Spain's leading newspaper, El Pais, covers Spanish reaction to McCain-gaffe.

[npincus]

The folowing is a translastion from the original article on Spanish reaction to comments McCain in a radio interview the other day. Ay, carumba.

http://aleksandreia.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/spanish-reaction-to-mccains-interview-with-latin-radio/

If he wins, the Republican Candidate will not Commit to Meet with Zapatero
The senator responds with evasions about the Spanish president in an interview
M. G. - Madrid - 18/09/2008


The Republican candidate for the White House, John McCain, avoided up to four times committing to meet with the head of the Spanish government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, if he becomes the next president of the United States.

“I will meet with those leaders who are our friends and who want to work with us in a cooperative way,” responded McCain in an interview with representatives of the group Unión Radio, which forms part of the Cadena SER .

When the question was repeated to him, he limited himself to answering with evasions. “I can assure you that I will establish greater relations with our friends and I will stand up to those who want to harm the United States,” he said once. “I will meet with whichever leader holds thesame principles and philosophy as us: human rights, democracy and freedom. And I will confront those who do not,” he added again.

When asked about this, Zapatero played doen the significance of McCain’s vagueness. “It’s logical for him to take this necessary caution, there is an electoral process going on,” he responded.

“It’s true that I have not had a formal encounter with President Bush,” insisted Zapatero, alluding to the anomaly that considers that a meeting of the highest level between both goverenments cannot exist, “but this has not stopped the workd that we’ve accomplished. And he added that he will work with the new American administration “whatever color it may be” and he will do so “with a constructive will and loyalty, as is due to those countries who are our partners.”

These declarations about McCain contrast with those that he made to El País last April, when he said that “it is the moment to leave behind discrepancies with Spain.” And he added: “I would like for President Zapatero to visit the United States.” In diplomatic circles yesterday, the candidate’s attitude was attributed to confusion, since the interview focused on relations with Latin America and the journalist had to remind him that Spain is a European country when he insisted on using Mexico as an example. In the best case, it would demonstrate his ignorance with respect to Zapatero.

It is one of Spain’s diplomatic priorities that a meeting between the two presidents take place. It is assumed that this meeting will not take place until the latter part of 2009, since the winner of the elections in November will assume office in January and may need to estabish his team and attend to other, more urgent problems rather than seeing to Spain. But it is desired that Zapatero visit Washington before, in the first quarter of 2010, the new White House tenant attends the European Union summit meeting in Spain. Next week, Zapatero will arrive in New York City for the UN General Assembly, but the most that is hoped for is some contact between the minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and his counterpart, Condoleezza Rice.



(original text, in Spanish, here:}http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/candidato/republicano/compromete/ver/Zapatero/gana/elpepuint/20080918elpepiint_9/Tes

[Karenina]

1. Just. So. Pathetic.

[npincus]

3. G-d forbid this idiot gets elected.

[Thrill]

2. Man Americans really don't how much of an idiot their President is

[ClarkUSA]

4. McCain is exhibiting all the classic signs of senility or early onset Alzheimer's

The man makes Reagan (at the same age) look sharp as a tack.

[gauguin57]

5. No. 1 on ticket can't remember who's who on international stage; No. 2 has 3 stamps on her passport.

Jeebus, we're doomed if these people get elected.