McCain thinks Spain is in South America

[StopTheNeoCons]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/217702.php
El Cid! (More on Mccain's Liberation of Spain)
09.17.08 -- 8:35PM
By Josh Marshall

We wanted to give you an update on the post below where we described Sen. McCain's latest gaffe in which he seemed to suggest that he might not be willing to meet with Spanish Prime Minster Zapatero because he is among those world leaders who want to harm America.

The story is already getting picked up pretty quickly in the Spanish press. And the way it's being interpreted in the Spanish press is that McCain got confused about the fact that Spain is a country in Europe, rather than a rogue state in Latin America.

Our review of the audio suggests the same conclusion. In the interview, McCain is asked about Hugo Chavez, the situation in Bolivia and then about Raul Castro. He responds to each of these with expected answers about standing up to America's enemies, etc. Then the interviewer switches gears and asks about Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister. And McCain replies -- very loose translation -- that he'll establish close relations with our friends and stand up to those who want to do us harm. The interviewer has a double take and seems to think McCain might be confused. So she asks it again. But McCain sticks to the same evasive answer.

This is obviously a story that's difficult to get a handle on because of multiple layers of translation and retranslation. So I would ask that those of you who are speak Spanish fluently to review this article in El Pais and the audio in the post below, and let us know any other information you find.

[ananda]

1. What is meant by "rogue states" in SA?

I consider any USA friendly country in SA
to be a rogue state.

Yes, that means that I admire Chavez and
other SA leaders trying to resist the
rightwing pressures of free trade and
paramilitaries killing union leaders and
members.

[StopTheNeoCons]

2. Late Update:

Late Update: So McCain is the candidate with the foreign policy experience ready to lead on day one. But he doesn't know who the leader of Spain is. He gets confused in an interview, apparently thinking Zapatero is someone from Latin America who is an enemy of the United States and manages to create a minor international incident.

Later Update: Here's another Spanish press reax. In Spain, there seem to be two lines of thinking. The great majority appear to think the McCain was simply confused and didn't know who Zapatero was -- something you might bone up on if you were about to do an interview with the Spanish press. The assumption seems to be that since he'd already been asked about Castro and Chavez that McCain assumed Zapatero must be some other Latin American bad guy. A small minority though think that McCain is simply committed to an anti-Spanish foreign policy since he's still angry about Spain pulling it's troops out of Iraq. Finally, a few of those who lean toward the first view speculate that McCain may have confused Zapatero with the Zapatista rebel group in Mexico.

--Josh Marshall
www.talkingpointsmemo.com

[frogcycle]

3. whatever the explanation...

it ain't pretty


maybe he should have followed Palin's lead and just smiled, batted his eyelashes, and said "in what context, Charlie?"

of course the reporter might not have liked being called Charlie, but he could claim it was a flashback...

[rufus dog]

7. I've got to defend McCain here.

It was an interview with the "Spanish" press. They speak spanish in Mexico and Latin America. McCain knows this, that is what laborers speak when they clean his houses, pools, mow his yards, on and on.

In Spain they speak Spainese. I bet even Palin knows that.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. The interview was in English...

But the broadcast was translated into Spanish over the English. It's almost impossible to hear the English. But if you speak Spanish, you can understand the ranslation. Here's a link: http://www.cadenaser.com/internacional/audios/entrevista-union-radio-candidato-republicano/sernot/20080917csrcsrint_1/Aes/:

[Poiuyt]

4. Well, at least he likes the leaders of Czechoslovakia.

[berni_mccoy]

5. Holy Cow! McCain Can't Even String a Coherent Thought Together. He's Done!

[orestes]

6. And this is yet another example

of why his handlers are doing all they can to keep McCain and Palin away from the press. They just can't help themselves.

But in all seriousness, when McCain was a POW for 5 1/2 years at the Hanoi Hilton, he didn't have maps of Europe and South America available to study.

[Pithlet]

8. He's in bad shape.

He hasn't been looking good lately. I'm sure there's a reason they won't fully release his medical records. I don't want the man for our president, but I still hope I'm wrong, and it's not as bad as it appears. I have a bad feeling, though, because I don't think that's the kind of stupid answer he'd normally give. Palin, or Bush, yes, but not McCain.

[Lilith Velkor]

9. The rain in Spain falls mainly on McCain!

[berni_mccoy]

10. This story is up on Kos. Apparently, it's now a Diplomatic INCIDENT!

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/17/233047/795/762/602329

[Colobo]

11. McClown failed geography.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. Sounds like more evidence that senility has set in...

Here's Americablog.com's take: http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/john-mccain-just-forget-where-spain-was.html

[McCamy Taylor]

14. He will only meet with Francisco Franco---who at last report was still dead!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

15. He sees Mexico from his house in Arizona. He's an expert on Latin America

How dare anyone criticize his enormous expertise?