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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Geography Lessons

posted by on September 18 at 6:17 AM

I’ve spoken to more than a few Republican activists—delegate-types, volunteers, jus’ folks at rallies—who thought that gay-marryin, health-insurance-providin’ Canada was in Europe. So maybe it shouldn’t surprise us that John McCain thinks Spain is in Latin America. And while no one knows why John McCain thinks Spain’s democratically-elected prime minister might be one of America’s enemies and, therefore, unwelcome in his White House—was it legalizing gay marriage?—but look on the bright side: if a President McCain takes us to war with Spain, our brave men and women in the armed services can hit the beach when the fighting gets to be too much.

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1

Just like Obama that have visted 57 states http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws

You are right Dannie boy - Geography Lessons

Posted by St Francis | September 18, 2008 6:41 AM
2

There are American military bases in Spain now. Those brave men and women are enjoying their beaches just fine right now. If a hypothetical President McCain takes us to war with Spain, those men and women (and their family) will be pissed.

Posted by Dot | September 18, 2008 6:43 AM
3

You just made my whole day brighter! I'm having an argument with someone over McCain's physical health and how soon Sarah Palin would indeed be "a heartbeat away" from commander in chief, and he assured me McCain's mom is in her 90's and still feisty. Sometimes senility and dementia make one feisty I guess. But standing with Bush over 90% of the time has already proven that as far as I'm concerned and choosing Palin as a running mate and the great confidence he has in our economy put the proverbial nail in the coffin!

Posted by dawicksta | September 18, 2008 6:52 AM
4

If you read the whole post in the link, it sounds like this less about McCain needing a geography lesson and more about him being confused and not completely lucid during this interview. Which is probably worse that not knowing where Spain is.

Posted by Julie in Chicago | September 18, 2008 7:24 AM
5

I WISH Canada was in Europe.

Posted by Gloria | September 18, 2008 7:27 AM
6

Hey, she TRICKED HIM. What was he supposed to think? She asks all these questions about LATIN AMERICA and suddenly jumps across the pond to Spain? She should be fired.

St Francis, don't invoke a Catholic saint if you're going to be obstinate, petty and self-righteous. You're making Jesus cry.

Posted by S-Lo | September 18, 2008 7:32 AM
7

I say we at least take Ibiza.

Posted by Mike in MO | September 18, 2008 7:43 AM
8

Apparently McCain neglected to learn the name of the prime minister of Spain when he recently visited. The Spanish press is having a field day:

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

Posted by jme | September 18, 2008 8:00 AM
9

Only liberal, communist fags expect their leaders to actually know stuff.

Posted by Original Andrew | September 18, 2008 8:34 AM
10

But does the rain remain mainly in the Palin?

Posted by Obama or Canada | September 18, 2008 8:37 AM
11

How about we ammend the constitution to require a standardized test before one can become president? If it's good enough for "No Child Left Behind"...

Posted by S-A-Tease | September 18, 2008 8:43 AM
12

If you'd been taken prisoner in the Spanish American War for five and a half years, you might be excused for being somewhat bitter, yourself.

Posted by NapoleonXIV | September 18, 2008 8:50 AM
13

I say we make a new plan for foreign wars: We tell the generals that as soon as we get there we're totally going to fuck their shit up, but instead we break out the beer and hit the beach with the opposing army. Every so often we get the least hung-over soldiers to stage a battle, film it, and send that back as proof we're fighting hard. Then we get stoned and go back to the beach.

Posted by Greg | September 18, 2008 9:11 AM
14

Cute @1, but if you listen to the entire clip, it's pretty obvious Obama made a simple, albeit mistaken, verbal substitution, clearly meaning to say "47 states", since he clearly indicated he had visited every state, "with one left to go. And I was not allowed to go to Alaska and Hawaii..." See, 50 states, minus three equals 47, but yeah, he said "57" instead. Big deal.

(But then, I'd expect something like this from a GOPer who probably can't even name all 50 states.)

McSame, on the other hand, went on-and-on for nearly TWO FULL MINUTES in a long, rambling, disconnected "response" that had absolutely NOTHING to do with the question posed to him by the reporter.

So, you know, BZZZZZZZZT! Thanks for playing. We'll send you the home version of the game.

Posted by COMTE | September 18, 2008 9:23 AM
15

Maybe McCain misses Franco.

Posted by snarky | September 18, 2008 9:25 AM
16

You are all wrong. Look at it from Mcain's point of view.

Spain was south of the texas border when Mcain was a little kid. Its only been recently for him that Spain is confined to the European Continent.

Very common mistake for people who've been around with his history of experiences.

Posted by Tha' ol' M.C. Peanut Gallery | September 18, 2008 9:29 AM
17

Anybody else think McCain's going to have trouble making it to Election Day?

Posted by Fnarf | September 18, 2008 9:38 AM
18

Most Latinos know that there are Americans who confuse Spain with Mexico, Spanish with Mexicans. This type of ignorance of things Spanish-related is so widespread, I don't bother to explain. This type of ignorance is so ingrained and hard-wired that it would require serious re-education to make them understand. I know people who can't get their head around the fact that Hispanic/Latino is NOT a race. There has to be a name for Latin/Hispanic/Spanish culture-geographical ignorance.

Posted by CommonKnowledge | September 18, 2008 9:50 AM
19

There is, @18:

"estupidez"

Posted by COMTE | September 18, 2008 9:58 AM
20

@1 Wow! The paid Republican shills are up bright and early!

Of course, Obama had a slip of the tongue.

McCain was asked the same question MULTIPLE TIMES and EACH TIME said Spain was in Latin American and a potential enemy of the US.

So, one had a slip of the tongue and the other's an insane, old, angry man with life-threatening health problems.

I hope they pay their shills well, but no amount of money justifies intentionally helping to drive your own country into ruin.

Posted by whatevernevermind | September 18, 2008 10:03 AM
21

@17 Yes.

@10 Hahahahahahahah! Good one!

Posted by dawicksta | September 18, 2008 10:15 AM
22

Just listened to the clip, yeah - he had no clue.

Posted by wench | September 18, 2008 10:22 AM
23

But dan, aren't the terrorists in Spain already, bombing stuff? So you should be just fine with another invasion.

Remember your support of the Iraq invasion?
"We're at war with a large and growing Islamo-fascist movement that draws its troops and funds from all over the Islamic world.
Islamo-fascism is a regional problem, not just an al Qaeda problem or an Afghanistan problem.

The War on Iraq will make it clear to our friends and enemies
in the Middle East (and elsewhere) that we mean business."

McCain might just see it as an "elsewhere".

Posted by S-pain | September 18, 2008 10:23 AM
24

This reminds me of that Slog comment opining that Javier Bardem was the only person of color to win an Oscar this year.

Posted by keshmeshi | September 18, 2008 10:45 AM
25

"We didn't have Geography books in the Hanoi Hilton."

Posted by flamingbanjo | September 18, 2008 11:11 AM
26

As someone who lived for 6 months in Argentina, I tried to listen to this interview giving McCain the benefit of the doubt, because when I had a nearly incomprehensible accent like this interviewer does at times (like when she says Europe, it does sound like "your") people misunderstood me all the time. However, she clearly said "Spain" several times.

My favorite part about this though, was Zapatero's response: I will work with the next administration "whatever color it may have". Hooray for responding to a geographic pseudogaffe with a glaring racial one!

Original text: "trabajará con la nueva Administración estadounidense 'tenga el color que tenga'".

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/candidato/republicano/compromete/ver/Zapatero/gana/elpepiint/20080918elpepiint_9/Tes

Posted by LatteSippinSteve | September 18, 2008 12:53 PM
27

I agree that McCain most likely wasn't paying attention, and lumped all them Spanish-speakin types together.

However, the argument could be made that Zapatero is the PM of Spain who ran on an anti-Iraq War platform, and as soon as he won (in 2004?), pulled Spain's troops out of the "Coalition of the Willing". Ever since, the Bush White House has been chilly toward him.

It could be argued that McCain is simply maintaining that line of thinking, since Bush = McCain.

Also, the Spain question came at the end of a list of known enemies of the US: Cuba, Venezuela, etc.. so maybe McCain just, you know, wasn't paying attention?

Posted by matt | September 18, 2008 1:16 PM
28

McCain on Spain 'splains mainly worse than Palin.

Posted by NapoleonXIV | September 18, 2008 2:05 PM

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