This past week saw GOP presidential candidates John McCain and Rudy Giuliani swooping into South Florida to talk tough about Castro and to chase the “guayabera bucks.”
What does it all really mean?
Unfortunately, not much, as Cuban Americans have heard it too many times before: Lots of rhetoric, and no hard evidence that the candidates have a better way to help a post-castro Cuba.
Consider this comment from Phil Peters, as you listen for the candidates’ positions on wet-foot/dry-foot and other matters of substance to the Cuban and Cuban American community:
Aside from Mitt Romney’s cribbing of Venceremos Brigade rhetoric, this may be an election in which the candidates have nothing new to add to the Cuba playbook. Which means, we can guess, that we’re in for a competition of symbolism and rhetoric to show whose love and commitment is most genuine.
But, really, Cuban Americans should expect and demand more than that, for their dollars and their votes. This is a pivotal moment in the history of Cuba, and U.S.-Cuba relations. Anyone elected to the White House next year will surely face some tough choices.
In a close election, Cuban American votes, like in 2000, could determine who wins. That is powerful leverage that must be used accordingly to tell the candidates to pipe down on the rhetoric and to explain their positions on issues that really matter.
(Cross-posted at Uncommon Sense.)
During the 2004 presidential elections, Democratic candidate John Kerry visited Miami three times. He addressed the African American and Jewish communities but avoided Cuban Americans. On election day Democrat activist and pollster made a fool of himself by going of live TV to announce around 5:30 PM that Kerry had won Florida and came back thirty minutes later to declare that Kerry had also won Ohio and would therefore be the next president of the United States. This was apparently a devious ruse to discourage Republicans from going to vote before the polls closed at 7 PM. I wonder what other tricks Bendixen and Joe Garcia have up their sleeves on behalf of Mrs. Clinton. Will she address the Cuban American community? Will she apologize for the Bay of Pigs debacle to veterans of Brigade 2506 at their memorial museum? After all, her husband apologized to African Americans for slavery.
Fred. Thompson.
I hear you about Fred Thompson, but I saw somewhere that he smokes Cuban cigars.
Any truth to that one?
If so what should we make of that, if anything?
If true, what he writes and says is diametrically opposed to his actions. We’ll see. I’d be very disappointed.
delacova
ALL I am hearing is what the otherside did wrong, where will all this HATE get you?
do you want progress or just hate filled nonsense
Zqeu5u, I can’t speak for others, but I want to piss on fidel’s grave. Is that hateful?
Why can’t you silly bleeding hearts, so full of “progress” say something about the hateful things fidel has done over almost 49 years? Is that so difficult, or are you another soft enabler helping the regime?
Problem is, as soon as the new guy takes office, one of the first things he or (gods forbid) she (especially the “she” in question) will be told what the exact terms are of the treaty Kennedy made with castro to get the missiles off the island, and what consequences the US will face if we go against the terms of that treaty.
I can totally see the Soviets having left castro one or two nukes for “self defense,” ready to fire at any US city short of Seattle should he feel in the least bit threatened. I can also see castro having maintained these ICBMs all these years and their still being in good shape to fire.
So don’t be too hard on Presidents, they are simply trying not to lose a city. I doubt anything we can do would have a good chance of taking fidel out before he can take out an American city or two.
The good part? I can also see the launch codes being fidel’s exclusive property. This guarantee against the Americans is what in part has kept fidel from facing an untimely death. In all likelihood, the codes will likely die with fidel, leaving raul unable to do jackshyte against us.
The problem is for some STUPID reason WE think an American president will do something to liberate Cuba. castro IS OUR PROBLEM! While Dubya has done more than others, we are also trading with the castro boys more than ever before. American presidents are here to TAKE CARE OF AMERICA, NOT TO WIPE OUT fidel! Why haven’t we learned that yet?
To Zqeu5u:
As a published historian, I cited facts, which you erroneously perceive as hate and nonsense. Yet, you were unable to disprove anything I said. This is the first time that I have seen you post on this blog, obviously because my comments upset you greatly. I do want progress with truth, not the same old political rhetoric and lies about Cuba that we have been hearing for nearly half a century.
George,
For what its worth, here’s the source on Sen. Thompson smoking Cuban cigars.
You can believe it if you wish. It was also referred to in Moore’s debate challange to the Senator posted in Drudge.
“Thompson’s work space looks just like what the home office of a successful politician or CEO should look like — though a little messier: a large desk, dark wood, leather furniture, lots of books and magazines and newspapers, a flat-screen TV, and box upon box of cigars — Montecristos from Havana.” [http://weeklystandard.com/Utilities/printer_preview.asp?idArticle=13528&R=1136E33842]
I’m disappointed. On the positive side, at least he was honest enough not to hide them. Having a box of Cuban cigars is far less damaging than other lib policy positions. We’ll see if that sin can be washed away by his rhetoric and positive actions.
George,
Amen sir. Some JFK studies show that he ordered a large quantity of Havanas right before he enacted the embargo.
And yes Senator Thompson did not hide the cigars. And he didn’t say:
“I tried them but I didn’t inhale.”
I’m off to Mass. Enjoy your Sunday.
People need to start voting on the issues and not the parties. The first thing they need to do is to look at the immigration bill and how the future presidential candidates feel about it. They also need to look at the other issues and hold the winner responsible for their promises. the only way to start the process is by doing a 2008 Candidates Comparison.