McCain Offends Spain, or Foreign Policy Genius My Ass

[Hentor the Barbarian]

John McCain recently gave an interview with someone from the Spanish press, and did not know that their Prime Minister was named Zapatero, and appeared to confuse him with a Latin American leftist. Even after being corrected that the interviewer was talking about Europe, he apparently did not get it.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/217710.php

... 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). [...]

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.

Can we finally put to rest the idea that this guy knows anything about foreign policy or international relations?

[Frank]

McCain's thought bubble: Why the hell is this person asking me about Zapata?

[Bayard]

I'm going to reserve judgement till I see more of the transcript, but if he confused Zapatero with the Zapatistas, or with the long-dead revolutionary from whom they took their name, that's just, um, both hilarious and scary.

[Hentor the Barbarian]

Here's a bit more:

Late Wednesday night, news made its way from the other side of the Atlantic that John McCain, in an interview with a Spanish outlet, had made a series of bizarre responses to a question regarding that country's prime minister.

"Would you be willing to meet with the head of our government, Mr. Zapatero?" the questioner asked, in an exchange now being reported by several Spanish outlets.

McCain proceeded to launch into what appeared to be a boilerplate declaration about Mexico and Latin America -- but not Spain -- pressing the need to stand up to world leaders who want to harm America.

"I will meet with those leaders who are our friends and who want to work with us cooperatively," according to one translation. The reporter repeated the question two more times, apparently trying to clarify, but McCain referred again to Latin America.

Finally, the questioner said, "Okay, but I'm talking about Europe -- the president of Spain, would you meet with him?" The Senator offered only a slight variance to his initial comment. "I will reunite with any leader that has the same principles and philosophy that we do: human rights, democracy, and liberty. And I will confront those that don't [have them]."

One has to presume that he knew he was sitting down for an interview with someone from the Spanish press, right?

[C3]

Originally Posted by Hentor the Barbarian

Here's a bit more:

One has to presume that he knew he was sitting down for an interview with someone from the Spanish press, right?

It sounds less like he was confused about who he was talking to, and more like he didn't want to be pulled off his boilerplate comments. He probably hasn't been briefed about Spain, so he was just trying to stick to what he has been briefed on.

Edited to add: not that that's any better

[Borborygmi]

(By George, I think I've got it!)

♪ ♫ McCain's campaign draws mainly Spain's disdain
Spain's disdain comes mainly from McCain

And where's all this disdain?
In Spain! In Spain!
And what can they do in Spain?
Complain! Complain!

McCain's campaign draws mainly Spain's disdain...
McCain's campaign draws mainly Spain's disdain ♫ ♪

[Slacker]

His mind was other places that day. I know he's been preoccupied lately, trying to come up with new ways to keep the Blackberry competitive against the iPhone and the Android powered smartphones.

[Bayard]

I'm kind of confused -- was McCain being interviewed on Miami radio station AM 1260? I think that's what the story on Talking Points Memo means. I can almost see where he would assume that an interviewer on a Miami radio station would be asking about Latin American affairs. That doesn't do much to excuse his (apparent -- still waiting for more information) gaffe, but at first I thought he was talking to a guy in Spain.

ETA: And, TPM says that McCain didn't do much better even after the interviewer said, "But we're talking about Europe."

[aldiboronti]

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

[ShibbOleth]

I think I can understand the confusion, but it certainly doesn't speak well to:

a) his handlers vetting his interview requests.
b) his ability to think well on his feet.
c) possibly his knowledge of world leaders and our diplomatic relationships.

Note that on point C, I don't expect him to know off the top of his head how we interact with every country in the world, but I would expect him to do his homework going into an interview.

[ShibbOleth]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

No, I expect his constituency is mostly too dumb to care. This shouldn't, for the most part, affect his election chances at all.

[RedFury]

Jusus Christ on a pogo stick! That has to be one of the most bizrre interviews I've ever heard. The guy was completly clueless as to who Zapatero was -- even after being told "we're talking about Spain, in Europe."

You can hear the whole mess here:

English Version

(scroll down half a page to his pic)

What a tool!

[Shot Clock]

Overheard at the neighborhood BoJangles Restaurant this morning:

"McCain thought they were talking about the Latins...The guy he was talking to was speaking Mexican"

Hand to God!

[Hentor the Barbarian]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

Great, on-topic point. However, I think that people may have been more willing to give Reagan a pass on not knowing stuff than they will McCain because of Reagan's youth relative to McCain.

[Ethilrist]

In the Washington Monthly report linked by Bayard above, the Miami broadcast was a re-broadcast of an interview that was done in Spain.

"McCain didn't appear to know that Spain was in Europe, or that the leader of Spain was named Zapatero, even after he was told that Zapatero was the leader of Spain."

[Morgenstern]

Those pesky senior moments seem to be more and more frequent as this campaign heats up. Those moments may/will be his downfall.

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

No mocking, but I can honestly tell you most of the people I knew back when Reagan was in office did not like him. His popularity depends on a point of view, I think. When they had his funeral my boss called me and told me that it we all had the day off because of it. I told him 'Well, thats the first thing Reagan ever did for me." Then I was pissed because it was all on TV and I had to go rent some movies.

Besides, Reagan has nothing to do with whatever stupid crap comes out of McCain's mouth right now in the present at all.

[Hamlet]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

For fuck's sake, it's not simply "mocking" it is a serious question about McCain's ability to be President. Are you TRYING to make conservatives look like the ignorant asses they are seen to be on this board?

[Duke]

Originally Posted by Hentor the Barbarian

However, I think that people may have been more willing to give Reagan a pass on not knowing stuff than they will McCain because of Reagan's youth relative to McCain.

Plus, Reagan got to co-star with a chimpanzee in one of his movies. Everybody loves chimpanzees.

On the other hand, POW POW POW.

[Enderw24]

I can actually understand why McCain gave the answer he did.

Imagine if you were unprepared for an interview (it happens), and the reporter asks you if you would meet with Mr. X. Even Mr. X of Country Y. Now, granted, you should have been prepared for the interview and sure as heck should have known there would be questions about Country Y popping up from time to time based on the very nature of the interview. But that's neither here nor there. You're being asked if you would meet with a person who you don't recognize and the only thing going through your mind is "is this a trick question? Is this guy a good guy or a bad guy? What if I say I want to meet with a bad guy? Will I be lambasted as sympathizing with my enemies?"
And there's the key. If you've already blasted your opponent for even daring to suggest that communicating with the enemy is acceptable, you damned well better not be caught saying the same thing.

And so you say "um...all good guys I'll meet with and all bad guys I'll confront!" and you pray to God that that's the end of the line of questioning.

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by Enderw24

I can actually understand why McCain gave the answer he did.

Imagine if you were unprepared for an interview (it happens), and the reporter asks you if you would meet with Mr. X. Even Mr. X of Country Y. Now, granted, you should have been prepared for the interview and sure as heck should have known there would be questions about Country Y popping up from time to time based on the very nature of the interview. But that's neither here nor there. You're being asked if you would meet with a person who you don't recognize and the only thing going through your mind is "is this a trick question? Is this guy a good guy or a bad guy? What if I say I want to meet with a bad guy? Will I be lambasted as sympathizing with my enemies?"
And there's the key. If you've already blasted your opponent for even daring to suggest that communicating with the enemy is acceptable, you damned well better not be caught saying the same thing.

And so you say "um...all good guys I'll meet with and all bad guys I'll confront!" and you pray to God that that's the end of the line of questioning.

Being unprepared for an event he had knowledge of beforehand seems to be just as bad....worse, even...than just plain not knowing the correct name of the leader of Spain.

I'd be offended if I were spanish.

[Bayard]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Being unprepared for an event he had knowledge of beforehand seems to be just as bad....worse, even...than just plain not knowing the correct name of the leader of Spain.

I'd be offended if I were spanish.

Plus, Spain fought with us in Iraq, then Zapatero took the Spanish troops out. It was kind of a big deal at the time. If McCain is hanging his presidential cred on his understanding of the war in Iraq, you would have thought that detail would have stuck with him.

[Kalhoun]

He's the poster child for forced retirement. Jesus...he's pathetic.

[RedFury]

Originally Posted by Ethilrist

In the Washington Monthly report linked by Bayard above, the Miami broadcast was a re-broadcast of an interview that was done in Spain.

Just to be clear, the interview was out of a Miami Latin radio station, owned by the grupo PRISA from Spain under the label of Unión Radio. It was being simulcast in Spain by Cadena Ser (see my prior link)

----

Some of the comments of the readers at El Pais, for those of you that speak Spanish, are simply hilarious -- others of course, don't find it so funny. I simply remain astonished that such a clueless politician could become the next leader of the Free World.

McCain elude decir si se reunirá con Zapatero de llegar a la Casa Blanca

[Discordia]

Thanks for the english RedFury. Man, that was tough to listen to. He really had no idea who Zapatero is. Seemed to just assume it was some guy in South America. Hopefully he pulls this in the debates, since this surely won't get traction with Wall Street dominating the news

[Bayard]

Originally Posted by Discordia

Hopefully he pulls this in the debates, since this surely won't get traction with Wall Street dominating the news

Probably right about it not getting much traction. At least Time is talking about it. The writer suggests that it's possible that McCain did know who Zapatero was, and really meant that he wouldn't commit to talking to him. Either way, not a banner day in foreign policy.

[DianaG]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

But don't you think he should? Seriously. I'm asking.

[Revtim]

McCain's problem is not that he's old, or stupid, or anything like that. The problem is that he never lived in a place that was near Spain.

[Jack Batty]

Maybe he just didn't have time to have someone look it up on the internet and email it to his wife so she could print it out on a real piece of paper for him.

Honest mistake.

[Boyo Jim]

For 5-1/2 years, McCain couldn't look at a map! Is it so surprising he can't find anything, even a clue?

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by DianaG

But don't you think he should? Seriously. I'm asking.

There is no "should" on the Right anymore. There is only "win at any cost". It's not like the Republicans have had a soul to lose for a while.

[TVeblen]

Originally Posted by RedFury

I simply remain astonished that such a clueless politician could become the next leader of the Free World.

And just look at his back-up! You know, the one who'll take over if/when the dinosaur kicks it. Ooops, dinosaur: not a good word in the McCain/Palin camp. Then we'll all see real cluelessness in action.

Freak show. The GOP is running a frickin' freak show--and 'conservatives' don't even care.

[NurseCarmen]

Wow, that was cringe inducing.

[Gangster Octopus]

Maybe Palin shoudl have done the interview.

[Lionne]

Why, can she see Spain from Alaska too?

[Muffin]

At least he didn't insist that Spain was Sweden.

[Happy_Booker]

With this kind of diplomatic skills, his Commander in Chief skills may be given a showcase.

[Bayard]

Originally Posted by Lionne

Why, can she see Spain from Alaska too?

No, but McCain was quoted (in a pretty funny piece by Chris Kelly) as saying:

She has been commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard. Fact. On September 11 a contingent of the Guard deployed to Iraq and her son happened to be one of them so I think she understands national security challenges.

Except that Palin's son Track is in the Army, not the NG. And children are not an issue in this campaign.

[Bayard]

Well, McCain looks to be going the route of, "I knew who they meant, and I don't want to commit to having a meeting with him." I mean, come on, you can't be too cautious with those NATO members. The Washington Post reports:

McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Sheunemann said McCain's answer was intentional.

"The questioner asked several times about Senator McCain's willingness to meet Zapatero (and id'd him in the question so there is no doubt Senator McCain knew exactly to whom the question referred). Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview," he said in an e-mail.

Nice.

[Spiny Norman]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

Do you honestly think John Q Public is better served with a chief executive who needs a cheat sheet to master the basics of foreign policy?

[Bosstone]

Originally Posted by Spiny Norman

Do you honestly think John Q Public is better served with a chief executive who needs a cheat sheet to master the basics of foreign policy?

Well, he's not a Democrat.

[The Hamster King]

Originally Posted by Enderw24

And there's the key. If you've already blasted your opponent for even daring to suggest that communicating with the enemy is acceptable, you damned well better not be caught saying the same thing.

I could understand this if we were talking about someplace obscure: "Will you be willing to meet with the President of Burkina Faso?" It would be unreasonable to expect McCain to know the ins and out of our diplomatic relations with every country in the world off the top of his head.

But this is freakin' SPAIN! As people have pointed out, it's a member of NATO! If Spain is attacked we're bound by treaty to go to war to defend them. But McCain isn't sure if he'd meet with their President?

A foreign policy "expert" should at least know who our major allies are ... .

[The Tao's Revenge]

El senor McCain es un puta estupido

I know it's english board but I think a casual reading of that even to monolingual english speakers will make my meaning clear. Especially with this clue.

[The Tao's Revenge]

Epic fail at VB code

try this clue.

[ralph124c]

This tells me that McCain is really in the early stages of senility. The smart thing to do, when you realize you don't have a clue, is to STFU! He could have said something like: "I really am not prepared to discuss specifics, but I will discuss general points of my campaign"-it would have been OK..but to make a fool out of yourself?
better pray that palin can learn fast!

[Biffy the Elephant Shrew]

Originally Posted by The Tao's Revenge

El senor McCain es un puta estupido.

"Puta" is feminine, so that would be "una puta estúpida." If you want to call McCain a man-whore, the word is "puto."

Glad to help.

[Rhythmdvl]

Originally Posted by aldiboronti

Mock on, mock on. Kinda reminds me of the liberal mockery of Reagan. He turned out to be one of the most popular Presidents in US history, much to the liberals' chagrin and frustration. You honestly think John Q Public out there give a cuss about this?

So ... you're proud to be an ignorant fuck?

[Happy Lendervedder]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

So ... you're proud to be an ignorant fuck?

He's just proud to vote for 'em. To have ignorant fucks running our country. Talk about un-American.

[stolichnaya]

It's kind of... disturbing... that the McCain campign's response is not "You know, it was a long day, and the Senator was having trouble hearing the question. Of course the Senator will meet with the Prime Minister and all of our NATO allies when he is president. The Senator meant no disrespect and is happy to grant a follow-up interview as his time permits."

Wouldn't that have basically killed it? Instead the campaign is locked into a foreign policy position of sorts, and a rather testy one, when it is pretty freakin' clear that this was all just a temporary confusion.

This puts me ill at ease at the prospect of a McCain presidency.

[Giraffe]

Originally Posted by Enderw24

I can actually understand why McCain gave the answer he did.

Imagine if you were unprepared for an interview (it happens), and the reporter asks you if you would meet with Mr. X. Even Mr. X of Country Y. Now, granted, you should have been prepared for the interview and sure as heck should have known there would be questions about Country Y popping up from time to time based on the very nature of the interview. But that's neither here nor there.

I think this is an important point. George Bush was barely hurt at all by his repeated blunders on foreign policy during the 2000 election, in large part because of this sentiment. People thought "heck, I don't know who the leader of Pakistan is, who am I to give the guy a hard time about it?"

We shouldn't be putting ourselves in the role of the job interviewee and thinking how we'd react in situations like this -- most of us are grossly unqualified to be president, so of course we're going to relate to these sorts of blunders. We need to get back to caring that the most qualified person get the job, not the person we can relate to the best. We may sympathize with the guy on Jeopardy who came in third and barely buzzed in at all, but our vote needs to go to Ken Jennings.