McCain's campaign followed up with Randy Sheunemann, McCain's foreign policy adviser saying that this is not a gaffe but an intentional expression of policy toward Spain.

In an email to the Washington Post, Sheunemann said, "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,"

Spain is a NATO ally and has 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, and just to cover up a simple mistake in the interview, now they are saying he really meant he would not meet face to face with the prime minister of Spain. Instead of admitting he misspoke, they are digging in stubbornly into a deeper hole. McCain even told El Pais, Spain's major newspaper, in April that he would bring Prime Minister Zapatero to the White House. Now because he was confused and misspoke they are trying to recreate his policy toward Spain just to make it look like he was not confused in an interview.