Posted : Tue, 20 May 2008 12:27:10 GMT
Author : Republican National Committee
Category : Press Release
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WASHINGTON, May 20 RNC-Obama-Cuba
Sen. McCain's Speech On Cuba Today Will Offer Stark Contrast To Obama's
Weak Cuba Policy
WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Sen. McCain Will
Deliver A Speech On Cuba And Latin America In Commemoration Of Cuba's
Independence Day:
"Tuesday: U.S. Sen. John McCain, Republican Presidential Candidate,
Delivers Speech On Cuba And Latin America..." ("Cuban Independence
Events In South Florida," The Miami Herald, 5/17/08)
Obama's Willingness To Meet With Rogue Leaders, Including Current Cuban
President Raul Castro, Has Been Criticized By Members Of The Cuban
Community In Florida:
At A February 2008 Debate, Obama Said He Would Meet With Raul Castro
Without Preconditions. CNN's Campbell Brown: "Senator Obama, just to
follow up, you had said in a previous CNN debate that you would meet
with the leaders of Cuban, Iran, North Korea, among others, so
presumably you would be willing to meet with the new leader of Cuba."
Obama: "That's correct. Now, keep in mind that the starting point for
our policy in Cuba should be the liberty of the Cuban people. And I
think we recognize that that liberty has not existed throughout the
Castro regime. And we now have an opportunity to potentially change the
relationship between the United States and Cuba after over half a
century. I would meet without preconditions, although Senator Clinton is
right that there has to be preparation." (Sen. Barack Obama,
CNN/Univision Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Austin, TX, 2/21/08)
In Florida, Obama "Will Have To Defend His Support For Easier
Negotiations With America's Enemies" Which Has "Evoked The Ire Of Some
Cuban Groups In Florida." "Sen. Barack Obama will have to defend his
support for easier negotiations with America's enemies when he addresses
a leading Cuban-American exile group this week during his first campaign
stop in Florida in nine months. The professed desire by the likely
Democratic presidential nominee to hold direct talks with Cuba's
communist leaders if elected has evoked the ire of some Cuban groups in
Florida, who maintain that no such talk should be held until real
democratic reform takes place on the island." (Carmen Gentile, "Obama
Faces Heat From Cuban Exiles," The Washington Times, 5/18/08)
"'We Think There Should Be No Negotiations Or Conversation With Raul
Castro Until He Has Released All Political Prisoners And Made Moves
Toward Democracy,' Said Orlando Gutierrez, Directorio Cubano's National
Secretary." (Carmen Gentile, "Obama Faces Heat From Cuban Exiles," The
Washington Times, 5/18/08)
The New York Sun's Benny Avni: "I am no fan of the Cuban embargo, but
removing it now - or announcing a presidential trip to meet with Raul
Castro - would indicate that America views this familial transfer of
power as real change, rather than what it is: a maneuver meant to leave
the brutal Castro legacy intact." (Benny Avni, Op-Ed, "Obama Vs. Bad
Guys: To Talk Or Not To Talk?" The New York Sun, 2/25/08)
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro Said Obama And Sen. Hillary Clinton
(D-NY) Would Be A Winning Presidential Ticket:
"Ailing Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Is Tipping Democratic Candidates
Hillary Clinton And Barack Obama To Team Up And Win The U.S.
Presidential Election." (Anthony Boadle, "Castro's Tip: Clinton-Obama
The Winning Ticket," Reuters, 8/27/07)
"Clinton Leads Obama In The Race To Be The Democratic Nominee For The
November 2008 Election, And Castro Said They Would Make A Winning
Combination." (Anthony Boadle, "Castro's Tip: Clinton-Obama The Winning
Ticket," Reuters, 8/27/07)
Obama Has Been Inconsistent In His Support For Normalized Relations With
Cuba:
In 2003, Obama Said He Supported The Normalization Of Relations With
Cuba. Obama: "I believe that normalization of relations with Cuba would
help the oppressed and poverty-stricken Cuban people while setting the
stage for a more democratic government once Castro inevitably leaves the
scene." (Lynn Sweet, "Obama's 2003 IVI-IPO Questionnaire May Be Getting
Closer Scrutiny," Chicago Sun-Times' "Lynn Sweet's Blog,"
www.suntimes.com, 12/11/07)
But As A Presidential Candidate, Obama Has Backed Away From His Earlier
Support For Normalized Relations With Cuba. "Democrat Barack Obama
supported the 'normalization of relations with Cuba' when he was a U.S.
Senate candidate in 2003, taking a more liberal position than he has
espoused as a presidential candidate." (Beth Reinhard, "Candidates
Toughen Talk On Cuba In S. Fla," The Miami Herald, 12/13/07)
Obama Did Not Explain The Shift In His Views On U.S. Policy Toward Cuba.
"That position contrasts with the stiffer stance Obama took in a column
about Cuba in The Miami Herald in August, followed three days later by a
speech in Miami. He called for allowing Cuban-Americans to freely visit
and send money to relatives on the island, but said the embargo should
remain until there are signs of democratic reform. ... Obama spokeswoman
Jen Psaki reiterated the candidate's current position but did not
explain his shift from 2003." (Beth Reinhard, "Candidates Toughen Talk
On Cuba In S. Fla," The Miami Herald, 12/13/07)
Obama Has Been Inconsistent In His Views On The Cuban Embargo:
In A 2003 Questionnaire, Obama Said He Opposed The Helms-Burton Act
Codifying The Cuban Embargo. Question: "Do you support ... the
Helms-Burton Act?" Obama: "No, this legislation only makes adversaries
of our allies and perpetuates our go-it-alone foreign policy." (Lynn
Sweet, "Obama's 2003 IVI-IPO Questionnaire May Be Getting Closer
Scrutiny," Chicago Sun-Times' "Lynn Sweet's Blog," www.suntimes.com,
12/11/07)
"In January 2004, Obama Said It Was Time 'To End The Embargo With Cuba'
Because It Had 'Utterly Failed In The Effort To Overthrow Castro.'"
("Top Obama Flip-Flops," The Washington Post, 2/25/08)
Obama: "I think it's time for us to end the embargo with Cuba." (Sen.
Barack Obama, Remarks At Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL,
1/20/04)
Obama: "The Cuban embargo has failed to provide the sorts of rising
standards of living and has squeezed the innocents in Cuba, and utterly
failed in the effort to overthrow Castro...so it's time for us to
acknowledge that that particular policy has failed." (Sen. Barack Obama,
Remarks At Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 1/20/04)
But In 2007, Obama Said He Supported The Cuban Embargo. "[Obama] said he
would continue the trade embargo." (Beth Reinhard, "Obama Stresses
'Libertad,'" The Miami Herald, 8/26/07)
Obama: "As president, I'll maintain the embargo - it's an important
inducement for change because we know that Castro's death will not
guarantee freedom." (Beth Reinhard, "It's Got A Good Beat And You Can
Dance To It," The Miami Herald's "Naked Politics" Blog,
www.miamiherald.com, 8/25/07)
A Product Of The RNC Research Department
Paid for by the Republican National Committee.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
SOURCE Republican National Committee
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/rnc--obama-weak-on-cuba,401206.shtml
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