How Much Does John McCain Really Know About Foreign Policy? [MSM vs. Juan]

Slate ^ | 2008-07-23 | Fred Kaplan

[rabscuttle385]

After Barack Obama's opening day in Iraq this week, the New York Times headline read, "For Obama, a First Step Is Not a Misstep." The story, by Richard Oppel Jr. and Jeff Zeleny, noted, "Mr. Obama seemed to have navigated one of the riskiest parts of a weeklong international trip without a noticeable hitch."

That was the big nail-biter: Would Obama, the first-term senator and foreign-policy newbie, utter an irrevocably damaging gaffe? The nightmare scenarios were endless. Maybe he would refer to "the Iraq-Pakistan border," or call the Czech Republic "Czechoslovakia" (three times), or confuse Sunni with Shiite, or say that the U.S. troop surge preceded (and therefore caused) the Sunni Awakening in Anbar province.

But, of course, it was Obama's opponent, John McCain—the war hero and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee—who uttered these eyebrow-raisers. "Czechoslovakia" was clearly a gaffe, and understandable for anyone who was sentient during the Cold War years. What about the others, though? Were they gaffes—slips of the tongue, blips of momentary fatigue? Or did they reflect lazy thinking, conceptual confusion, a mind frame clouded by clichéd abstractions?

[rabscuttle385]

Well, we know full well how much Juan knows about dealing with Mexico.

[rabscuttle385]

The Just Say No to Juan McQueeg Ping List. "It's like traveling around with a circus." —Lindsey Graham, on McCain's campaign To join: FReepmail rabscuttle385 to subscribe or to unsubscribe from this ping list. This can be a very high-volume ping list at times. We are exploring giving subscribers two different options for receiving pings: either to individual threads or to a single "digested" thread at the end of each calendar day. FReepmail rabscuttle385 if you are interested in receiving one or the other. Take care to check the "mccainlist", "mccaintruthfile", "mcbama", "mcqueeg", and "mccain" keyword search links for related threads, since we can not possibly ping you to every relevant article that is posted. To flag a relevant thread, please add the keywords "mccainlist" and "mccaintruthfile". Republican Commissar’s Warning: By joining this ping list, you may be subjected to the irrational rants and ramblings of McCainiacs, of "moderate" Republicans, of deeply confused conservatives resigned to voting for the lesser of two Democrats, and of countless trolls who simply want to meet a new overlord. Per FR posting guidelines, we kindly ask that you be civil and polite in your comings and goings. Bonus points for being optimistic and in good cheer.

[popdonnelly]

How much does Fred Kaplan know about anything?

Of course Obama knows about foreign policy. Even his name sounds like the United Nations.

[sitkaspruce]

Actually he knows a lot.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Well, we know full well how much Juan knows about dealing with Mexico.

Another great post from a supporter of Obamination.

[Apercu]

“Mr. Experience” Obama knows as much as my two Dachshunds sitting next to me.McCain has forgotten more about foreign policy than Obambi will ever know.

[bamagirl1944]

Well, at least McCain has enough faith in the American people that he doesn’t have to tell us or anybody else that:

“Israel would continue to be a friend to Israel under both an Obama and McCain administration?”

[piytar]

Are your serious? Those gaffs by McCain involve trivia compared to the Obamanation’s utter lack of knowledge, which he has repeatedly shown this “tour.”