McCain's bizarre response as to whether he would meet with the Spanish Prime Minister

[Cali Coug]

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

This is an odd story. He was asked by a Spanish reporter if he would meet with Zapatero if elected (I don't know why they would even ask that question, because I would have assumed (falsely) that the answer is an automatic "yes"). McCain refused to say yes. He was asked at least 4 times, and each time he dodged the question (each time also referring to Latin America in his response). The exasperated reporter finally said he meant the president of Spain (even saying that Spain is in Europe). McCain again refused to answer.

Does he really not want to meet with Zapatero? Did he not know who Zapatero is? What happened? Spanish papers appear befuddled as well.

[Tex]

They are still trying to figure out Obama's lying Spanish ad.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

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

This is an odd story. He was asked by a Spanish reporter if he would meet with Zapatero if elected (I don't know why they would even ask that question, because I would have assumed (falsely) that the answer is an automatic "yes"). McCain refused to say yes. He was asked at least 4 times, and each time he dodged the question (each time also referring to Latin America in his response). The exasperated reporter finally said he meant the president of Spain (even saying that Spain is in Europe). McCain again refused to answer.

Does he really not want to meet with Zapatero? Did he not know who Zapatero is? What happened? Spanish papers appear befuddled as well.

go here if you want to see a nice case of mental gymnastics:

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=4039250

[FMCoug]

Originally Posted by BlueK

go here if you want to see a nice case of mental gymnastics:

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=4039250

risenshout is to McCain as Indy Coug was to Gary Crowton.

[BarbaraGordon]

What's really bizarre is when you realize this is the guy running pretty much on foreign policy credentials alone.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

What's really bizarre is when you realize this is the guy running pretty much on foreign policy credentials alone.

what's also bizarre is the guy running against him is running on being a good speaker and doing some community organizing

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

what's also bizarre is the guy running against him is running on being a good speaker

Right. And pigs and lipstick aside, he's done a decent job of sticking to the "I'm the new young guy with really fancy talk" thing.

If McCain wants to win us over with his incomparable experience with foreign policy, he should at least make it seem like he knows which leaders belong to Cuba and which ones belong to Spain. That's my point.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Right. And pigs and lipstick aside, he's done a decent job of sticking to the "I'm the new young guy with really fancy talk" thing.

If McCain wants to win us over with his incomparable experience with foreign policy, he should at least make it seem like he knows which leaders belong to Cuba and which ones belong to Spain. That's my point.

Do you believe it's conclusive he didn't know? Or is it possible he was dismissing Zapatero for Zapatero's slight against the US. Right wing groups in Spain interpreted, gleefully, the slight, as a slight against Zapatero, and are using that to gain advantages of their own.

From reading it is unclear to me which interpretation is correct. If he had been prepared for Latin American discussions I can see him not knowing, not that that is excusable. Or given his Iraq stance, it seems more probable to me that he simply doesn't feel any affinity for Zapatero given his abandonment of Iraq and the Allies.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Do you believe it's conclusive he didn't know? Or is it possible he was dismissing Zapatero for Zapatero's slight against the US. Right wing groups in Spain interpreted, gleefully, the slight, as a slight against Zapatero, and are using that to gain advantages of their own.

From reading it is unclear to me which interpretation is correct. If he had been prepared for Latin American discussions I can see him not knowing, not that that is excusable. Or given his Iraq stance, it seems more probable to me that he simply doesn't feel any affinity for Zapatero given his abandonment of Iraq and the Allies.

There are two possibilities and neither one do I find acceptable for a man who's running for president primarily based on his foreign policy credentials.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

There are two possibilities and neither one do I find acceptable for a man who's running for president primarily based on his foreign policy credentials.

Why do you find it unacceptable to be chilly to Spain if we don't need anything from Spain right now?