A controversy has erupted over whether John McCain knows that Spain is in Europe and not Latin America, and whether he knows that Jose Luis Zapatero is the Prime Minister of Spain and not some Latin American country. The controversy arose from an interview that McCain gave to the Spanish-language Miami-based Union Radio station. McCain appeared to be confused about these facts during the interview, as he repeatedly declined to commit to a meeting with Zapatero. Regardless of what really happened during the interview, the McCain campaign has made news with their post-interview spin:

McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Sheunemann said McCain’s answer was intentional.

“The questioner asked several times about Senator McCain’s willingness to meet Zapatero (and id’d him in the question so there is no doubt Senator McCain knew exactly to whom the question referred). Senator McCain refused to commit to a White House meeting with President Zapatero in this interview,” he said in an e-mail.

Randy Scheunemann, the former president of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq and a founding signatory of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC), is saying that McCain won’t meet with a major NATO ally without explaining why. Of course, President Bush has refused to meet with Zapatero even since he pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq.

If McCain is refusing to meet with the Prime Minister of Spain because he considers him an enemy of America, we need to know that. But if he is refusing to meet with the Prime Minister of Spain merely to cover-up for a senior-moment, then that is petulant and reckless. Which is it, Mr. McCain? Do you consider Spain an enemy or did you forget that Spain is in Europe and a member of NATO?