Technically, TECHNICALLY, this is not a political post..
I have posted about Miss South Carolina's idioticy pertaining to her total lack of geographic skills.
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And so, to post about Grandpa McCain's total lack of knowledge about Spain is not political.
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Gramps did a radio interview with a Spanish Radio station. Not just Spanish Language, but Spain Spanish Radio.
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In the interview (listen here), Gramps is asked if he would meet with the President of Spain.
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He responds that he is willing to meet with anyone in this Hemisphere who embraces democracy and fights drug trade. For example, he talks to the Mexican President.
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He is again asked about Spain - specifically. And he discusses how they need to embrace democracy, fight drugs and be anti-terrorist, then, maybe, he could meet with them. he can't promise anything.
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FYI, Gramps sells himself as the Foreign Policy and Security expert. So here are some basic facts that he might have forgotten in his Geritol haze.
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1- Spain IS a democracy. Granted Gramps probably remembers Franco the dictator (who was still in power when Gramps first hit Capital Hill) but, in the words of Chevy Chase. This just in, Franco is still dead.
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2 - Spain was George W. Bush and Tony Blair's chief supporter, ally and promoter in the run up to the war in Iraq. They sent in the 4th most troops and suffered the 3rd most causalities.
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3 - The words, "this Hemisphere" in conjunction with discussion about the United States and Mexico refer to the Western Hemisphere. Spain is in Europe. Europe is a continent (or a peninsula on the Euro-Asian Continent if you want to geo-specific) in the Eastern Hemisphere. Spain's last colony in this, the Western Hemisphere, was lost in the Spanish American War in 1898, before even Gramps was born.
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4 - Spain, of which he is not sure is a friend of the United States, is in NATO and so is technically, TECHNICALLY, part of our key alliance. Of course it has only been in NATO since 1982 - the year he first went to Congress.
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Well, since Spain isn't really key to Arizona, I can see how Gramps missed it. I mean Spain is member of NATO, is a member of the collation to oust Sadam, is the most recent country to suffer a domestic terrorist attack from Al Queda (what did you call them, the chief threat to our civilization) - I can see how they might fall right off the old radar.
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If you have anymore tough Geography questions, Gramps, you just come to me buddy. I am here for you.
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Update from Scooter
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In listening to it again (because it is damn funny), there is a particular funny old folks moment towards the end. The interviewer, trying to throw Gramps a life line, helpfully explains that Spain is in Europe, but with her accent it comes out "EU rup". The conversation occurs after McCain keeps talking about Latin America, and so she asks,
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"Senator, what about Europe?"
"What about me what?"
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And she does what we all do with crazy codger old folks, she says thank you and ends the discussion.