Obama and the Cuban Americans.

[L_F_Miranda]

The cold War is finally OVER! It just took the Miami Cubans 19 years to figure that one out. Although some Puerto Ricans are sill living in the 1960's, the following news will make them into Dinosaurs of the Mezozoic age.


Senator Barack Obama on Friday called for greater engagement with Cuba and Latin America, saying the long-standing policies of isolation have failed to advance the interests of the United States or help people who have suffered under oppressive governments.

In a speech before an influential Cuban-American group here, YOU READ RIGHT, the NOTORIOUS and conservative Cuban American National Foundation, Mr. Obama said he would meet with the Cuban leader, Raúl Castro, “at a time and place of my choosing.” He derided Senator John McCain and other Republican critics as embracing what he called hard-line approaches that have failed.

Mr. Obama appeared before the Cuban American National Foundation days after Mr. McCain outlined a sharply different approach in a speech in Miami. He said Mr. Obama was naïve to think he could hold direct diplomatic talks with Mr. Castro and other foreign leaders who are considered enemies.

In a 30-minute speech, interrupted several times by applause, YES APPLAUSE, Mr. Obama said that if elected president he would immediately lift the bans on family travel to Cuba and the limits on how much money people can send to their relatives in the communist nation.

The Cuban American National Foundation is the most prominent of the anti-Castro Cuban exile groups in Miami. Mr. Obama’s appearance was viewed by his supporters here as a sign of change in Cuban-American political leanings. INCREDIBLE!

Jorge Mas Santos, son of the group’s ultra right wing founder, introduced Mr. Obama and endorsed his plan to lift restrictions on visiting relatives in Cuba and sending money. He said it was time for a new approach to dealing with Cuba.

TIMES ARE CHANGING!!!!!!!!

[L_F_Miranda]

When Senator Barack Obama again called in San Juan for greater engagement with Cuba the only ones who boooo-ed him were PUERTO RICAN STATEHOODERS!!!

In contrast, when saying the exact SAME THING last Friday before an influential super conservative Cuban-American group, he was interrupted several times by applause, YES APPLAUSE!

Is there something wrong with this picture?

[Sonambulo]

CANF and other right wing Cubans are interested in having direct talks with Castro, unless one of the CANF delegation members has a grenade secreted in his coat so that the moment they meet Raul or Fidel they will explode it as a final note of vengence against a man who they accuse of destroying Cuba. Living in NJ and frequenting Union City, [the northern Miami] [ CANF has its northern headquarters behind the Artesano Restaurant on Bergenline Avenue, in Union City], I find it hard to believe they have had a change of heart. Nonetheless Obama is right, and any reasonable minded person knows that the US policy towards Cuba has been a miserable and collosally expensive failure. [How much money, for example, have we spent on RADIO MARTI. It is time for a different approach towards Cuba and, at the same time, America also has to tell a lot of those wealthy right wing Cubans and their PACS that Americans through their elected representatives decide US policy not them. and that they have been wrong for 50 years.

[L_F_Miranda]

Sonambulo:

Politics works in strange and Machiavelian ways.

I just heard that Fidel Castro backs Obama for President. Anyone knows that with support like this Obama is screwed. Was it done on purpose?

The Cuban government depends on the status quo to maintain control, surely change is not on Fidel's immediate agenda. An Obama win will most likely begin upsetting the rational for the tight controls they've had for 50 years.

Given the shrewd and machiavelian ways in which Fidel has operated all these years, we should also know that publicly backing Obama for President is suspect. Is it a way of energizing right wing Americans and Miami Cubans?

The embargo has helped Fidel hold on to power for 50 years! Ending the embargo via an an Obama win can jeapordize his hold on Cuba by opening up the country to trade, tourism and family reunions. On the other hand, a McCain win will keep Fidel and Co. in Business as usual, plus help them maintain a rational for their power.

Bottom line, why not publicly back Obama, then sit down and watch the fireworks.