Comments by Sujatha Fernandes
Early on in the primary debates with Hillary Clinton, Obama had said he would be willing to open dialogue with Cuban leader Raúl Castro if he was elected. While raising ire from some sectors, this also gave hope to others, who have been waiting for an end to the embargo in the wake of the Bush administration. But on this issue, there are various signs of continuity between the Bush and Obama administrations.
There is at least a faction of the Obama administration that wants to continue the Bush policies. Officials like James Steinberg, who is second to Hillary Clinton in the State Department, have made statements reinforcing a policy of non-engagement with Cuba. Obama has not yet replaced Bush's top State Department official for the Western Hemisphere, Thomas Shannon. There is also ongoing influence of Cuban-American senators like Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, who oppose all efforts to end the travel ban and embargo.
Obama is aware that he must appease these politicians and court the hard-core sectors of the Miami-Cuban community if he is to appeal to this electorate, as many Democrats before him have done. Indeed, it was under a Democratic president – Bill Clinton – that some of the most punitive bills strengthening the embargo were passed. Obama has shown signs of continuing this policy. During the primaries, Obama gave a public address to the conservative exile Cuban American National Foundation in Miami, promising to maintain the embargo on Cuba.
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JG: At this point in time Obama should change his slogan to "more of the same you can believe in."
As long as Obama continues to listen to reactionary right-winger and fake liberal, Robert Menendez, the Bush Cuba policies will continue. The fake Obama promises were for the consumption of the gullible who believed in him during the 2008 presidential campaign.
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