McCain on Spain

[pyat]

Yes, it's an American political post. Sorry. I promise I'll do one on our own election, soon!

John McCain was interviewed by a reporter from a Spanish radio station, but didn't appear to be paying attention, or was confused, or something, because he didn't seem to realize the reporter was asking about Spain, and not Central America.

QUESTION: Senator, finally, let's talk about Spain. If you're elected president, would you be willing to invite President Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero to the White House to meet with you?

MCCAIN: I would be willing meet, uh, with those leaders who our 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'm glad we are now working in cooperation with the Mexican government on the Merida plan. I intend to move forward with relations, and invite as many of them as I can, those leaders, to the White House.

QUESTION: Would that invitation be extended to the Zapatero government, to the president itself?

MCCAIN: I don't, 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.

QUESTION: So you have to wait and see if he's willing to meet with you, or you'll 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.

QUESTION: Okay... what about you, I'm talking about the President of Spain?

MCCAIN: What about me what?

QUESTION: 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.

Source: Time Magazine

Comments

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

Oi!

[neebs.livejournal.com]

Methinks McCain on Spain needs someone to explain. =P

[undeadmuse.livejournal.com]

Hah!

[undeadmuse.livejournal.com]

"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."

Meaningless rhetoric. Blah. The whole thing is a farce. Nobody knows what they're doing. It's like watching an impending train wreck, except the train is the entire world.

[mrs-dm.livejournal.com]

I get down about the American election too. And I'm not even American. It's just astounding. How could American citizens even *consider* electing a Republican (and obviously clueless) president and vice-president after the last 7 years of such a disastrous administration? I suspect John McCain is in the early stages of dementia (seriously).

I was feeling very down about what may happen to the world if the Democrats don't take the Whitehouse in November, and then my husband, doc_mystery, put it in perspective. And I paraphrase;

"Look, if the Republicans win the election, the U.S. will simply implode and become another harmless has-been superpower like Britain."

In other words, and with hypothetical future condolescences to our American friends, it may just be part of the natural course of the geopolitical lifespan of nations. Sad though. Seemed so promising in 1776. Of course, the fact that most of the founding fathers of the U.S. were slave-owners kind of undercut the whole message, I think.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

"Look, if the Republicans win the election, the U.S. will simply implode and become another harmless has-been superpower like Britain."

Believe it or not, that's what I'm hoping for, too, if McCain wins. It's the Best Case Scenario.

Alas, unlike Britain, we have an unfortunate combination of a Massive Nuclear Arsenal and Crazy People In Positions of Power.

[paka.livejournal.com]

1. Huh. I'd kinda thought Time was basically pro-McCain, so something that makes him out to look kinda dumb seems weird for them. On the other hand it won't matter to right-wingers.

2. I love how I'm supposed to be worried about Obama's lack of experience, when McCain's simply stupid (isn't that equivalent to being inexperienced?). Course that is up there with how I'm supposed to believe that kowtowing to every single shit Republican plan for the last 20 some-odd years is being a maverick and how having lousy impulse control is simply being honest and straightshooting.

3. The American election makes me feel really down. Even if a needed miracle happens and Obama wins, I don't see it being by a huge margin - and it'll still indicate to me that many of my fellow citizens are dogmatic, willfully blind, and in the end self-destructive. There's an old Japanese proverb which actually shows up in my favorite movie; "Medicine can't cure idiots."

[easyalchemy.livejournal.com]

I believe there were also several agnostics/atheists amongst the founding fathers. They've come a long way, baby.

[easyalchemy.livejournal.com]

I can barely even tell that we're having an election here.

According to Canadian television, there are no charismatic adults in Canada right now (possibly ever, other than Trudeau). And that goes double for Canadian politics. No one in the running strikes me as a person I would feel okay about, as a leader. Most 5 year olds inspire more confidence. I will vote NDP, because our local candidate is terrific, but even though I think Jack Layton is an alright guy, I can't see him as Prime Minister.

And then Harper's an automaton, and Dion's been so effectively smeared by the Tories... and y'know, May is not exactly a contender. I'm not even sure what to hope for in this election. Maybe I'll just wish that the party leaders all get electrocuted at the debates, and other people have to step in to their roles.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Britian didn't implode like that. Britian had a gradual decline, that lasted at least a hundred years. What that meant is the rest of the world influenced by Britian (which is less than what is influenced by the US now) had time to adjust.

If the US falls apart economically, then the rest of us are in a lot of trouble too. If the US starts trying to use military force to solve its economic problems then we're in even more trouble.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Well, at least that means we don't get cults of personality, letting the leader get away with things that are really bad.

Mind you, some personality would be nice.

[the-vulture.livejournal.com]

Mcain in Spain seems plainly quite insane.

(Ya know, I've never actually seen the musical, but there ya have it...)

[normanrafferty.livejournal.com]

Wait, I'm confused. What part of the Western Hemisphere is Spain in?

[thebitterguy]

Of course, he didn't say that Britain imploded like that. He said it WOULD implode and become another has-been superpower.

How much military might does the US have left to expend? Aren't they spread pretty thin right now?

I ain't no doctor, but....

[dagoski.livejournal.com]

The last time I saw someone do this in a conversation, the guy had a heart attack the following week. The times before that, this was confusion was a prelude to my dad's first couple of strokes. I think McCain's normally smarter than this, but if he's got some kind of cardiac problem getting ready to emerge, this confusion could the herald.

[zenten.livejournal.com]

Of course, he didn't say that Britain imploded like that. He said it WOULD implode and become another has-been superpower.

It's the transition process that scares me (look at the number of things traded in US currency for instance), not the final result.

How much military might does the US have left to expend? Aren't they spread pretty thin right now?

The US military is spread thin in terms of its ability to handle a long term occupation. It certainly could go in to another country, invade, destroy the government in place, and then just leave, and it could go into lots of countries like that if it withdrew its troops from places like Iraq. It depends on how crazy the country gets in its death throws.

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

Layton has a creepy moustache.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

If he has a heart attack coming I pray it happens before the election and not after. *shudders*

[neebs.livejournal.com]

OOOH that's even better!!! Dang, I worked hard to come up with mine, too! =P

[undeadmuse.livejournal.com]

Maybe the blue states will secede into Canada.

We'll divide like they said four years ago: 'The United States of Canada' and 'Jesus Land'.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Constitutionally speaking, what happens then? Does Palin become the de facto nominee who then picks a running mate in her turn? Or do they hold an emergency GOP conference of some kind?

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

The GOP would have to choose a new nominee and I seriously doubt it would be Palin. If it were after the election then she would take the Oath of Office in January.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Would they delay the election in order to accommodate that if he died within a few weeks of the election?

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

That's a good question... I don't think so but I will double check with a colleague on Tuesday. He is much more adept in this area.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[neebs.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna say no based on the fact that the Dems would flip their lids. And also, I think it's law that elections are the first Tuesday in November. But I'm pretty dumb about this, I could very easily be wrong.

[used_songs]

Hahahahahahaha! - omg we are doomed.

[hannahmorgan.livejournal.com]

I disagree (said the total stranger). I think yours was better.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[kianir.livejournal.com]

By law, since 1845, we've had elections for federal offices on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Highly unlikely they'd fiddle with our voting day because some old man stroked out.

[the-vulture.livejournal.com]

LOL! Just what musical WAS that line from, anyhow? My Fair Lady or something like that? (I'm not as cultured as I sometimes appear to be.)

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

True, but a convention big enough to elect a replacement takes months to organize, even if all the delegates from the McCain convention are called back to save time. It's an interesting question. I wonder if it's ever happened?

[undeadmuse.livejournal.com]

My Fair Lady.

Re: I ain't no doctor, but....

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

Sorry to be so slow answering this question...

If it happened now the RNC would meet and nominate someone.

If it happened between Nov. 4 and Dec. The electoral college would meet and they would have to vote in someone else but would be committed to keep Palin as VP.