I’m really hoping the following statement was mentioned as a joke:Speaking at an Americas Conference panel discussion Friday on the next U.S. president's Latin American policy, McCain advisor Richard Fontaine started out by mentioning an old Brazilian flame of McCain's, who recently emerged in the press.
''Talking a little about his personal experience, he was famously born in Panama and has traveled all over the hemisphere for many years.'' Fontaine said. ``In fact, I saw, I guess it was last week, that his old girlfriend in Brazil has been found from his early days when he was in the Navy and was interviewed. She's a somewhat older woman now than she was then, but it sorta speaks to the long experience he has had in the region -- in the most positive terms.''
So does that mean that because my former high school flame was of Indian background then I’m an “expert” on India? Based on Fontaine’s “logic” I’m a know-it-all on Italy because my best friend’s family was Sicilian. If experience equals knowledge through osmosis then I must be an advertising whiz since I’ve always enjoyed watching TV commercials.
Not all was lost during the Americas Conference which is taking place in Miami. Surrogates for McCain and Barack Obama argued on issues relating to the region such as immigration and Cuban policy (Because heaven forbid McCain and Obama can’t do it on their own when they debate each other.)
The forum also gave the chance for Latin American politicos like Dominican President Leonel Fernandez to discuss topics such as free trade and voter apathy.
Image- The Telegraph (Former Brazilian model and ballerina Maria Gracinda Teixeira had a whirlwind one week tryst with John McCain in 1957).
Sources- The Latin Americanist, miamiherald.com, MarketWatch
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