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Castro Attacks McCain, No Doubt to McCain's Delight
May 23, 2008 3:50 PM
No doubt to the delight of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., repressive Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has attacked him in one of his Larry King-like columns for the Cuban Communist Party "newspaper" Granma.
"A deluge of speeches and lies they directed at Cuba," Castro writes of McCain and President Bush. "How far they are from knowing Cuba and its people."
"McCain, in his book 'Faith of My Fathers,' admitted that he was among the last five students in his course in West Point," Castro wrote, according to Reuters. "He's showing it."
In Miami earlier this week McCain pledged to uphold the U.S. embargo against Cuba unless and until Cuba frees political prisoners and holds actual elections.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, McCain charged, "wants to sit down unconditionally for a presidential meeting with Raúl Castro," who took the reins (and whip) from his brother Fidel in February. "These steps would send the worst possible signal to Cuba's dictators -- there is no need to undertake fundamental reforms, they can simply wait for a unilateral change in U.S. policy. I believe we should give hope to the Cuban people, not to the Castro regime.''
Obama spoke to the Cuban-American community today -- a pivotal group in a key swing state -- and McCain has been hitting him for once having pushed for the embargo to be lifted.
Calling for a new direction when it comes to Cuba, Obama today said as president he would allow unlimited family travel and remittances to the island. "It's time for more than tough talk that never yields results. It’s time for a new strategy,” he said. "It's time to let Cuban Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It’s time to let Cuban American money make their families less dependent upon the Castro regime."
Obama said, "John McCain’s been going around the country talking about how much I want to meet with Raul Castro, as if I’m looking for a social gathering - I’m going to invite him over and have some tea. That’s not what I said. John McCain knows it. After eight years of the disastrous policies of George Bush, it is time to pursue direct diplomacy, with friend and foe alike, without preconditions.”
That condemnation from Castro is like an in-kind contribution to the McCain campaign...
And here's the obligatory film reference on this Friday...
Michael Corleone: I saw a strange thing today. Some rebels were being arrested. One of them pulled the pin on a grenade. He took himself and the captain of the command with him. Now, soldiers are paid to fight; the rebels aren't.
Hyman Roth: What does that tell you?
Michael Corleone: It means they could win.
- jpt
May 23, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (27)
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Embargo against Cuba is not 8 years policy of Bush. it's been since JFK's.
Jase - yes, Cuba is affected by our embargo. They just have microwave after Raul Castro took over. Cuban American can visit their families if they want to, they just have to reroute longer flights to get there. it's Cuba that don't allow them in. If you want to lift it, at least wait for them to ask. It show weakness when you put up the embargo then lift it. What good would it do us anyway to have a relationship with Cuba?? it doesn't surprise me that obama is appeasing these anti-american leaders though. He wanted to change our capitalism into socialism, a step closer to communism. And also, he's against US ally Colombia but soft on Hugo Chevez. Chevez is crazy in the head.
Posted by: Noon | May 23, 2008 4:49:11 PM
After 50 years of getting no where don't you think it is time to try something different? It takes more courage to chart a different course than it does to just go along with the same old, tired thing that is not working.
Posted by: Jake | May 23, 2008 4:48:14 PM
PS I am a registered republican, but I realize its time for a change. If you can't stop communism with 50 years of embargo maybe try extending your hand to give capitalism so everyone can trade and make money...it worked in China
Posted by: jase | May 23, 2008 4:32:27 PM
unfortunately the world is "really" not "rally." The fact is its been about 50 year, 1/2 of a century and we have had an embargo against Cuba. The rest of the world trades with Cuba every other developed nation, yet we here in America think we are hurting them because we don't. We have come to terms with Russia and the satellite nations of the former USSR who perpetuated this situation but Cuba thats too far. We trade with China a de jure communist country; it is our biggest trading parter behind Canada. Why can we not at least begin to normalize relations with a tiny island nation that poses no threat to us that is only 90 mile off our coast? Why can't we allow people to reunite with their families send their families money to improve their lives and show that that the American people care? Why can't we allow they to show how good(or bad) our way of life is so they can make a decision if they want to make a change.
Posted by: jase | May 23, 2008 4:29:29 PM
I believe that is a strong endorsement for Senator Obama. Backed by terrorists and dictators. They smell weakness.
Posted by: Mack | May 23, 2008 4:28:02 PM
Obama Condems and blames everyone.
Obama is the one who wanted to go over the presidents head and meet with Cuba leaders.
Obama is such a nut case.
McCain is no push over like Obama is.
I believe the whole world thinks obama wants to have tea with everyone.
Posted by: seah | May 23, 2008 4:17:43 PM
But why is criticism from a dictator who has the reigns of power in a land close to you a good thing for Mccain?
Why would it not be irrelevant? Or even bad because that much more of personal vendetta is now built into the process by which he can be pursuaded to go?
Any sane business man knows that if you have an adversary who is also emotionally also against you it is impossible to get things done.
By needling such folks as Castro, McCain and as a result our country loses.
So this is no matter of delight for Cuban Americans!
Posted by: Rocky | May 23, 2008 4:12:37 PM
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