McCain vs. Obama on dealing with Cuba
MIAMI, FL — As he endeavors to keep this year’s presidential election focused on national security issues, Sen. John McCain accused his likely Democratic rival of naivete, poor judgment and inexperience Tuesday for his calls to open up direct talks with Cuban leaders.
“(Senator Barack Obama) wants to sit down unconditionally for a presidential meeting with Raul Castro, an unconditional meeting,” McCain said during a speech today commemorating Cuban Independence Day to a group of Cuban-Americans. “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 US policy. That’s what they think.”
McCain also slammed Obama for stating in a 2003 questionnaire that he supported a full normalization of relations with Cuba and recently revising his stance to only advocating a partial normalization. Any direct engagement will only empower the Cuban communist regime, McCain said.
“Senator Obama has shifted positions and says he only favors easing the embargo, not lifting it…I believe we should give hope to the Cuban people, not to the Castro regime. My administration will press the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners unconditionally, to legalize all political parties, labor unions, and free media, and to schedule internationally monitored elections. The embargo must stay in place until these basic elements of democratic society are met,” McCain told the crowd to cheers.
While McCain accused his Democratic opponent of shifting his position on Cuba, his counterparts at the Democratic National Committee pushed out a “fact check” of their own today called “John McCain Shifts & Staggers on Cuba.”
Citing articles from the 2000 election that described McCain’s stance as generally softer than his then-rival George W. Bush including a 1999 Miami Herald story which stated that “McCain would be willing to wait on a greater goal of supervised free elections while lifting some of the embargo,” the DNC accused the GOPer of being “for engaging Cuba before he was against it.”
For his part, McCain said today almost verbatim what he told the Herald in 1999, but added that free elections are now a prerequisite for the loosening of sanctions on Cuba. Asked about the issue aboard his Straight Talk bus this afternoon, McCain said he has stood firm and always maintained an extremely high threshold before negotiating.
“My position on Cuba has been exactly the same and there is no evidence except for someone’s allegation that I have had a change in policy. It’s interesting how people are somehow inventing quote changes,” McCain told reporters during a drive to a campaign stop at a Cuban historical museum in Miami. “I have always supported the position that before any normalization of relations can take place–free elections, emptying political prisons and human rights organizations functioning had to take place. That has been my position for 24 years and remains my position.”
In an interview with Fox News Channel today, Barack Obama returned fire echoing the attack that McCain of changing his position because it is an election year.
“Right now what we are doing is playing into their hands. It makes us look like we are the ones unwilling to reason and unwilling to talk,” Obama said. “The bottom line is our goal should be Cuban liberty, the same goal that I think Democrats and Republicans have. The difference is John McCain said the same thing eight years ago that we should look at over time normalizing relations, he’s the one who flip flopped partly partly because he’s pursuing the presidency.”
Obama downplayed the risks McCain says American faces by talking to Raul Castro as well as the Iranian regime.
“The truth is that we don’t have to worry about losing a propaganda war to dictators, we’re the most powerful nation on earth, and if we’re clear about what we stand for, what we advocate for, then we should not be afraid of being willing to have tough, strong, direct talks with other countries,” Obama added.
Tags: barack obama, cuba, john mccain
Share
I do beleive we talk to Castro and he didn’t pay attention so we put in the sanctions we now have so now we will go back and say stop it or we will do what? Oh yeah put in the same sanctions. Yeah that will work.
Thank god a new room
And may it have peace and discuss issues
I wonder if the DNC watches Fox News?
We can only hope
Hi MIke
Talk with conditions only. However , I do want to be able to go to a good tobacco shope and buy a Cuban .
Mike,
Did you see the article above (link) to where Fidel Castro tells McCain to stop lying. I thought that was too funny.
Well ask for the hidden stash of cigars.
Well what was Castro going to say stop telling the truth?
Comment by KC
May 20th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I wonder if the DNC watches Fox News?
___________________
Probably and the blogs and tries not to laugh and throw up at the same time.
m-antony
I was reading a conversation you had earlier with big black man or strong black man, That individual was interesting.
Comment by KC
May 20th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Well what was Castro going to say stop telling the truth?
_____________
His credibility is pretty shot. I like the direction so far that Raul has taken. Have to wait and see if more changes are on the horizon.
He’ll leave that to Obama. After all Obama is good at changing what a person says to make it look like he said it or they were picking on him. Gosh he allows all kinds of trash to be said about the other candidates by his little group of campain managers and does nothing but do not pick on his wife and do no point out his flaws.
Hey Catherine, those other rooms just got to hard to post in, besides I had some house work to do. trying to avoid spousal abuse when my wife gets home.
Yes it is a wait and see game. If Raul really cares about his people it will start to show more and more. The fact that they can go on line now is a big step.
Mike,
HAHAHA!
Wish you the best.
wow now were back to rapid fire
KC,
And people can travel more frequently to Cuba unlike before where I think it was every three years?
Interesting or stupid. Then it turns out I have a double. I can be abrasive. Not all my opinions are appreciated. To those I offend , I do apologize. But, I can not and will not censor myself. But , some of the stuff is beyond reason.
m-antony
I really wasn’t reading your post, just his, weather you say interesting or stupid, it was entertaining
Comment by m-antony
May 20th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Interesting or stupid. Then it turns out I have a double. I can be abrasive. Not all my opinions are appreciated. To those I offend , I do apologize. But, I can not and will not censor myself. But , some of the stuff is beyond reason.
_____________
I can appreciate your opinions. Just have to realize we will NOT always agree. Don’t worry. Once this election is over, back to the same old grind.
Obama is just pandering for the Cuban American vote. If not, then he is communist sympathizer, as well as a terrorist coddler.
I wanna go to Cuba. that would be an interesting trip.
Well they all pander, thats how you win elections.
McCain has it right, obama can not be telling the terrorist nations that we shall deal with them over a cup of tea…doesn’t that sound like a European thing?
Obama has alot more wrong with his thinking that John McCain should address! http://goodtimepolitics.com/2008/05/20/obama-how-many-states-are-there-in-the-united-states/
I hope Bush just eliminates Iran. Then give during his press briefing on it he bumps fists with Cheney followed with a chest bump.
goodtimepolitics
Are you Kidding me, there’s tons of positions that McCain should address, the one I want to see McCain address is how Obama plans on paying for all his ideas.
Will agree he/she was funny , good zingers.
Catherine, I regret the Marine, comment. I was in the Navy. So, sparring that was a little easy. Kind of hope not back to same old grind. It is away to feel the national feelings. I love my wife, children, family. But , it is interesting to get a different part of the country , than just the South.
And Raul is a little more open , so far. But, I am with RC MO. obama is trying to get elected. I think I will go with terrorist coddler as well.
The fact that the McCain campaign is attempting a hasty house cleaning is not the real story here. The real story is that the lobbyists that McCain, and the GOP in general, surround themselves with are indispensable to their machinations, and their profound influence is at the very core of their corrupt enterprise. Anyone that thought that the Abramoff scandal signaled the end of a corrupt era was sadly mistaken; it was only the tip of an iceberg, which, despite Global Warming, just doesn”t seem to be in a great hurry to melt. Someone (I don”t remember who) prophetically commented that upon Bush43″s election in 2000, lobbyists would be able to set up shop in the White House.
It appears that a Bush 44 White House would be no different.
First of all with all due respect to to OBama he is going to take America in a better direction as President or he will at least try. John MCcain will set up another secretive administration like Geroge Bush’s, and futher their plans with destruction of the United states. Bad economy, unpopular war, 47 million Americans with out health care, foreign policy that is cowboy style, high gas prices and more corruption as is going with. his current campaign.
Some times it takes time to see changes but it is better when you know exactly what the changes will be. Just like it takes time to see NBC changes and edits to make the golden boy look good as they did Bushes interview today. Must be nice to cut out the important parts and make him look dumb. And you wonder why Bushes standing is so poor. How many of you get Fox News?
McCain also knows how to minimize pork like the farm bill.
Cuba is alot better off today without Fidel Castro. His brother Raul will take Cuba into the future and open it self up to the U.S. more. I think that Obamas plans for dealing with Cuba are better than George Bush’s and John MCcains plans.
Dear Lord, this guy is a complete idiot. Anyone who votes for him is crazy.
Visit clintonsupporterscounttoo we women are organizing against obama!!!
Pork barrels are not the farm bill, it is money attached to a bill to go to special intrest of the represetitive or senitoer that attached. Such as the aquarium in ILL getting ove a million dollars with a 200 million in liquid assets. The prok barrel is to gain votes and campain contributions. that is what pork is.
CNN Just showed a new FL web page that is ticking down till Barack comes to town….. And its not a good one for him…… He might want to stay away from FL……Hope the news is on top of this story………. It shows a map of the U.S.A. and FL & MI are not on it…
Comment by m-antony
May 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Will agree he/she was funny , good zingers.
Catherine, I regret the Marine, comment. I was in the Navy. So, sparring that was a little easy. Kind of hope not back to same old grind. It is away to feel the national feelings. I love my wife, children, family. But , it is interesting to get a different part of the country , than just the South.
And Raul is a little more open , so far. But, I am with RC MO. obama is trying to get elected. I think I will go with terrorist coddler as well.
_______________________
I hope your first comment isn’t questioning my gender? For the love, the name states it all!
Comment by Mike
May 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I wanna go to Cuba. that would be an interesting trip.
____________________
My husband has been there.
Hello catherine…you still moving to NM?
Cuba, as well as every other Nation in the world, is well aware that this is an election year. They are going to play nice, to try to convince the American voters that they might change their ways, if given the right President to work with. They all want a President that they can walk all over, and that is Obama. Either he shares their beliefs, or he is stupid, or he is pandering. Pandering is normal, when it comes to domestic issues, but dangerous in the world arena.
catherine lao
UH OH I burnt supper, if you hear screaming it’s just me, looks like Chili dogs tonight.
Comment by Mike
May 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
catherine lao
UH OH I burnt supper, if you hear screaming it’s just me, looks like Chili dogs tonight.
________________
Too Funny.
Sounds better than the concoctions my husband makes. I always skip eating them, truly nasty.
people take latin america for granted, which is a mistake.
i see different forces in motion that could be a disaster for us: hugo chavez attacking colombia through farc, and his alliances with iran. chavez’s alliance with cuba. current use of submarines by the drug cartels to smuggler up to 10,000 lbs of material/drugs/terrorists/bombs.
so latin america could be a significant conduit by rogue nations to destroy us.
obama needs to ratify the colombian free trade agreement, not appease chavez. he needs to continue to push for democracy in cuba with free elections, not appease raoul.
americans are depending on their government for protection, and that requires judgement and experience, which are two things that are in short supply for obama.
MIKE Like Danny Glover would say…. Im to old for that sh#t…. Good luck with that. :0)
Hello catherine…you still moving to NM?
catherine lao
Thats the difference in my house, my wife went to college, I learned to cook.
CLient #8 how exactly would Obama “appease” Chavez?
TUMS Will be your best friend.
Comment by Mike
May 20th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
catherine lao
Thats the difference in my house, my wife went to college, I learned to cook.
Awesome.
tanya, I am a republican. Bush and McCain are not the same. There are some republicans that could puke right now . Having McCain. Personally , not one of them. You can tie them together on a lot of issues. They are repubs. obama and Clinton are almost carbon copies. Clinton more hawkish.
Comment by m-antony
May 20th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
tanya, I am a republican. Bush and McCain are not the same. There are some republicans that could puke right now . Having McCain. Personally , not one of them. You can tie them together on a lot of issues. They are repubs. obama and Clinton are almost carbon copies. Clinton more hawkish.
________________
I find it soooo funny HRC is a conservative dem and she and Obama have essentially the same issues, and Obama is the so-called liberal. Has Obama ever stated he was a liberal?
Catherine….u ignoring?
Hey m-antony,
I just blasted Confused away on another thread. This person thinks I am ignoring him/her. Want to give any advice to this young whipper snapper?
If i Had a Wife as UGLY as Michelle Obama, I would have gone gay just like obama did with the limo driver
Catherine, I am saying that Clinton/obama are carbon copies. Just Hill is more hawkish for defense. I think both are liberals. I want Clinton to be the dem nominee. I only take her side for defense of the country. That is the main reason , if not McCain , then give me Clinton.
Its a “him” kitty cat
m-antony,
Clinton’s look very liberal, but she is a conservative dem. I think society is looking for great change, I think that is the drive in the types of policies being offered. She has been forced in a way to lean more left.
What have i missed???? We invading Cuba?
Which thread can you paste?
m-antony,
Meet Barack Black Eagle is the title of the article.
Red Rover YES
Comment by Red Rover
May 20th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
What have i missed???? We invading Cuba?
___________________Not much.
Look who is back.
Red Rover YES.
Blasted me huh….I believe you left because you could not handle me
At least his name is appropiate
Red Rover YES.
—————-
Sweet….I call the cigars
Confused Can you tell us what you said to get her so p!ssed ???
Comment by Red Rover
May 20th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
At least his name is appropiate
______________
He is just irked b/c I won’t acknowledge him. I am actually doing this person a favor.
I call the girls ther hot
She is overweight and I called her fat
Comment by catherine lao
May 20th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Comment by Red Rover
May 20th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
At least his name is appropiate
______________
He is just irked b/c I won’t acknowledge him. I am actually doing this person a favor.
______________________
Now he has selective memory that is a bit faulty too.
And she is mad because I like McCain and I refuse to appease her
DUDE thats not nice… But thats just me… Its cool if you pick on nobama .. But not a woman. My mom would slap the sh!t out of me ….. God rest her soul.
And I thought she was from Mexico
She has thin skin
Did you see on the news where the DNC told a Kentucky senator not to back Hillery and are mad at him over it? He backed her anyway and refused to back down.
Now that is the DNC watching out for the democrats.
catherine lao and Confused: What were you debating? Where can I view it?
They are pushing for the golden boy to win and suck it up the dems who do not want him.
DUDE thats not nice… But thats just me… Its cool if you pick on nobama .. But not a woman. My mom would slap the sh!t out of me ….. God rest her soul.
_________________________________________________________
kitty cat didnt realize I was kidding….she knows after one night she would be a Rebublican
OOOOOOOOOOOOO Sorry say all the sh!t you want about Michelle Nobama. I hate her… But make it good.. LOL
Obama is a people pleaser in the first degree….that is to oppressive country leaders to include iran, Cuba and all those who hate us and want the USA to leave from their sphere of influence. Obama will give them what they want and smile and give a great speach reflecting his power of influence over these terroist nations or enemies of the US when he has sold out the Us to what the far left liberal view as the US evil presence ovewrseas. And some believe Obama is truely interested in my family’s safety now and in the future….NOT!!!!!!! And he wants to raise my taxes at the same time…what a fraud.
catherine lao and Confused: What were you debating? Where can I view it?
—————————————————–
catherine is mad at me
You two are funny though, but lets keep it civil.
It looking good for Hillary in Kentucky. Go Hillary for the Democratic nomine. Go McCain in November!!!
Confused: Why is she mad at you?
catherine…you are awful quiet
KC WHAT NEWS?????????? FOX. MSNBC… CNN ..WHAT…. TELL ME MORE.
Confused: Why is she mad at you?
——————————
Because New Mexico does not have much grass…she would have to explain
Confused: Why is she mad at you?
——————————
Because New Mexico does not have much grass…she would have to explain
__________
Confused is too confused to explain
It was on fox earlier. They said the senator was told by the DNC not to back Hillery and he did anyway and they are tick at him big time.
CNN just projected Hillary the winner by thirty points in Kentucky.
Also it was on our local liberal news.
This is an outrage! Hillary Clinton was just moments again portrayed on Fox News Brit Hume in a clip with altered breasts falling out begging for super delegates votes.
There needs to be an immediate apology for this from Fox News! Slanderous, gender racists! Please address this immediately Clinton Campaign! This was definitely a gender issue and needs to be corrected!
Comment by Red Rover
May 20th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
catherine…you are awful quiet
______________
Putting the boys to bed.
Besides, do you think this twit is going to really have a debate? Please. I am giving this person a break due to the fact he really is confused.
Now they know why the golden boy is getting all those super delegates. Pure don’t back Hillary campain in the DNC.
now that is fair polotics for you. No wonder the one head of the dem party in KY said today she would not vote for Obama.
KC Did you see the new FL web page on CNN.. Its a timer ticken down on obama’s a$$kickin party….. That will be sweet.
How do you campare McCain to Bush? McCain is a far left liberal and Bush is a far right concevitive.
No I never watch them because they edit the oppositions interviews to make the others look bad. Them and NBC.
What is interesting is the DNC thinks we will vote for Obama no matter what they do. I love the way Obama tries to change his image as he sees who he really is no one wants.