Hugo Chavez

McCain launches another Spanish ad accusing Obama of wanting to meet with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. The ad features clips from an inflammatory and anti-American speech by the Venezuelan leader. The translation, courtesy of Real Clear Politics, is below the video clip.

There isn’t a large bloc of Hispanic voters with Venezuelan roots. Outside of the Cuban American community, Chavez is probably not that big of an issue among Latino voters. More likely, folks will brush him off as a buffoon or are even slightly sympathetic towards Chavez. The point of the ad, then, is to target Cuban American voters in Florida, where they form a vital voting block for Republicans.

The other issue and a larger one at that is the ridiculousness of the basic argument. The idea of just talking to a foreign leader, albeit a hostile one, is somehow seen as abhorrent. But the idea of snubbing the leader from a friendly country, one that is a NATO ally, and one that has troops helping us in Afghanistan… that the snubbing is somehow acceptable, better even, is completely ridiculous!



Translation from Real Clear Politics:

ANNCR: Did you see who Obama wants to talk with?

CHAVEZ: Go to h*ll, you filthy Yankees!

ANNCR: Barack Obama says that he would meet Chavez without conditions.

CHAVEZ: Filthy Yankees, go to h*ll hundred times!

ANNCR: He said he would meet in his first year in office.

CHAVEZ: The United States which is behind every conspiracy against our country.

ANNCR: He said it was a disgrace that we haven't spoken with them.

CHAVEZ: If any aggression were to come against Venezuela, then there will be no oil for people or the government of the Unites States!

ANNCR: Do you believe we should talk with Chavez?

CHAVEZ: We, you filthy Yankees, know that we are resolute to be free, no matter what happens, and at any cost!

ANNCR: In November, you decide.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

ANNCR: Paid for by McCain-Palin 2008. Approved by John McCain.

Zapatero Who?

In a radio interview, John McCain declined to say whether he would meet with Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero. Initial reports in the media suggested that McCain didn’t realize who Zapatero was, and that he had Zapatero confused with Latin American leaders like Chavez, Castro, and Morales.

Here’s the actual exchange as reported by Marc Ambinder.

McCain said that he "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." When pressed, McCain would not committ to a meeting with the president, nor would he rule one out.

"I'm willing to meet with any leader that's 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."

According to Jonathan Martin, the McCain campaign “insists he was aware it was Spain that was being discussed” and that "Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview.”

First, let's get two minor details out of the way. Spain is a democracy and Zapatero is the Prime Minister of Spain, not the President.

Now, back to the main show. There are at least two explanations of how this situation unfolded.

One, McCain was confused during the interview due to a variety of extenuating circumstances and wanted to avoid media reports of yet another gaffe. So, he insists that it is not a gaffe and digs in his heels. He insists that his refusal to commit to the meeting is based on policy reasons.

Or two, McCain was not confused and this is indeed his stance, which would be a continuation of Bush’s policy. Bush decided to cool relations with the Spanish government after Spain withdrew its troops from Iraq. (See more details on the Bush policy here.)

If it was just another gaffe, it’d have passed eventually. But with McCain’s stubborn insistence that his statement was indeed due to policy reasons, the issue is getting even more coverage, especially in the Spanish press.

I’m more worried by the second possibility -- that McCain’s refusal to meet with Zapatero is indicative of his actual position on the matter. Bush’s policy on Spain is petty and reminiscent of a tantrum thrown by a petulant child. Hard to sum up an entire philosophy in a few words but it basically says -- either you are with us or against us. To think that McCain wants to continue a similar policy against a NATO ally, one that is a democracy, and a country with troops in Afghanistan, makes me shudder.