RNC - Obama: Weak on 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

Republican National Committee, +1-202-863-8614