Viva Zapatero!
Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008 12:20 PM by Mark Murray
From NBC's Mark Murray and Lauren Appelbaum
This has generated a lot of blogosphere chatter... In an interview with Radio Caracol Miami, McCain appeared to either not know who the leader of Spain is, confused him with a Latin American dictator, or just didn't hear the question (although the interviewer did say: "I'm talking about the president of Spain"). Note: Zapatero is prime minister of Spain, not president.
McCain adviser Randy Scheunemann told the Washington Post that McCain knew who the interviewer was talking about. "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). Sen. McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview."
Below is McCain's conversation with the interviewer....
Q: Senator, finally, let's talk about Spain. If you are elected president, would you be willing to invite President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to the White House to meet with you?
McCain: I would be willing to meet with those leaders who are friends and want to work with us in a cooperative fashion. And by the way, President Calderon of Mexico is fighting a very, very tough fight against the drug cartels. I am glad we are now working in cooperation with the Mexican government on the Merida plan. And I intend to move forward with relations and invite as many of them as I can, of those leaders to the White House.
Q: Would that invitation be extended to the Zapatero government, to the president himself?
McCain: I don't, I, you know, honestly, I have to look at relations, and the situations, and the priorities but I can assure you I will establish closer relations with our friends, and I will stand up to those who want to do harm to the United States of America. I know how to do both.
Q: So you have to wait and see if he is willing to meet with you, will you be able to do it in the White House?
McCain: Well, again, I don't. All I can tell you is that I have a clear record of working with leaders in the hemisphere that are friends with us and standing up to those who are not. And that's judged on the basis of the importance of our relationship with Latin America and the entire region.
Q: Okay, what about you? I'm talking about the President of Spain.
McCain: What about me what?
Q: Okay, are you willing to meet with him if you are elected president?
McCain: I am willing to meet with any leader who is dedicated to the same principles and philosophy that we are for human rights, democracy, and freedom. And I will stand up to those that do not.
