McCain adds Spain to axis of evil.

Hobbes

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

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.

lol. Although in fairness it was probably mean of the reporter to mention other countries in the axis of evil first.

Although to be fair a lot of spaniards have that sorta arab look about em..

Bubs101

Not exactly an easy one in fairness. A potential presidential candidate has far more important things to do than memorize a bunch of state leaders who he'll only meet a handful of times a year, especially when his memory is probably failing him

ytareh

If you read on in the link it suggests he didnt even know WHERE Spain was suggesting he thought it was in South/Central America...Jesus wept!

brianthebard

Bubs101 wrote: »

Not exactly an easy one in fairness. A potential presidential candidate has far more important things to do than memorize a bunch of state leaders who he'll only meet a handful of times a year, especially when his memory is probably failing him

Wow you are really selling him as a good choice for president! Seriously though, Spain was an ally in the war in Iraq,and McCain worked for the senate committee that was involved in the war (I forget its proper title, but plenty of McCain supporters here on boards have used it as an excuse for picking him)-forget about every leader of every nation, shouldn't he at least know the leaders of allies???

drunkmonkey

the guys a gerry at trick with a tumour growing out of his cheek....does it really matter what he says...Palin will be the puppet president after the election if the Republicans win..

Podge_irl

ytareh wrote: »

If you read on in the link it suggests he didnt even know WHERE Spain was suggesting he thought it was in South/Central America...Jesus wept!

He didn't think Spain was in central America, he assumed Zapatero was a central American leader.

brianthebard

Podge_irl wrote: »

He didn't think Spain was in central America, he assumed Zapatero was a central American leader.

How does that make it better?

Tristram

It makes it different.

Bubs101

brianthebard wrote: »

Wow you are really selling him as a good choice for president! Seriously though, Spain was an ally in the war in Iraq,and McCain worked for the senate committee that was involved in the war (I forget its proper title, but plenty of McCain supporters here on boards have used it as an excuse for picking him)-forget about every leader of every nation, shouldn't he at least know the leaders of allies???

I thought that when Zapatero won the election Spain pulled out so he was no longer an ally. For the record, I'm not a Republican but I don't see why it's such a big deal that he doesn't know his name

brianthebard

Bubs101 wrote: »

I thought that when Zapatero won the election Spain pulled out so he was no longer an ally. For the record, I'm not a Republican but I don't see why it's such a big deal that he doesn't know his name

Yes that's true, one of the reasons he won, and surely a reason for someone involved in orchestrating the war to remember his name?? Generally its preferred if potential leaders have a basic grasp of geography and politics in different regions, and not be a clueless old coot.

norbert64

I can imagine him not knowing the name of a socialist leader in Europe, actually going over quite well with a lot of people in the US.

Hobbes

Bubs101 wrote: »

Not exactly an easy one in fairness. A potential presidential candidate has far more important things to do than memorize a bunch of state leaders who he'll only meet a handful of times a year, especially when his memory is probably failing him

I agree, but you would think if you are going to be interviewed by the Spanish media that you are least memorize who their president is.

Hobbes

Bubs101 wrote: »

I don't see why it's such a big deal that he doesn't know his name

And that is why your not president.

Black Swan

Just look across the pond.

rowlandbrowner

In fairness to McCain, Zapatero is an intelligent leader, who values equality, secularism and favours diplomacy over war, to McCain he probably sounds like a fictional character.

nhughes100

This won't matter an iota in the election, most americans think the world ends at their borders. I remember a similar interview with George W before he got elected and he was being asked who was the leader of various countries. He didn't get most of them and now he's a two termer.

norbert64

Obama knows there names
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/snl-obama-hillary/3310751071

Riche670

Bubs101 wrote: »

A potential presidential candidate has far more important things to do than memorize a bunch of state leaders who he'll only meet a handful of times a year, especially when his memory is probably failing him

Is that sarcasm?

A potential presidential candidate should at least know the names of state leaders from around the world, especially a country as big and important as Spain.

This shows what a joke the American presidential position has become. Look at the people who are voting these people into power:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuKMtLOKG8k

The position of American president has ramifications for the enitre world, only people with a certain level of intelligence/qualification/ or brain matter for want of a better word should be allowed vote.

We have people who believe Kyrgystan is a threat to US national security voting for the Commander in chief of the world's most powerful army.

Come on people!

Ludo

Riche670 wrote: »

The position of American president has ramifications for the enitre world, only people with a certain level of intelligence/qualification/ or brain matter for want of a better word should be allowed vote.
chief of the world's most powerful army.

Hard to enforce that kind of a restriction on voting when one of the VP candidates doesn't even meet those criteria

In fact of the four candidates, it is quite possible to argue that none of them meet ALL those criteria.

McCain - fails intelligence and brain matter test (makes up for it with experience)
Obama - fails qualification test - (makes up for it with intelligence)
Biden - fails intelligence and brain matter test - says some wacky things (makes up for it with experience)
Palin - fails all tests.

Where is Hillary when you need her as she does actualy pass all of the above (not that I would want her as president either).

EamonnKeane

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/27961
The Onion, 2003: "Bush Subconsciously Sizes Up Spain For Invasion"

"[Bush] said Spain didn't seem to be all that prosperous for a nation whose main export is oil," Powell said. "I told him Spain doesn't produce a lot of oil. Finally, we figured he must've been thinking of olive oil, and we both had a big laugh about it."

Overheal

We wouldnt have this problem if world leaders met up in Cheers.

Dirk Gently

loose translation wrote:

that he'll establish close relations with our friends and stand up to those who want to do us harm

Looks like he simply confused him with Zapata of the Zapatistas. Not an incredible gaff considering they were supposedly talking about Latin lefties just previous. I don't speak Spanish though so it's hard to tell from a translation what context it was in.

Bubs101

Riche670 wrote: »

Is that sarcasm?

A potential presidential candidate should at least know the names of state leaders from around the world, especially a country as big and important as Spain.

The position of American president has ramifications for the enitre world, only people with a certain level of intelligence/qualification/ or brain matter for want of a better word should be allowed vote.

I'm sure McCain is well aware about Spain and it's importace. All he did was forget a name of a president. Not really a big deal. He has far more important things to worry about at the moment

oscarBravo

Is it unrealistic to expect that when being interviewed by Spanish press, he would memorise just a few key details about Spain beforehand?

Latchy

Hobbes wrote: »

I agree, but you would think if you are going to be interviewed by the Spanish media that you are least memorize who their president is.

Which tells you some people are just not cut out to be politicians .

Bubs101

oscarBravo wrote: »

Is it unrealistic to expect that when being interviewed by Spanish press, he would memorise just a few key details about Spain beforehand?

Not really but to make out that he's not cut out to be president after this is ridiculous

Ludo

Bubs101 wrote: »

Not really but to make out that he's not cut out to be president after this is ridiculous

It is just one of many signs recently that McCain appears to be losing it.

The Raven.

Riche670 wrote: »

A potential presidential candidate should at least know the names of state leaders from around the world, especially a country as big and important as Spain.

McCain is indeed very well aware of Spain and Zapatera, and has already discussed the importance of normalising bilateral relations between Spain and the US, and inviting its president to the White House. He spoke of this in an April 2008 Interview

I think it is somewhat hasty to jump to the conclusion that his latest reticence on the subject was a ‘gaffe’. The impression I get from the recent interview is that he was merely exercising caution on committing to any specifics on the matter in advance. In light of the continuous, twisted ranting of the media, who could blame him for that?

Riche670 wrote: »

This shows what a joke the American presidential position has become. Look at the people who are voting these people into power:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuKMtLOKG8k

The position of American president has ramifications for the enitre [sic] world, only people with a certain level of intelligence/qualification/ or brain matter for want of a better word should be allowed vote.

Welcome to the ‘tyranny of the majority’.