It is painfully obvious listening to the interview that John McCain had with a reporter from Radio Caracol Miami that the candidate had a very hard time understanding the interviewer’s words because of her very thick accent – coupled with the facts that she had a nasty habit of swallowing words at the end of her sentences and spoke very rapidly to boot.
It is not—repeat not, my lefty friends—because McCain doesn’t know where Spain is or who Zapatero is, or any other idiotic spin you want to put on it. That is so far beneath all of you (except Josh Marshall whose silliness is so out of control he should dress himself and his website up in a clown outfit) that it makes a mockery of any other critique you wish to make of McCain’s attacks on Obama.
There was a point when the interviewer realized McCain didn’t understand she was talking about Spain:
After an extended interview dealing with countries to our south, McCain used the question about Spain to allude back to Mexico, note his work “with leaders in the hemisphere,” and our relationship with “Latin America and the entire region.”McCain also never makes any mention of Spain or Zapatero.
Further, the individual conducting the interview has a thick accent and McCain appears not to understand her at times.
“Ok, what about Europe, I’m talking about the President of Spain?” she asks.
“What about me, what?” McCain responds, believing she said “you” instead of “Europe.”
Listening to the exchange (it come about 3 minutes into the interview), it is understandable why McCain was having so much trouble. What is totally ridiculous is that McCain didn’t either 1) ask for clarification from the interviewer immediately; or 2) tell the truth after the interview rather than pretending he understood perfectly.
Despite all this, McCain’s campaign insists he was aware it was Spain that was being discussed.“No, 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,” said McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Schuenemann in an email. “Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview.:
McCain’s campaign also noted that since Zapatero pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq, he has still sought a coveted White House meeting. Representatives of his government have met with the campaigns to discuss the issue.
It seems quite possible in all this that McCain had stopped paying attention to the interview, but still got the policy line right on Spain by sticking to platitudes.
But it’s hard to imagine McCain saying this of a NATO member and European democracy, even one whose government is currently not seen as friendly: “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 who are not.”
I was having a hard time myself trying to understand her. And I was listening to the clear end of the transmission as McCain was being interviewed by phone. I know exactly why McCain didn’t keep saying “What? Would you please repeat that?” He would have had to do it for almost every question given how the woman would trail off into incomprehensible gibberish at the end of her questions while speaking very rapidly with an accent that was very difficult to understand.
I had the exact same difficulty the other day talking to a very nice Hispanic woman in the Verizon customer service department. Now my hearing is going bad anyway but it is likely that most people would have had a problem comprehending what she was saying. She spoke so rapidly and her accent emphasized different syllables in some words so that the overall effect was that I was able to grasp about every third word.
Finally, I apologized profusely, saying I didn’t want to offend her, but her accent was causing me an enormous amount of trouble. She was very sweet and slowed down considerably. After that, I still had some problems but it was much better.
Now I am not running for president but why couldn’t McCain do the same thing? He is a proud man and because he is running for president, he didn’t want to show any potential weakness. It’s not surprising. The very same lefties making out as if he doesn’t know where Spain is or who President Zapetero is would spread the idiocy that he was hard of hearing. As it is, they are virtually accusing him of suffering from dementia.
Any fair minded person listening to that broadcast would agree with me. John McCain couldn’t understand the interviewer. But it was stupid of him to have his campaign go out and pretend that he understood perfectly. No one believes him and it only makes it appear that he did suffer some kind of brain cramp.
1:49 pm
Rick,
frankly speaking I’m more worried about the state of the economy then navel gazing of the various gaffes of Obama or McCain. I mean you travel from one place to another, shake hands and talk and give interviews all the time. My brain would be fried at more than one point if that would be my schedule (some here probably believe that is a permanent state in my case). So this is no big deal for me.
2:08 pm
Nothing surprises me anymore, w.r.t. how filthy the left is in politics. My eyes were opened a long time ago, but the Dan Rather thing (forged letter) last election made me realize the lengths the left (and yes, I am talking about the media) will go to to lie and distort in order to steal the election.
If you have never experienced a situation, it is EXTREMELY difficult, on the fly, to figure out how to extricate yourself from it. McCain’s reaction reflected this uncertainty, knowing that this would be spun negatively (see paragraph one), no matter what he did.
To quote Allah, my pessimism meter is falling (the lower, the more pessimistic). I was never a huge McCain fan, but I became really excited about Palin. Her extemperaneous performances are less than spectacular, and while that doesn’t affect my opinion of her directly, I think that it will affect a lot of voters. I’m not ready to say we’re f*cked, but team McCain is 1) underfunded (yes, I know that it is mostly his own fault via McCain-Feingold), 2) old (McCain)/inexperienced (Palin), and 3) battling not only team Obama, but an extremely hostile media. It’s a lot to overcome. If there is a God, it would be nice for Him to make an appearance.
3:13 pm
I’m not sure it is a gaffe. Former Prime Minister Anzar was a very pro-American leader, sort of like Sarkozy of France today. In fact, I think he was the most pro-USA leader of a NATO country when he was in office. By contrast, Prime Minister Zapatero has been a very anti-American leader. Before he became Prime Minister, he refused to stand as US troops past him during the Hispanic Day military parade (although he stood for all the other foreign troops). The first thing he did when he took office was to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq (and I don’t think there are any combat troops in Afghanistan). Zapatero is also a very far leftist. He’s been renaming everything with Franco’s name in Spain with the communist fighters during the Spanish Civil War. (Notice I said communist and Spanish Republicans.)
3:36 pm
Thankfully, if McCain becomes President, he will not ever have to meet with any foreigners or anybody with a foreign accent. So he won’t have to pretend he understands what is being said and make choices based on what he thought he heard and his advisors won’t have to pretend he understands either.
3:44 pm
Obviously, your explanation is one possibility. But it is, in my opinion, the least likely explanation, and declaring it to be the only possible explanation is just nuts. Yes, the interviewer had a strong Spanish accent, but I understood what she was saying. I listened to the English version of the interview several times, and I had no real trouble understanding what she was saying. Of course, I was listening attentively, which is something one should do in any case if one is being interviewed, but which is also important to do even for ordinary listeners, if the interviewer is speaking in a language that is not her first language.
Also, McCain did not seem to have a problem answering the interviewer’s questions that really were about Latin America. I mean, his answers were vague and short on specifics, but it was clear he had heard and understood her questions. So why did her accent suddenly slay him only at the very end of the interview?
8:39 pm
I’m convinced. Now I’m going to vote for the guy who thinks there are 59 states.
9:14 pm
JoJo wrote: “The first thing he did when he took office was to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq (and I don’t think there are any combat troops in Afghanistan).”
To withdraw all Spanish troops from Iraq had been one of Zapateros campaign promises. When the Spanish people elected him, he kept it. Spain has 780 troops in Afghanistan. The death toll is at 20.
9:56 pm
Nick wrote: “To withdraw all Spanish troops from Iraq had been one of Zapateros campaign promises. When the Spanish people elected him, he kept it.”
That does not negate that Zapateros ran as an anti-American and his cabinet repeatedly has said negative things about the US. I’d go as far as to say that he’s been publicly more negative about the USA than Chirac.
12:46 am
I never denied that. But, hey, that’s democracy. If the Spanish people would have preferred for their troops to remain in Iraq, they could have re-elected Aznar. From all I know sending troops to Afghanistan was not exactly a popular move, so maybe really an attempt to repair the strained US relations. In any case, it’s their elected government, not ours. And if McCain can’t get over that, then there is something seriously wrong with him.
8:48 am
In my view there are only 2 explanations: one McBush has no idea who Zapatero is or where his country is located, or two, he truly wants to continue the Bush doctrine of ‘with us or against us’. This would mean he wishes to punish a foreign leader for doing what the majority (over 80%) of his people wanted and what he campaigned for, ie. removing Spanish troops in 2004 from the illegal war in Iraq. Both options are scary.
http://www.theendisalwaysnear.blogspot.com
1:05 pm
Scandal! Disaster! We must vote Obama, because McCain has a hard time understanding a reporter with an outrageous accent. Oh, no. He’s so unworldly. So out of touch.
Only two options: McCain is evil and insane, or he’s actually the devil. Either way, we have to vote Obama or the entire world will burn, and the seas will rise and drown us all.
I love the things folks in the left try to get their panties all in a wad about. Where normal people respond thusly: yawn.
1:57 am
I was confu?sed but now I’m not. Let me see if I have this strai?ght.?.?.?.?.?
OK, much clear?er now.
2:08 am
Rick Moran = full-time McCain apologist. Well guess what, full-time employment! Some times it sucks being a republican, but often it pays off. American Express: What will you do. What WILL you do?
8:29 pm
this is common with american presidents, bush thought spain was in Mexico when he told americans to boicot spain without buying us tacos,the funny thing is when spanish people heard this, they asked what a taco was.
and about the interpetration that he didn’t understand the accent, well that’s not much better,that’s what people are anti- american.
all i hear is “americans think they they are the center of the planet and the rest of the world are dumbs,they don’t bother to learn anything about any other country than the US because they think they can learn nothing from us”.
so comments like this of americans presidents does not make it easy for me to explain that not all americans are world ignorants.
but how many americans know where Spain is?
because last time i went to the US i didn’t find no one.
but fear not,the 80% of spanish children can’t find their city in a spanish map,
so if we can’t fin our city in our map how can whe ask people from another country to do it.
7:38 am
The reason McCain goofed on the Spanish interview is because he was on automatic and not really listening to what was said. He is now so compromised, so far from the man of principle he used to be, that he probably doesn’t hear things anymore. Let us not forget, he also said Sarah Palin’s son was in the Alaska National Guard, when he is in the Army. Also, another vetting note: he claims his hero is Teddy Roosevelt—he probably doesn’t know that Roosevelt escaped military service in the Civil War by paying someone to substitute for him. You could do that, according to the New York draft laws of the time, and many wealthy men did just that.
3:00 pm
Rightwing Nuthouse to the rescue! Sorry, Rick but you are just a full-time McCain apologist spinner… And with this befuddled former fundamental de-regulator you’re going to have your work cut out for you. Worse than the fact that McCain can barely think straight, is his campaign staff who is literally throwing rotten spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. I’ll stick with Obama’s comprehensive plan to save our economy. Your candidate can get a 9-11 commission to tell him what to do or fire the Pope ooops I mean Chris Cox – whoever! Spain, Mexico? What’s the difference?
I really take exception to you saying that Josh Marshal’s site should be dressed up like a clown. TPM may be wacky at times but the core of it citizen reporting and facts and footnotes and official documents to back up what they say. They dig, you spin and apologize. That makes you a sad clown. You must be pretty determined to see your party win at all costs to the American public because you, Rick Moran are a smart man and a brilliant writer. Your job just requires too much creativity and far-reaching spin to make a point. If McCain wins and I’m sure he won’t – he would be smart to put you on his staff.
And the following article on an Obama presidency destroying America? Pure poppycock. Absolute diatribe, a filthy representation of the facts.Pure spin….pure fiction. We know better so please – don’t give yourself a heart attack trying to spin McCain’s disastrous campaign…
See my “Blogs and the 2008 Election” post above. Marshall’s site has degenerated into highlighting the latest insignificant, irrelevant slip of the tongue or the latest Palin rumor all day all the time. This guy got an award for journalism and he’s practicing partisan hackery.
Where do I ever say an Obama presisdency would “destroy America?”
This is a quote from that article. You tell me where I say that Obama would “destroy America:”
“Yes, an Obama victory would be bad for America. But if this country can survive a Jimmy Carter, a Herbert Hoover, and a George Bush, it can certainly survive an amateur and fakir like Obama. It will be his incompetence that probably saves us in the end. He has yet to prove himself a success at anything except getting elected. He was a failure as a community organizer, a failure as head of the Chicago Annenberg Project, a failure as a state senator, and a non-entity in the short time he has been a US senator.
With a record like that, how much do we really have to worry about?”
As any fool can see, I say exactly the opposite – that an Obama presidency will NOT destroy America.
I know you’re stupid but I had no idea you lacked basic reading comprehension skills. Try a JC in your area. I’m sure they can help.
ed.
4:49 pm
Theodore Roosevelt escaped military service in the Civil War because he was 3 years old (1858-1919) – which would make sense to anyone who knew anything of US history and that TR became the youngest US president at 42 following McKinley’s assassination in 1901.
TR was a moderately liberal Republican (when such creatures existed) who would have been comfortable in his party likely through the 60s or even the 70s, not unlike Javits or Keating or Brooke. He was an aggressive regulator of the excesses of Wall Street and big corp abuses – but he was no Populist. He once said, “It will never be any harder for a working man to make an appointment with me than it will be for a rich man – nor any easier.”
I’d guess that McCain identifies with TR’s bucking of his own party (in Roosevelt’s time, pro-big business legislators)and with his interventionist, even imperialist, foreign policy. TR believed in an almost radical form of what we today call American exceptionalism – that the US had the responsibility to spread its democratic institutions to the far corners of the earth – more of a Bush, neo-con position than a McCain idea.
The combination of aggressive energy, vast intelligence, and political deftness that we now see clearly as the hallmarks of the skills that TR brought to the presidency are greatly needed but sadly lacking in 2008. We have an untested cipher running against a duplicitous moral and mental midget.
Where have you gone, Teddy Roosevelt – and people of such calibre? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you….
11:48 am
you wrote:
“how the woman would trail off into incomprehensible gibberish at the end”
for a second there i thought you were talking about Sarah Palin.
so you’re basically saying that a good hearing aid can fix all this. haha!
2:12 pm
The problem w/ McCain is this consistent theme of being emotional, reactive, bombastic and personal in all of his retorts. Even the decision he’s made in which he had time to think are couched in some angry child mode; such as his rhetoric about firing the head of the SEC? It’s a lot of silly, macho, crap talk- and honestly Senator McCain hasn’t really had a productive comment since this financial/credit markets debacle started.
He’s like someone’s really old embarrassing uncle- and I wouldn’t let him be President either!
2:19 pm
And of course to refute the McCain’s just old and confused by the thick accent- here’s this from his own staff:”No, 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,” said McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Schuenemann in an email. “Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview.:
McCain’s campaign also noted that since Zapatero pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq, he has still sought a coveted White House meeting. Representatives of his government have met with the campaigns to discuss the issue.
It seems quite possible in all this that McCain had stopped paying attention to the interview, but still got the policy line right on Spain by sticking to platitudes.
But it’s hard to imagine McCain saying this of a NATO member and European democracy, even one whose government is currently not seen as friendly: “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 who are not.”
11:08 am
This is quite possibly the most ridiculous explanation I’ve ever heard (apart from the one that claims McCains POW injuries prevent him from using email). Why can’t you just admit that he was clueless?
I will not pretend to be a conservative. I am not. However, I am truly sympathetic to true conservatives who have become apologists for an incompetent campaign and candidate. I could have been a Goldwater conservative, but the republican party of today holds no sway for me. It is has become more concerned with dictating moral edicts than holding true to its fiscal foundation. The bailout is proof of this.
Maybe the republican party can be returned to its conservative roots when President Obama gets them riled up. Then, they can throw out the Bush neocons and all the BS out there to return to roots of fiscal responsibility.
12:14 am
Sorry, but as an American citizen with close ties to Spain (my grandparent’s land), I find McCain’s lack of knowledge regarding the relationship between the Spanish and American governments an issue of great concern. Yes, I have heard the interview with that radio person who happened to have a very thick accent. However, she TRIED to clarify several times the fact that she was talking about Spain… And I’m sorry but I do find it very insulting for a presidential candidate to bunch together Mr. Zapatero and Spain with South America. C’mon people… Spain has been a member of the EU for quite some time, and on top of that, it is a NATO ally who also sent troops to Irak in support of the US. Sorry, but as much as I would had like to vote for McCain, his ignorance about Spain just led me to realize that my vote should NOT go to him… Sadly enough I don’t agree with many of Obama’s “ideas”, but I just can’t get past this gross error from McCain’s part.
1:38 am
It seems to me that the point here is not to pretend that you hear what you don’t. {my hearing is going off, and I guess at what I am hearing all the time} Still, it’s dishonest, just like Palin spouting any talking point she can remember, at any time. Failures of communication like that should never come out of the mouth of any serious candidate for alderman. It denegrates the idea of human intelligence to allow it at the McPalin level.
3:50 am
Which is the more frightening prospect for you the American voter? And of course for those of us outside who will feel the effects?
1. Electing an elder man who perhaps forgot where Spain was on the map, or if that wasn’t the case, someone who doesn’t bother to ask for clarification when asked a question he doesn’t understand. (Imagine strategy meetings?)
2. Electing a man who considers the democratically elected leader of an ally an “enemy” simply because they don’t share the exact same ideologies.
And as for Jojo…Could you send you address and we could ship over the Franco memorabilia from here in Spain that you seem to so cherish. Perhaps Germany has a few Hitler busts lying around that you might want too?
http://troyshouse.blogspot.com