Not a Gaffe? McCain Campaign Willing to Destroy Relationship with Spain, Europe to Conceal Confusion

[ProSense]

Not a Gaffe? McCain Campaign Willing to Destroy Relationship with Spain, Europe to Conceal Confusion

Posted by Max Bergmann

Worse than Bush. There can be no doubt about it now.

In McCain's bizarre interview with Spanish owned Union Radio he refused to say whether he would meet with Spain's Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Listening to the interview repeatedly, it simply seemed that McCain had no idea who Zapatero actually was. McCain seemed to think he was a Latin American autocrat - despite the reporter repeatedly saying "I am talking about Spain." This gaffe would seem to have very significant implications. Not knowing who the leader of Spain was or thinking Spain was in Latin America would not really be shocking coming from his running mate, but McCain has run on his foreign policy expertise and such confusion completely undercuts his credibility. Furthermore this gaffe would bring up real questions about his age. Is McCain really prepared to deal with a crisis at 3AM, when he can't even remember who the leader of Spain is during a late evening interview?

But was it a gaffe? While it definitely seemed so, now Randy Sheunemann, McCain's foreign policy adviser is shockingly saying that this is not a gaffe but an intentional expression of policy toward Spain. Instead of just admitting that it was small gaffe late in the day, the McCain campaign has decided that they care so little about governing that they are willing to potentially nuke the U.S.-Spain relationship just to get elected. Sheunemann emailed the Washington Post, saying:

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.

This is beyond extreme. This is beyond reckless. This is insane.

McCain won't meet with a NATO ally, that has nearly 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, that has lost more than 20 soldiers there, has been brutally attacked by Al Qaeda, is incredibly influential in Latin America, has the seventh largest economy in the world, is a DEMOCRACY, and is a large and influential country in the EU. Won't meet with them?

The only plausible explanation for McCain not wanting to meet with Zapatero, is that, like Bush, he is still angry about Spain pulling its troops out of Iraq in 2004. If McCain carries that much of a grudge then how in the world will he rebuild our relationship with Europe, as he has said he would do. In a big foreign policy speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council in March, McCain expressed a desire to strengthen the transatlantic relationship.

We cannot build an enduring peace based on freedom by ourselves, and we do not want to. We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact...The bonds we share with Europe in terms of history, values, and interests are unique. Americans should welcome the rise of a strong, confident European Union as we continue to support a strong NATO.

<...>

But Sheunemann's statement now makes it clear that there will be no rebuilding of the transatlantic relationship. Instead, McCain will continue the ruinous approach of the Bush administration and continue to alienate our allies and further isolate America. This should not come as a surprise. McCain has after all shown in the past a reckless eagerness to attack America's allies.

See below for some of his more prominent attacks:

more

Update:

How bad was McCain's Gaffe? They've sent a Bush crony out to cover for him. This guy:

• United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, appointed by President George W. Bush
  
  
• Prior to joining the Bush administration, Aguirre was President of International Private Banking for Bank of America.
  
  
• While residing in Texas, Aguirre was appointed by then Governor George W. Bush to the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System for a six-year term, serving from 1996 to 1998 as chairman. Former President George H.W. Bush appointed him to the National Commission for Employment Policy.

It's clear McCain was http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7109960&mesg_id=7109960">confused in the interview

[tblue]

1. I really believe McLiar is a damaged man.

[Supersedeas]

12. as long as the Kelly O'Donnell style media continue to wrap him in pretty paper and a smile

no one will ever know

[Cha]

16. Exactamundo..the corporatemedia is

our Enemy Numero Uno!

[jeff30997]

2. Next thing you know...

Paella will become freedom rice dish.

[Karenina]

7. Na, Du, GET WIT da PROGRAMME!!!

Dem high Castillian types parle "The Same" Sprache as dem BEANERS stealin' yo JOBS or something like that...

[asdjrocky]

3. I heard some of that interview.

He sounds like a grumpy, paranoid old man. I can not believe anyone that is paying attention could vote for this drooling idiot.

[ProSense]

5. Bushco is now trying to cover for him, updated the OP. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

15. I think that every time I hear him speak.. I wonder how the hell anyone could vote for him?

He sounds like a 90 year old man in bad health who it trying to sound perky for a family event. Seriously.. he just seems like he's straining all the time to be "up", but he's morose and creepy.

[asdjrocky]

21. Morose. Perfect word.

[KathieG]

4. Yikes...scary, great...let's alienate more countries

[InternalDialogue]

6. I say Zapatero, you think Zapatista

I say Shiite, you think Sunni

Zapatero, Zapatista

Shiite, Sunni

Let's call the whole thing off!

[nichomachus]

8. They're just flailing at this point

and are willing to take everyone down with them

[MadrasT]

9. OMG, it was bad enough, but this is the first I've heard

this:

"Randy Sheunemann, McCain's foreign policy adviser is shockingly saying that this is not a gaffe but an intentional expression of policy toward Spain."

That's just bat shit crazy. I'm speechless.

[K Gardner]

10. Too much PRIDE to admit he was wrong. Like Bush, he is DANGEROUS !

[NYDem Observer]

11. Wow his camp sounds just like the Bush Camp

Instead of owning up to the fact that they made a mistake, they'll just continue the lie and gain us another foreign enemy in the process. McCain is toast!!!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. If McCain can't see a foreign country from his house

he has no idea about it.

[Dinosaur13]

14. He kept refering to the region as LATIN AMERICA.

Even after the interviewer said she was talking about Europe and the Spanish President. John continues to struggle with geography.

[Overseas]

17. If the RNC is willing to go that far, Johnny's dementia could be worse than we think.

Has he released his medical records yet?

[Curtland1015]

18. I was thinking the exact same thing. If these assh*les...

...are willing to strain relations with ENTIRE COUNTRIES, just so they can cover up a temporary brain fart from their candidate, they are in even worse shape than I thought.

[zulchzulu]

19. McCain needs to call German president Putin to set up a meeting

Maybe they can meet on the border of Iraq and Afghanistan or perhaps Czechoslovakia...

[zulchzulu]

20. Perhaps McCain is old enough to remember when Spain was next to Latin America...

...way, way back when the Atlantic Ocean was still forming.

[ProSense]

22. McCain 'confused' over Spain PM

McCain 'confused' over Spain PM

By Lourdes Heredia
BBC News, Washington

US Republican presidential candidate John McCain has raised suspicions in Spain that he thinks the country's prime minister is Latin American.

Asked by a Miami radio station if he would meet PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Mr McCain spoke of his record with leaders in "the hemisphere".

His answer led some to suggest he thought Mr Zapatero was Latin American.

Mr McCain's campaign team denied any gaffe, but did say the candidate had refused to commit to a meeting.

Spanish media have suggested that stance could be a sign Mr McCain has not forgiven Mr Zapatero for pulling Spanish troops out of Iraq when he became prime minister in 2004.

<...>

'No mention'

In Spain, opinion was divided on the ambiguous answer.

One interpretation is that Mr McCain has not forgiven Mr Zapatero for deciding to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq upon taking office in April 2004.

<...>

Other newspapers were more critical.

"He did not even mention Zapatero's name" wrote El Semana Digital, an online newspaper.

more

Either way, a blunder by McGaffe.

[ProSense]

23. CNN on John McCain's Spain gaffe

Video: John McCain's Spain gaffe

[karynnj]

24. Let's see do kids learn this in 4th grade or 5th.

Did he forget the whole Columbus story - where he set sail from... Spain.... and crossed the Atlantic to get to the Americas?

[Ian_rd]

25. Wow. I hope McCain doesn't accidentally say "I think we should bomb Britain" or something.

He meant it!

[ProSense]

26. Spanish Embassy: McCain still holding Bush’s grudge against Spain for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Spanish Embassy: McCain still holding Bush’s grudge against Spain for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Spanish Embassy: McCain still holding Bush’s grudge against Spain for withdrawing troops from Iraq.»
When asked if he would meet with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero earlier this week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) appeared confused as to whom Zapatero was and would not commit to a meeting if he is elected president. But McCain’s top foreign policy adviser has said McCain was not confused — he was simply articulating his policy. Assuming this is the case, ThinkProgress argued yesterday that McCain would be carrying forth President Bush’s grudge against Zapatero for withdrawing Spain’s troops from Iraq. Today, MSNBC reports that the Spanish Embassy in Washington, D.C. agrees:

The only plausible explanation for McCain not wanting to meet with Zapatero, is that, like Bush, he is still angry about Spain pulling its troops out of Iraq in 2004. If McCain carries that much of a grudge then how in the world will he rebuild our relationship with Europe, as he has said he would do.