# McCain Offends Spain, or Foreign Policy Genius My Ass **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 18, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132 "2008-09-18T12:22:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/21 "2008-09-18T13:32:48Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/22 "2008-09-18T13:41:02Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/23 "2008-09-18T13:42:41Z")
He’s the poster child for forced retirement. Jesus…he’s pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/24 "2008-09-18T13:42:46Z")
> [@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](http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uni%C3%B3n_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](http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/McCain/elude/decir/reunira/Zapatero/llegar/Casa/Blanca/elpepuint/20080917elpepuint_9/Tes) ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/25 "2008-09-18T13:45:08Z")
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 ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/26 "2008-09-18T13:50:44Z")
> [@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](http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1842156,00.html) 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. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/27 "2008-09-18T13:51:38Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/28 "2008-09-18T13:59:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/29 "2008-09-18T14:05:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/30 "2008-09-18T14:10:18Z")
For 5-1/2 years, McCain couldn’t look at a map! Is it so surprising he can’t find anything, even a clue? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/31 "2008-09-18T14:13:12Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/32 "2008-09-18T14:22:10Z")
[QUOTE=RedFury] I simply remain astonished that such a clueless politician could become the next leader of the Free World. [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/33 "2008-09-18T14:25:20Z")
Wow, that was cringe inducing. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/34 "2008-09-18T15:11:38Z")
Maybe Palin shoudl have done the interview. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/35 "2008-09-18T15:19:11Z")
Why, can she see Spain from Alaska too? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/36 "2008-09-18T15:20:32Z")
At least he didn’t insist that Spain was Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Booker\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@Happy\_Booker\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Booker_1)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/37 "2008-09-18T15:20:36Z")
With this kind of diplomatic skills, his Commander in Chief skills may be given a showcase. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/38 "2008-09-18T15:23:58Z")
> [@Lionne](#): > > Why, can she see Spain from Alaska too? No, but McCain was quoted (in a pretty funny piece by [Chris Kelly](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/the-delicate-subject-of-j_b_127359.html)) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/39 "2008-09-18T15:47:08Z")
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](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/18/mccain_slights_spanish_prime_m.html): > [@](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132/40 "2008-09-18T16:05:06Z")
> [@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? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-offends-spain-or-foreign-policy-genius-my-ass/464132.md?page=3)