Even my 20-yr. old son who has been favoring Obama said that he won't vote for him after he heard Obama say he would speak directly to Raul. Even he understands the implications of that course of action.

Will the real Obama please show yourself? In 2003 you wanted to open up everything to Cuba, last year it was another position, today another one. Just what do you believe?

If Obama gets elected Americans will be saying - God Help America. Obama will sell out America to communists, terrorists and revolutionaries. Obama says Americans have become too comfortable. Who is he talking about - not the working class! He has forgotten all of the blood, sweat and tears that have been sacrificed so that the future will be brighter for people - as he has enjoyed at the expense of freedom-loving Americans. Vote for national security - vote for Hillary or McCain. Don't let Obama sell out the American dream.

So many non-Christians posting on this blog. Jesus said 'love your enemy.' So many bloggers that hate their enemies and won't even talk to them - like Cubans. Won't even talk to them. Pathetic.

Say NO to OSAMA, OBAMA, and CHELSEA'S MOMMA!

As a Cuban American, this makes me dislike Obama even more. And I'm sure many Cuban Americans as well. He is out of touch with the plight of the Cuban community.
I cannot believe there fellow Cubans listening to his garbage.
He will lose South Florida so badly. He is Al Gore wasn't as stupid when he ran for the presidency. Gore can blame Clinton for that Elian fiasco. He squandered Gore's chances with the Cubans.
Mark my words, No clear thinking Cuban American will vote for Obama.

As a Cuban American, this makes me dislike Obama even more. And I'm sure many Cuban Americans as well. He is out of touch with the plight of the Cuban community.
I cannot believe there fellow Cubans listening to his garbage.
He will lose South Florida so badly. He is Al Gore wasn't as stupid when he ran for the presidency. Gore can blame Clinton for that Elian fiasco. He squandered Gore's chances with the Cubans.
Mark my words, No clear thinking Cuban American will vote for Obama.

"

Senator Obama is actually a pretty smart guy. I know that scares some of you, having a President who was near the top of his class as opposed to John McCain at the bottom of his class. And this thing about talking with enemies..James Baker,,,you all remember him, said that he went to Syria to talk with them 16 times when they were on our list as sponsoring terrorism. Didn't get anywhere on the first 15 visits,, but on the 16th he got them to change what they were doing. And guess what..not one soldier died for it.

You don't like Obama's plans about dealing with Cuba, don't vote for him. But he's a smart guy who has a good sensible plan for changing how we approach other countries. Oh ya..common sense isn't something you all think about either."

Amen my friend. I am tired of he mentality that if we pose as the moral authority over the rest of the world, mostly by a sense of entitlement as the most powerful country in the world, that rogue nations will simply grovel at our feet.

How about a Pew Poll in 2007:

- 68 percent of Pakistanis
- 76 percent of Moroccans
- 93 percent of Egyptians
- 64 percent of Turkey

The percentage in each country that have unfavorable views of America. Turkey, one of our key NATO allies in the Middle East, have 83 percent that believe the U.S. is the greatest foreign policy threat in the world. You people need to wake up and realize playing the bully just doesn't work, and never has.

I chuckle when I hear Mr. Obama try to characterize the embargo as a "failed" "Bush-McCain" policy of the "last eight years," when it has been US policy since 1960, in various manifestations.

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr. All have taken part in overseeing this policy toward Cuba.

Six republicans, four democrats.

So somehow it is a Bush-McCain policy?

I chuckle when I hear Mr. Obama try to characterize the embargo as a "failed" "Bush-McCain" policy of the "last eight years," when it has been US policy since 1960, in various manifestations.

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr. All have taken part in overseeing this policy toward Cuba.

Six republicans, four democrats.

So somehow it is a Bush-McCain policy?

He's not saying it's just a Bush-McCain policy. Learn to read. He's simply pointing out how stagnate the policy has been for several years, and how Bush/Cheney have only made our foreign relations worse.

Having read the responses that many of you have left I realize that the country that I love more than anything in the world very well may be as backward as our foreign counterparts suggest. Anyone who believes that we would be weak talking to our enemies is near sighted and ignorant. Our nations image abroad has declined drastically over the course of the past 7 years. The public diplomacy efforts of our diplomats has been made impossible by Bush's big stick diplomacy. Yes we are strong, powerful and unstoppable; but to refuse to take the necessary steps to ensure liberty and justice for all peoples of this earth contradicts the very framework on which this great nation was founded. Obama has a very strong understanding of foreign policy. He has also proven that he can make rationale decisions when his advisors inform him of events. When it comes down to the issues Obama is the right choice.

"bdiddy":

I believe Mr. Obama implies that the current policies toward Cuba are "failed" and somehow drastically different from historical trends. He is clearly laying a deterioration of Cuban-American relations at Bush and McCain's feet (though McCain does not have the authority to negotiate agreements with foreign nations under the US Constitution- he is not president)

Obama said today:

"I will maintain the embargo. It provides us with the leverage to present the regime with a clear choice: if you take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing
of all political prisoners, we will take steps to begin normalizing relations. That's the way to bring about real change in Cuba - through strong, smart and principled diplomacy."

How is this significant "change" from what Bush and/or Clinton and/or McCain would do? Why does Cuba have any incentive to do this just because Obama is president? This is existing U.S. policy, isn't it? If Cuba refuses to release its prisoners, then we are back to square one, right?

Also, doesn't his demand for prisoner release and the demand that Cuba take "significant steps" (whatever that is) toward democracy sound vaguely like a horrible "precondition" to you? This statement reads as if Bush or any latter-20th century president could have said it. Is this really "change"?

Can't wait for Obama's "strong" and "smart" diplomacy, whatever that is...awesome! I am sure the other powers will take his kind requests very seriously.

Just my opinion. I am sure you have a principled position in favor of Obama. I am sure Obama will make a fine president.

P.S. I love the "learn to read" comment...heh heh so nuanced. I hope Obama says that to McCain sometime in an upcoming debate.

My principled position is for an U.S. foreign policy from a position of strength and respect, not arrogance and saber rattling.

"bdiddy":

Guess you do not want to discuss the issue...my kung fu must have been to strong for you :)

Here is the beauty part, "bdiddy":

Obama's "preconditions" ("preparations"?) are very similar to those McCain suggested in a speech he made in February:

"Last night, he (Obama) said (it was after the democratic debate) that as president he’d meet with the imprisoned island’s new leader ‘without preconditions.’ So Raul Castro gets an audience with an American president, and all the prestige such a meeting confers, without having to release political prisoners, allow free media, political parties, and labor unions, or schedule internationally monitored free elections."

What is this horrible set of "preconditions" except asking Cuba to "take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing of all political prisoners," only with more specifics? These are Obama's words, not mine.

These are identical positions. Also, where is the "saber-rattling" against Cuba?

So, Obama jumps on the McCain bandwagon and acts like he is charting brand new territory?

Talk about "arrogant."

So Obama wants to treat "friends and
foes" equally! How naive and dumb can
you be! I can't wait for this
campaign to begin!
Considering his foolish statements on
foreign policy and his Bankrupt America
domestic programs I'd say John McCain
will clean his clock!
of course the MSM will claim that
Obama won the debates but we'll know better!

I have great concern that our party is passing up an historical opportunity to lead in a much needed new direction. McCain's advisors are trapping him in the old box of pandering to special interest groups on foreign policy for domestic political "advantage." All of the tough talk against the strawman Castro and his little one crop sugar producing island (as if Cuba really ever posed a threat to us) has done nothing for either America or Cuba and its people.

China and its leaders have committed genocide against their own people, killing millions while aiming nuclear missles at us and arming the communists in Vietnam against us in the war which led to the death of thousands of our people. They're killing and jailing dissenters in their country by the thousands each year.

Yet we're obsessed with Cuba. This is embarassing. It does nothing for us. We think we score political points by lambasting our opponents for wanting to talk to Third World countries etc. with 1930's military capabilities yet stay silent about China and Russia, our biggest threats and biggest violators of human rights in the world.

Please John. Don't fall for this nonsense. Be the strong leader and man you are and stop appeasing special interest groups worried about toothless tigers in the middle east and a puny one crop island to the South. If anyone can stand up to these groups and to Russia and China, it's you.

If anybody belives that Obama is reading from a paper and that takes away from Obama as a winner must not have realized that all Mccain speaches come from tele prompts that he reads. The media exposed that a month ago. Mccain better hope theres no technical difficulties with the Prompts and they run to fast or slow.

Mccain is not going to move this country foward. He's stuck with old fashion policy that hasn't worked in the past. He's stupid to want to persue failed policies because he believes he can make them work. Why don't he have his own plan instead of using Bush's plans. Mccain is exactly the same as Bush and when Bush leaves so will Mccain. Did anybody notice that Mccain has never stated how he was going to pay for anything nor how he was going to make this war in Iraq work. The truth is he doesn't know.