Castro bashes U.S. but absolves Obama
The incredible "Panama show" concluded with Cuban dictator Raúl Castro's speech:
Castro, in a meandering, nearly hour-long speech to the summit, ran through an exhaustive history of perceived Cuban grievances against the U.S. dating back more than a century -- a vivid display of how raw passions remain over American attempts to undermine Cuba's government.
Then, in an abrupt about face, he apologized for letting his emotions get the best of him.
He said many U.S. presidents were at fault for that troubled history -- but that Obama isn't one of them.
"I have told President Obama that I get very emotional talking about the revolution," Castro said through a translator, noting that Obama wasn't even born when the U.S. began sanctioning the island nation.
"I apologize to him because President Obama had no responsibility for this."
Castro neglected to mention, nor did President Obama remind him, that Cuba is a one-party state, without a free press or elections, and has required a foreign subsidy for much of the so-called revolution.
Castro also failed to mention, nor did President Obama remind him, that Cuba has been harboring JoAnne Chesimard, the killer of a New Jersey state trooper, and confiscated the assets of U.S. citizens without compensation. (By the way, those assets are an estimated at $7 billion.)
It makes you wonder: who stood up for the U.S. at this meeting? Did anyone defend the U.S. and its citizens? Maybe President Obama should have reminded the conference that U.S. nationals spend billions of dollars visiting their beaches and buying their vegetables and other stuff.
I guess that President Obama was in no mood to remind Raúl Castro of anything. After all, why stand up for the U.S. when a corrupt dictator is ranting one lie after another?
Why create a diplomatic scene and upset the dictator? After all, isn't Obama just one of the boys?
In all, President Obama was pathetic. I understand the handshake, but not allowing so many to take cheap shots at the U.S. At the same time, we're used to it by now.
P.S. You can hear my show (CantoTalk) or follow me on Twitter.