[08 Election] McCain's Knowledge of Foreign Policy

McCain camp stands by tough talk on Spain
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonat...mp_stands_by_tough_talk_on_Spain.html?showall

John McCain pointedly declined to commit to a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in a radio interview this week, sparking a major story in Madrid.

Talking to a Latino-oriented radio station in Miami Monday morning, McCain would only say: "I would be willing to meet with those leaders who are friends and want to work with us in a cooperative fashion."

It seems, however, like McCain was uncertain about the country and leader in question.

After an extended interview dealing with countries to our south, McCain used the question about Spain to allude back to Mexico, note his work "with leaders in the hemisphere," and our relationship with "Latin America and the entire region."

McCain also never makes any mention of Spain or Zapatero.

Further, the individual conducting the interview has a thick accent and McCain appears not to understand her at times.

"Ok, what about Europe, I'm talking about the President of Spain?" she asks.

"What about me, what?" McCain responds, believing she said "you" instead of "Europe."

Despite all this, McCain's campaign insists he was aware it was Spain that was being discussed.

"No, 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," said McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Schuenemann in an email. "Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview.:

McCain's campaign also noted that since Zapatero pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq, he has still sought a coveted White House meeting. Representatives of his government have met with the campaigns to discuss the issue.

It seems quite possible in all this that McCain had stopped paying attention to the interview, but still got the policy line right on Spain by sticking to platitudes.

But it's hard to imagine McCain saying this of a NATO member and European democracy, even one whose government is currently not seen as friendly: "I am willing to meet with any leader who is dedicated to the same principles and philosophy that we are for human rights, democracy and freedom and I will stand up to those who are not."

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After listening to the interview (3/4 from the link), her accent is very strong on names. After talking extensively about Latin America, McCain could've fallen asleep during his droning monologue, or as his handlers were saying, McCain really was deliberately avoiding the issue in reflection of a Bush-like NeoCon policy.

This misunderstanding doesn't diminish my opinion of McCain's foreign policy experience, which this thread is framed around. His current tendency not to admit his slight mistakes and "standing by his tough talk" bugs me much much more. Too bad most care more about the former than the latter. Heck the tough talk bull**** might even embolden his supporters.

 

The g.o.p ticket has become one dumb ticket.