Fidel Castro Endorses Barack Obama

Fidel Castro was in quite a quandary. How to endorse Obama while at the same time not endorsing him? How to place himself historically on side of his redeemer while neutralizing the effects of his own endorsement, which can only be toxic to Obama? This, clearly, is one of those cases when prudence should trump all else and silence be more eloquent than words. But that, of course, is not Fidel's way. His reduced capacities have reinforced not diminished his personality. The vanquisher of free speech who denied all Cubans their say must always have his; the enemy of democracy who buried the ballot boxes in Cuba knows everything there is to know about the electoral process (elsewhere); the negrophobe who introduced divisions which had never before existed among Cubans knows what is required to achieve racial harmony in the U.S.; the despoiler who has never done anything but harm his country in every conceivable way knows what is in every other country's best interests.

It was inevitable, therefore, that Fidel would put in his two convertible centavos into the U.S. presidential race. The first thing he said in his latest "Reflection" in Granma is that Obama is guiltless of his country's original sin: "I feel no resentment towards [Obama] personally because he is not responsible for the crimes perpetrated [by the U.S.] against Cuba and humanity." He admits that were he to defend Obama "he would do his adversaries [Castro's and/or Obama's] an enormous favor" and prefers instead to "criticize him." You will find little or no direct criticism of Obama in Fidel's assessment of his speech to the Cuban-American National Foundation. Everybody else is criticized, however. Más Canosa is accused posthumously of trying to assassinate him, as is CANF's current director José ("Pepe") Hernández. Bill Clinton is reminded that he did not fulfill his commitment to Castro to lift the "blockade" (so that was the carrot used to implement the "Wet Foot/Dry Foot" policy). Fidel even accuses the Más Canosa clan of betraying Clinton (he means Gore) by rigging the election in Florida for Bush in exchange for his promise to -- you gussed it -- assassinate Castro. Wow, it would seem that all American politics revolves around the question of assassinating him. I wonder if he has a taster to sample his IV drip?

Fidel is considerably more understanding of Obama's positions. In a speech which did not mention Fidel by name, he finds much that is commendable, even "magnificent definitions" and "beautiful phrases" informed by Obama's "acute intelligence" and displaying his "polemical gifts" and "spirit of hard work." Then, almost reflexively, he breaks the promise that he made to himself at the start of his Reflection and unequivocably endorses Obama: "[T]his man is doubtless, from a social and human perspective, the most progressive candidate for the presidency of the U.S."

Most U.S. media outlets are refusing to report Fidel's endorsement as an endorsement. Some are labelling it criticism and others even an attack on him. Just as Fidel refused to lay the blame for America's "crimes" on Obama, the MSM declined to saddle him with Fidel's praises. Has any man ever in the history of U.S. presidential politics been coddled more or protected more from himself and his friends than Barack Obama? Castro may have sensed this kindred feeling and decided that he could depend on their good offices to muddle what he said sufficiently to pass muster with the American public.

In any case his endorsement and the endorsement by proxy of Raúl will anoint Obama as Castro's organic heir in circles that have little enthusiasm for the clownish Hugo except as a moneybag while inspiring nothing more than amusement in most Americans who have yet to make the connection between Fidel and Obama because the MSM is intent that they should not know.

[In Part Two we will reveal the secret "Message to Fidel" contained in Obama's speech to CANF which Castro's "Reflection" indicates he immediately grasped and which was the occasion of his public endorsement of Obama].