Paul writes: During the VP debate, Joe Biden remarked that “John McCain said as recently as a couple of weeks ago he wouldn’t even sit down with the government of Spain, a NATO ally that has troops in Afghanistan with us now. I find that incredible.” Obama also brought this point up during the debates. Neither Palin nor McCain responded specifically to this point. What did McCain actually say? McCain stated” he would work with leaders in the hemisphere who are friends with us…standing up to those who are not …[based on] the importance of our relationship with Latin America.” Spain is of course not in Latin America and the interviewer clarified this, but McCain simply replied that he would have to “look at the relations, situations, and priorities” first.

This blog suggests that he may have been simply confused by the question regarding Spain. But a statement by the McCain campaign later denied that he had been confused, as reported by The Nation. What’s going on here? Is this simply geographic confusion and erratic bumbling or the repeat and possible continuation of the Bush Administration’s attitude towards Spain, which has been frosty since José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Prime Minster of Spain, pulled out the Spanish troops from Iraq, in response to the Spanish people’s demand. There have been disagreements regarding Cuba and Venezuela as well. I hope that US-Spain relations will improve under Obama.

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