders.
Furthermore, he obviously knew who Zapatero is and that fact is validated by a followup with the interviewer that you linked to;
"For what it's worth, Talking Points Memo's Greg Sargent got hold of the interviewer, who says she didn't think McCain was confused about who Zapatero was, but rather was ducking a question about a potential meeting with the prime minister.
"I didn't get the impression that he didn't know who Zapatero was or where Spain was," the reporter, Yoli Cuello, told me. "Honestly, what I thought was that he didn't want to answer the question with a yes or no answer."
That point is also obvious to any OBJECTIVE person who listens to the interview.
Of more importance and overlooked by Ari is the fact that McCain noted that Obama has never visited a Latin American country.
Also, Obama has not shown any knowledge about Latin American issues. So why should anyone consider him qualified to be president?
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm
The Republicans have raped everyone of us since 1996.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 1:27pm
What BS.
Actually the Federal govt has been screwing us ever since 1913 with the 16th amendment
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:50pm
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm
Remember the Maine!!!!!
(Well, heck, if you can go back to 1913...I can go back to 1898!)
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 2:00pm
Remember the Maine!!!!!
(Well, heck, if you can go back to 1913...I can go back to 1898!)
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 2:00pm
care to cite how that has been hurting Americans since 1898?
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 2:13pm
BTW, does this mean McCain won't invite Spain to join his "League of Democracies"? Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 1:12pm
MASK, makes you wonder if he has a clue that Spain is run by a Socialist Party government, of which Zapatero is the leader.
I wouldn't worry about France or Germany. Their governments are far enough to the right that he most likely is familiar with their leaders. Helmut Kohl and Francois Mitterrand, right. hahaha. As for Czecho... maybe he already heard they were building a missle site in concert with Poland.
"McCain Defends Czechoslovakia, A Non-Existent Country -- Again." Huffington Post, June 15, 2008.
Posted by jackwells at 09/18/2008 @ 2:19pm
Time to attack Spain: http://pinkomag.com/2008/09/18/top-ten-reasons-to-attack-spain/
Posted by s-staff at 09/18/2008 @ 2:22pm
lvliberty-You aren't an objective listener.You are a partisan listener who hears what he wants to hear.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 2:31pm
"Obama has not shown any knowledge about Latin American issues. So why should anyone consider him qualified to be president?"
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm |
It's amazing how you just make up nonsense. Obama has spoken a lot about Latin America and his views on Latin America are widely available. In 3 seconds I found this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/st eve-clemons/obamas-strategic- approac_b_86590.html
Of course, I have the benefit of having access to the Internet.
Posted by BlueSpark at 09/18/2008 @ 2:40pm
Let's recap the week:
Rejects bailing out AIG one day, endorses it the next; calls the fundamentals of the economy "strong" one day, says we're in "a total crisis" the next and now thinks Spain is part of Latin America.
The man is has lost it - credibility as well as his mind.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 2:45pm
Of course, I have the benefit of having access to the Internet.
Posted by BlueSpark at 09/18/2008 @ 2:40pm
You sly dog.
Posted by k330k at 09/18/2008 @ 2:46pm
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, a maverick Republican from Maryland, endorsed Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president in an interview with WYPR, Baltimore's National Public Radio station Wednesday.
Justifying his endorsement of Obama, Gilchrest said that "we can't use four more years of the same kind of policy that's somewhat haphazard, which leads to recklessness."
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 2:48pm
lvliberty-Obama's views on Latin America are on his web site.
Posted by i'm nobody at 09/18/2008 @ 2:52pm
That point is also obvious to any OBJECTIVE person who listens to the interview.
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm
Hahahahah. You're calling yourself objective? Good joke. The last time McCain pointed out that Obama hadn't been somewhere Obama went there to rousing applause. Why is it every time McCain makes a serious mistake about another country he then turns it into, "Well Obama hasn't even been there."
Do you want to Obama to go to Latin America now, do another tour and make you guys look like morons for throwing down that gauntlet.
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/18/2008 @ 3:04pm
That point is also obvious to any OBJECTIVE person who listens to the interview.
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm
Hahahahah. You're calling yourself objective? Good joke. The last time McCain pointed out that Obama hadn't been somewhere Obama went there to rousing applause. Why is it every time McCain makes a serious mistake about another country he then turns it into, "Well Obama hasn't even been there."
Do you want to Obama to go to Latin America now, do another tour and make you guys look like morons for throwing down that gauntlet.
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/18/2008 @ 3:04pm
Sorry for double.
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/18/2008 @ 3:05pm
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 2:45pm
He'd better be careful. His bones aren't as strong as they used to be. If he turns flips anymore he might break his hip.
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/18/2008 @ 3:09pm
McCain shows the same ignorance as the Bush administration, the perfect recipe for disastrous foreign policies. We should stop electing individuals we want to have a beer with, or hunt a moose with. So much is at stake.
Posted by nursevic at 09/18/2008 @ 3:13pm
care to cite how that has been hurting Americans since 1898?-----Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 2:13pm
Sure....if we had actually cared about democracy and freedom, instead of enriching United Fruit, Phillip-Morris, and AT&T...we might have pushed for reforms in Cuba before 1958 and Darin wouldn't have Castro to bring up at totally inappropriate moments!
But as usual, more interested in getting a "stable and secure government" who'll sign deals with our companies....sound familiar?
BTW, given NO Republican is ever going to come to power, much less have the political capital, to revoke the income tax....you are, as usual, so far out there as to be irrelevant to any political discussion.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 3:35pm
if mccain knows so much about "latin america," liberty, then how do you explain his ridiculous attempt to compare the "situations" in venezuela and bolivia?
the *only* thing those two countries have in common is that the united states has been undermining their right to self-govern for decades.
otherwise, there is no comparison whatsoever.
obama knows this.
Posted by darladoon at 09/18/2008 @ 3:44pm
Left wingers are eager to believe that a man who has been in the US Senate for 3 decades has never heard of Spain, so they believe that Americans are stupid to support someone who has never heard of Spain.
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 3:49pm
I'm sure he's heard of Spain; I'm worried that he's forgotten it.
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 3:56pm
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 3:49pm
I think he's heard of Spain, I'm worried he's going to ATTACK it!
heheh
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 3:58pm
"it just caused you left wingers think 80% of America is stupid because we don't agree with your values"
what values are those? opposition to unnecessary wars? opposition to torture and wiretapping? opposition to corporate welfare?
or, are those too "left wing" for you?
obama is a big-time capitalist, supports a relatively belligerant foreign policy......doesn't even support universal health care.
it would be hard to characterize obama as a "lefty."
Posted by darladoon at 09/18/2008 @ 4:15pm
it would be hard to characterize obama as a "lefty."
Posted by darladoon at 09/18/2008 @ 4:15pm
Darla
That's because you are so far to the left that even someone like Obama who wants to further create a more socialist America seems almost conservative to you.
I'm listening to him right now propose more socialist redistribution programs.
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 4:21pm
Socialist? Obama? What a joke. Pay attention! It's your dear dear Republicans who just nationalized three huge companies.
That's not hot air. That's real live Communism, right here in the good ole USA.
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 4:25pm
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 4:20pm
No, would it kill you to admit that you've used this story on every thread you've been on to try to change the subject away from something embarassing or bad for John McCain?
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 4:32pm
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 4:25pm
Anybody to the Left of Arthur Vandenberg is a "socialist" to LL.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 4:37pm
No, would it kill you to admit that you've used this story on every thread you've been on to try to change the subject away from something embarassing or bad for John McCain?
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 4:32pm
Typical Republican fear tactic - when the going gets tough, trot out the old toothless communist boogeyman.
BOO!
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 4:38pm
Posted by Balrog at 09/18/2008 @ 4:38pm
No, it'd be a worthwhile story...
on a thread about Cuba.
But Darin has been trying to sell it on other threads that have NOTHING to do with Castro or Cuba. Maybe make a link to McCain getting pissy with the Spanish...but that's a stretch.
It's just his daily "Rush 2nd Hour Monologue" talking point that distracts from the real news of the day.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 4:41pm
Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 09/18/2008 @ 3:49pm
You are obviously missing the point.
The question is not whether he has heard of Spain (or wants to attack that nation).
The question is whether he has sufficient command of events to conduct the nation's foreign policy.
Increasingly, I find myself questioning the guy's mental faculties, all the more reason to run, not walk, away from this man.
Posted by skeletonman at 09/18/2008 @ 4:45pm
But if McCain's a kook, then Bush was right about something in 2000. Now I'm ideologically conflicted.
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 4:52pm
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 4:52pm
That was a trap ol' FRANKGRITS fell into back when it looked like "Hillary vs. McCain"...
he was "agreeing with Limbaugh that maybe McCain was mentally unbalanced"...an old Rove smear from the 2000 Primaries.
Then Hillary lost and FRANK had to switch to McCain and say his now famous phrase...
"That was then, this is now!"...aka Winston Smith's "memory hole" theory.
Posted by Maskdelta at 09/18/2008 @ 4:57pm
But if McCain's a kook, then Bush was right about something in 2000. Now I'm ideologically conflicted.
Posted by MyParadigm at 09/18/2008 @ 4:52pm
No, you're not.
Bush may have been correct about McCain in 2000, but in the vein of the hog calling the pig smelly, Bush is just as whacked.
McCain at least has age on his side, that and the head trauma from those carrier landings.
I think that being a POW might have something to do with it also. Did you know that Johnny Mack was a POW?
Posted by skeletonman at 09/18/2008 @ 5:22pm
Of more importance and overlooked by Ari is the fact that McCain noted that Obama has never visited a Latin American country.
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 1:47pm
Apparently he doesn't have to..heehee
"BRASILIA, Brazil - With Barack Obama on the ballot in at least eight local elections in Brazil, you might think the Democratic presidential candidate is keeping his options open in case John McCain winds up in the White House.
Not at all. Due to a quirk in Brazilian electoral law, candidates can put any name they want on the ballot, as long as it isn't offensive. At least eight candidates have chosen to be known as "Barack Obama."
The Illinois senator is hugely popular in Brazil."
-http://tinyurl.com/3e5qlc
Posted by FLaim at 09/18/2008 @ 5:40pm
McCain: Zapatero is that a dance in Mexico? I must learn it.
Posted by lopezmarin at 09/18/2008 @ 6:04pm
McCain is a senile old fart. His concentration span is almost zero and if you watch him, he can't say about anything if he's not reading it, even when he's walking around in front of an audience watch him looking down to the ground where the words have been placed for him to read them. It's amazing this shread of a man is being taken so seriously.
It will be a terrible tragedy if the Banana-Republicans steal again their third election in a row, for the US and the world, especially if he has to move out because of desease and leave behind the Sara Palin joke as head of the "free world".
Posted by etniks at 09/18/2008 @ 6:30pm
I listened to the interview. The characterization is correct. I originally gave McCain the benefit of the doubt, thinking that he was just snubbing Zapatero (something that would be welcomed by the Spanish right). When I was there, there was a lot of agitation among Spanish conservatives because Zapatero was ignoring the country's relations with the U.S. and making overtures to more leftist countries in the Latin America--Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia (all the countries mentioned in this interview before Spain). There was even a controversy because Zapatero sat down when the U.S. flag was passing by in a parade. I believe his excuse was "his legs were tired." So I figured McCain was giving the Zapatero the cold shoulder in the same manner as the Bush administration has done. After listening to the interview, however, I agree with the characterization that McCain was unaware of our relations with Spain, or even the country's geographical and political position. When asked about meeting with Zapatero and the country's relationship with the U.S., McCain ignored the question and went into some boilerplate about America's friends and enemies and analyzing relations (think Palin and the Bush Doctrine). Then, he tried to transition his answer into more friendly territory, discussing President Calderon's government in Mexico. He never really addressed Spain, but pushed right into commenting about Mexico. The interviewer actually tried to redirect him several times (again, think Charlie Gibson and Palin), until she actually stated that she wasn't talking about Latin America anymore, but rather Europe. For whatever reason, McCain responded to this question by repeating what he said before about analyzing America's relationships with our friends and enemies.
Seriously, this was pr
Posted by etniks at 09/18/2008 @ 6:55pm
McCain's friends, like Uribe and the other dictators the Republicons have supported with our blood and money since WWII are the enemies of America and all people everywhere who believe in Democracy. The only conclusion is that McCain is also an enemy of We, the People, those who still honor and revere the United States Constitution.
This week has been set aside for studying and honoring the Constitution, that document which Bush allegedly referred to as a goddamn piece of paper. We will never know whether he did in fact make that statement but we do know that he has repeatedly treated it as such. There is reason to doubt if either Bush of McCain have ever read the Constitution although both on several occasions have sworn to preserve, protect and defend it.
Posted by outrider at 09/18/2008 @ 8:22pm
This man is showing signs of being senile each day. When he is on the campaign, he is constantly reading from cue cards. This man can even give a stump speech with his 3x5 cards. This is dangerous and to believe that when this man fails Gov Palin could become President. Wake up America.
Posted by Gusto at 09/18/2008 @ 10:09pm
The McCain in Spain falls mainly upon the Palin.
Posted by Sorelish at 09/18/2008 @ 10:58pm
This man is showing signs of being senile each day. When he is on the campaign, he is constantly reading from cue cards. This man can even give a stump speech with his 3x5 cards. This is dangerous and to believe that when this man fails Gov Palin could become President. Wake up America.
Posted by Gusto at 09/18/2008 @ 10:09pm
What is the difference between cue cards and Obama's need for a teleprompter at his speeches?
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 11:16pm
care to cite how that has been hurting Americans since 1898?
Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 2:13pm
It's called imperialism, Larry. Yeah, you're good with it as long as the people involved are trying to cram your religion down the throats of their victims, aren't you, Larry? And you're good with killing them if they don't accept it, aren't you, Larry? Tell me, Larry - whom would Jesus, you know, that community organizer, kill? Whom, Larry? As for your bullshit about socialism (Larry, doesn't your religion counsel against perpetual lying?), you need to understand that socialism does not begin immediately to the left of the Spanish Inquisition.
Posted by jmusolino at 09/18/2008 @ 11:31pm
The Spainish: menace or threat? Presidential candidate John McCain earlier this week identified a grave breach in America's security blanket: Spain. McCain rebuffed efforts by Spainish Vice Minister José Zapatero to palaver should McCain and Governor Palin get elected. Spain is a lumpy-looking country once part of Europe near Africa. Some 6000 years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, Spain became entangled in the tectonic dinner plate movement and now sits queasily just below Texas. McCain was asked if Zapatero – named after a popular style of Spainish shoe, – could hang out at the White House should he be elected. "I took fewer earmarks and never supported any bridge to anywhere.," McCain said and continued "I'll have to analyze our relationships, situations and priorities before I would establish intimate contact sans birth control with our friends or enemies, and I will stand up to those who want to enter the United States illegally. Your mojo is bad, too…" The Spainish media believes that McCain confused Spain -- a NATO member and ally in the anti-terrorist battle -- with Latin American countries like Perulivia. The interviewer, baffled by the Senator's answer reminded him that Spain once had rain on the plains. As the Spainish newspaper El País remarked, "Even if Spain is guilty of harboring WMD's McCain's answer demonstrates a shocking case of bone density loss." On Thursday another Spainish newspaper named UnoDosTres sulked that "the Alaskan air mass between the U.S. and Spain will continue if McCain reaches the Casa de Blanco." Zapatero fumed with macho indignation, saying McCain may not know who Spain's leader is but promised that the Spainish people are cool with America "as long as they don't elect this wobbly old bozo."
Posted by realityczech2 at 09/19/2008 @ 01:03am
Me siento malo
Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 09/19/2008 @ 01:46am
Is it possible that John McCain is actually suffering from hearing loss? This is a serious problem for many elderly people, and most of them will react just as McCain did... they will say anything and answer foolishly rather than admit they could not hear the question. That would be less frightening, I suppose, than thinking McCain has signs of dementia, another common condition where people in the early stages are able to "fake it" when they don't understand a question or can't remember the answer. Either way, the gaffes and his obliviousness raise serious concerns about McCain's suitability for the presidency.
Posted by pbsinger at 09/19/2008 @ 03:16am
Even if you give the old guy the benefit of the doubt and accept that he didn't catch the name of Spain's PM. Whoa!! he just sounds so lost.
I don't think his gears slipped and he had a senior moment. I don't think he was aware that the discussion was about Spain and he was just keeping up W's cold shoulder act either.
Posted by koroviev at 09/19/2008 @ 04:31am
"Left wingers are eager to believe that a man who has been in the US Senate for 3 decades has never heard of Spain, so they believe that Americans are stupid to support someone who has never heard of Spain."
Actually, the problem is that he referred to Spain as being in Latin America. I was in this world for 25 years less than 3 decades and knew Spain was not in Latin America.
Posted by onthehelm at 09/20/2008 @ 10:36pm
"care to cite how that has been hurting Americans since 1898?"
Let's see, it began a more aggressive imperialism than just slaughtering the natives, and imperialism pisses people off, and then they want to punish us. Does it hurt Americans? Well, unless all the folks who were murdered on September 11, 2001 were not Americans, then the answer is yes.
Posted by onthehelm at 09/20/2008 @ 10:37pm