If you haven’t heard about the McCain-Spain snafu, highlighted by Talking Points Memo overnight, here’s a quick rundown. My take on the whole thing follows.
McCain did an interview with a Spanish-language radio station. He was asked about a series of Latin American troublemakers, in response to which McCain gave the standard conservative boilerplate about standing up to those that oppose liberty, freedom, etc. The interviewer then asks about Spain and President/Prime Minister Zapatero. McCain appears confused by the question or unclear on who Zapatero is and covers by providing more boilerplate about Latin America. He never embraces Spain as an ally, possibly because he doesn’t know the questions are about Spain.
At this TPM post, you can hear the interview in English and evaluate for yourself.
Some in the media are already jumping on McCain. I’m more charitable. I don’t think McCain can’t identify Spain’s correct hemisphere. I don’t think McCain is uncertain about Spain’s status as an ally. I don’t think McCain is unaware of Spain’s leader. Honestly? I think he didn’t hear the interviewer, who was talking quickly and with an accent, when she transitioned to Spain. And after he missed the transition he got confused and either misheard or misunderstood the rest of what was going on.
I think this whole thing is a symptom of McCain’s age.
And to be frank, I think it would work better as an attack on McCain if it was framed that way. Is any voter really going to believe that a 20+ year Senator doesn’t know where Spain is? They’re likely to dismiss that as the (over)zealotry of the liberal media. Questions about age and fitness are much more believable.
