Maybe We're Wrong on Sarah Palin and Foreign Policy

Maybe she is the part of the ticket with the foreign policy moxy. Maybe the ability to see Russia from your shore gives you insight. Evidently John McCain's years in politics haven't done him much good. Here's the transcript of his interview with a reporter from Spain's El Pais newspaper. In it, he's either not sure who Spain's president is, or where Spain is, or he's prepared to screw Spain as an ally.

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 [sic] 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.

Much has already been made of that gaffe, but the other disturbing part of this is this quote:

I would be willing meet, uh, with those leaders who our friends [sic] and want to work with us in a cooperative fashion

The idea that we only meet with allies is insane. It has been the Bush way, and look where that got us.