[NYTr] Bush's Big Idea on Cuba: Let's You and Them Fight; World Yawns

Wed Oct 24 18:59:22 EDT 2007

[Bush certainly tried to make a splash to distract everyone from
his other calamities today, with his special address on Cuba. 
They tried to get out that dreadful Op-Ed yesterday, claiming
Cuba was a danger to US security. The Op-Ed, by James M. Roberts of
the Heritage Institue, was part of the new "initiative" being fronted
by the US Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez. SEE: 
"anti-Cuba Poison from the Heritage Fdtn Signals New US Campaign"
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20071022/070633.html

The Op-Ed went nowhere. They had to publish it in some obscure govt-
and biz publication in Hawaii.

Of course, the only thing the US Secretary of Commerce can really do is
affect commerce in the US, i.e., tell those bad governors they can't
get Cuban business anymore for their states' farmers.  "Come back from
Cuba and go directly to jail? Do not pass go, do not collect any
campaign contributions" ??

The Governors are not bloody likely to listen to that shit. They've
got a crashing, burning economy to deal with at home. And many of
them are Republicans. 

So Bush the Bully tried anyway, and apparently his big idea was to
ask other nations to join him in funding his covert actions against the
Cuban Revolution.  (He's already tried everything else, including 
fines against foreign companies -- completely illegal -- who do
business with Cuba, etc.)

They tried to create a big fandango, even put up a webpage where
Gutierrez was supposed to answer "questions" after the Bush speech.
They invited the press to a special briefing (see below) an hour before
the web forum. 

The CubanNation has put together some links on the press coverage
as well. They are below.  No one's hair got set on fire over all this
juvenile nonsense, and press response was much more muted (to put it
mildly) than whenever Fidel has anything to say about anything.

We'll probably be hearing from the Cuban press tomorrow; they aren't
rushing to respond. The world is yawning. The real reaction will come
on October 30th at the UN when Cuba's annual resolution condemning the
nearly 50-year US blockade comes up for an international vote at the
UN.  

More coverage later, including Bush's pathetic remarks, etc. For now,
here's the hoop-de-hah that Miserable Failure Bush once again failed
to achieve:

The CubanNation 4:44 - Oct 24, 2007
http://www.thecubannation.com

en Espanol: http://www.lanacioncubana.com

NEWS ALERT

Special Briefing following President Bush's remarks on Cuba Policy with
Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez and Assistant Secretary of Western
Hemisphere Affairs Shannon

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez, Co-Chair, Commission
for Assistance to a Free Cuba, and Assistant Secretary of State for
Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas A. Shannon will brief the press on
Cuba policy in the Department of State's Press Briefing Room (Room
2209) on Wednesday, October 24, at 2:30 p.m. This briefing will be on
the record and on camera.

Media representatives may attend this briefing upon presentation of
one of the following: (1) a U.S. Government-issued identification card
(Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or
Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or
(3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their
employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo
identification (driver's license or passport).            

Press Contact:

U.S. Department of State
Office of Press Relations
(202) 647-2492

                              *** 

Headlines:

International Herald Tribune, France
Bush to warn Cuba on plan for transition
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/24/america/24cuba.php

AFP, France
Bush to seek global fund for Cuba democracy
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071024/ts_afp/uscubapoliticsbush_071024053550 

Washington Post, DC
Bush to Announce Steps to Pressure Cuba Toward Democracy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/23/AR2007102302146.html 

Fox News, NY
President Bush to pursue international aid for post-Castro Cuba
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,304624,00.html