Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The "First African-American President" and the "First Cuban-American President"

Val Prieto offers one advantage that Polly the Parrot doesn't. You can feed him lines without having to feed him crackers. That's what Daniel W. Fisk, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, did during his "nearly two-hour meeting" with Val Prieto. Things must have been pretty slow at the White House during Christmas for Mr. Fisk to be able to entertain, or, rather, be entertained by Val for two hours. Although, of course, Mr. Fisk was never very busy since his work chiefly consisted of looking the other way as Communism established beachhead after beachhead in South America and overseeing a smooth transition in the Castro dynasty.

It was Mr. Fisk who casually confided to Val that "many people in his administration refer to President Bush as the first Cuban-American President." Of course it clicked with Val. It was what he always thought but never could quite articulate. Now he could articulate it, and doubtless the first one he articulated it too was Bush himself during their meeeting at Blogger's Summit. Here I thought he had simply rushed him while crying "My Hero!" Bush was probably quite emotional when he heard from Val's lips that he was "the first Cuban-American president." Also, I am sure that Val's were the first lips to utter it since the "genial idea" had first insinuated itself into Mr. Fisk's carefree mind.

George W. Bush was the first Cuban-American president in the same sense as Bill Clinton was the first African-American president, which is to say — not. No greater insult was ever preferred to black Americans by one of their own, or so readily embraced and popularized by the media. Everyone was too polite to spell out what was meant by that comparison yet no one failed to grasp it. It was no coincidence that it was made at the height of the fallout over Bill's sexual indiscretions at the White House. The subtext was that Clinton viewed sex as an animal instinct, primal and irrepressible, and could exert absolutely no self-control when in a state of arousal, which was most of the time.

It was that animal instinct, supposedly, which he had in common with men of color. The worst sexual stereotype ever attributed to African-American men was used to justify satyric behavior that was never the exclusive domain of any race. Clinton himself never repudiated the comparison for fear of offending those who should have been offended by it but who would have been even more offended if he had disclaimed the supposed compliment which others (and perhaps even Clinton himself) saw in this equation.

Like no other president before him, Clinton knew how to use and abuse the confidence of African-Americans. He was solicitous of blacks because he needed their support to fulfill his personal ambitions but had no qualms about betraying them in order to advance his own interests.

Bill Clinton was personally responsible for plunging more blacks into poverty than any other president before him when he cut off the rations at the government plantation into which the Democrats had corralled many of them in the previous 60 years, not because he believed that welfare reform would work but despite the fact that he did not. He was more than willing to increase their misery (and did) in order to purchase 4 more years in the White House from those who regarded Welfare as the "Black Problem" and Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America" as the Final Solution to it, or as final as they could make it in a post-Civil-Rights-Bill world. Of course, it was never welfare for the poor that was the problem, but welfare for corporations. That is now abundantly clear since President Bush requested and Congress voted more money for bankrupt U.S. corporations than has ever been doled out to poor Americans in the entire history of this country.

George Bush, for the reasons stated in a previous post, betrayed the trust of Cuban-Americans more completely than did any other U.S. president with the inevitable exception of John F. Kennedy. But JFK never owed Cuban-Americans what George W. Bush did. That is, Cubans didn't make JFK president. George Bush has acknowledged on several occasions that Cuban-Americans were his kingmakers, and though that is open to question, it has become one of those standard political verities that no one challenges. Besides, it is enough that Bush believes it. No benefits, however, accrued to the Cuban people from that obligation, nor, with the exception of a few political sinecures and several million dollars for a permanent panel on democratic transition in Cuba which Bush did everything in his power to thwart because, apparently, only the continued rule of the Castros would guarantee "stability" on the island, Cuban-Americans as a group did not benefit either from Bush's patronage.

That Bush suckered Cuban-Americans as Clinton did African-Americans; that he promised them more than he could deliver and ultimately delivered nothing; and that, in the end, he got away with it — there can be no question. Moreover, it is unlikely that Cuban-Americans will ever see through Bush as blacks eventually saw through Clinton when he challenged Obama for their votes. Conning Val Prieto was not difficult: "[s]ay what you will about the man [i.e. that Bush was a lousy president], ... his convictions vis-a-vis Cuba have always been crystal clear." A lot clearer, apparently, than his actions.

What is a conviction which is not acted upon?

A broken promise.

33 comments:

Fantomas said...

Manuel is fidel dead or alive?

What is your take

Ignoring Fantomas may be perjudicial para tu salud

Rick said...

"Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas."

But of course this wouldn't lend itself to your racist stereotype.

Rant all you want about babalu's transgressions against the Cuban people, Manuel. But as long as you consider a terrorist who murdered innocent Cubans [your own countrymen!] "a patriot," you are not one iota better than they are.

And don't even waste one breath saying that Posada was never convicted of anything because the fact is if he didn't do it he would be nothing more than one more over-the-hill hardliner living in Little Havana or wherever the hell he cowers these days. Instead he paints pictures that silver-haired militants fawn over and gaze upon as if they're in the Louvre.

Five days, Manuel. You have five days to convince me that you are different than those asshats over at babalu.

You can't do it. You're too much like them.

.

Anonymous said...

* Five days, Manuel. *



LOL,

Fantomas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Fantomas if you come to Nostalgia , you will not come out alive boy

Anonymous said...

Fantomas pitchea
Que Manuel no batea

Fantomas seguro
A Manuel dale duro

Pa lo que sea Fantomas pa lo que sea

Pioneros por el Fantomismo
seremos como el

Y un Fantomas que vibra en las montañas
Un coqui, 5 cabillas y una escopeta

Anonymous said...

The "First African-American President" and the "First Cuban-American President"

The " First Cuban American Blogger who quits in the heat of battle"

Anonymous said...

Take it easy man. Your hard work is paying dividends now. Time to collect

Anonymous said...

Charlie Bravo just told me that Fidel's funeral will be held in Santiago de Cuba, at el Moncada, probably by the end of January (28 Jan.?) Palestino en JEFE back to
Palestina!

Fantomas said...

Bueno yo siempre lo he dicho
Santiago de Cuba donde todo comenzo y donde todo termina

y mira que lo he dicho como 10 veces por lo menos en estos 2 ultimos años y se reian

Fantomas said...

Charlie Bravo dice que a fidel lo entierran el 28, mi prediccion es que sera este fin de semana 2-3 dias antes de que Manuel cierre. Le quieren aguar la fiesta del cierre a Manuel

Anonymous said...

You reap what you sow, tellechea's (there's no we in I) blog has been an affront to all Cuban-American bloggers from its onset, before the first thread was even conceived, the name of this blog was indicative of the superiority complex of its one (no we in I) author, a selfappointed master and inquisitor of the C-A blogosphere and all things Cuban, even at this final stage in its existance its unelected king refuses to be wise enough to at the very least display a semblance of humility, quite the contrary, when even the now infamous Fantomas is capable of writing a powerful comment that is without a doubt his shining moment, it is then easy to say, tellechea is reaping that which he has sown.

Anonymous said...

when even the now infamous Fantomas is capable of writing a powerful comment that is without a doubt his shining moment

why infamous?

Anonymous said...

Fantomas,
You are lucky to be alive today

Anonymous said...

a Vana

que es una libreta dear?

de cual solar es usted?

cual es su edad señora?

Anonymous said...

Mansuelo recuerda abrirle su capitulo a Vana aqui, eso esta esperado por miles de cubanos, no te preicupes que yo te la cuido y no la dejare cagarse fuera del cajon muchas veces.

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOki6RCPK84

Fantomas said...

Bueno Manuel te han vuelto a sonar duro ahora Rick una vez mas

Parece que tu despedida de la blogosfera Cubana Americana va a ser una muy tumultosa

Has decidido ignorarme todos estos dias cuando muy bien sabes que este blog ha crecido vertiginosamente debido a mis frecuentes visitas

Una legion de seguidores mios , secuaces, intelectuales, profesionales han debatido su punto de vista aqui

Es una pena que te hayas dedicado solamente a darle el review a un blog en particular

Esa accion tuya desde el mismo primer dia te acaba de destruir
No puedes asegurarnos que tu promesa de cerrar este Blog fue conducente a la gran victoria de Obama

Este blog estaba destinado a morir el mismo dia que lo abristes

Yo se que volvere a encontrarme contigo en algun otro lugar. No te preocupes por debatir conmigo

Me he dado cuenta que me consideras un ser inferior
Pero esta bien Fantomas tiene un corazon de hierro.

Cosas como esa me fortalecen y me ayudan a perseverar en esta lucha titanica contra el castrismo

A los envidiosos, aduladores, lenguilargos, comunistas que tratan de usar frases soeces hacia mi persona, mi familia y mis convicciones politicas

Pära ustedes les digo que Fantomas viene con una cabilla mayor en este 2009. Engrasada , afilada y muy pesada. Una cabilla lista para acabar con la dictadura castrista

En el 2009 con Fantomas y con Obama
no hay que buscar mas nada

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

rick:

I don't need to convince you of anything although I believe that I may have taught you a thing or two about the Babalunians along the way. You surprised me when you were able to break their code about the latest rumor of Fidel's death. A few more successes and you may qualify to be called a cubanologist.

You did make me laugh — unintentionally, of course — with those "tropes of blackness." You obviously credit them while I reject the sexual innuendos.

As for Posada, he has fought Castro in a hundred places for nearly 50 years, and mostly under the American flag. I believe that he has never done anything dishonorable and suffered much on our country's behalf. That's what makes him a hero.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

P.S.: The Babalunians, with the exception of Ziva, have never defended Posada.

Anonymous said...

Manuel talk to Fantomas

Anonymous said...

Manuela Tellecheo

Unprecedented inaugural celebrations for President-elect Barack Obama by gay activist groups, social organizations and ordinary citizens suggests many view Obama's election as a signal of a forthcoming sea change for the gay rights movement in America.

The Rev. Gene Robinson, a gay Episcopal bishop, will say a prayer at an inaugural event at the Lincoln Monument on Sunday; a gay and lesbian marching band will take its place in the official presidential parade; and a slew of gay parties and inaugural balls will be held in the nation's capital before and after Obama takes the oath of office.

But the gay-themed events have some conservative critics expressing concerns that while the celebration may be gay-friendly, it won't be family-friendly.

Jennifer Giroux, founder and president of Women Influencing the Nation, a group that focuses on restoring traditional family values, said, “I think (the) inauguration should be kept away from that. Christians may love the individual, but they are offended by the gay lifestyle. It’s unhealthy — spiritually, emotionally and physically.

"It’s not a day where a group that feels like it has some payback coming should be putting its decadent lifestyle on display.”

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, an organization that describes itself as "devoted exclusively to exposing and countering the homosexual activist agenda," is worried less about what happens in public and more about what may go on behind closed doors.

“I think most Americans would be put off if they knew what went on at these parties," LaBarbera said. "Every special interest group has a ball of some sort, but this is not just any special interest group. More than half the country considers their behavior immoral.”

But the organizers of next week's gay events are not overly concerned with whatever negative responses their groups incur.

"We hope any protesters along the route, for whatever issue, would challenge themselves to rise above their personal concerns and help celebrate this new era for America," says Robb Blackwell, vice president of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association, which will participate in the inauguration parade.

"Our participation in the parade is a positive action; any negative reactions are entirely beyond our control as an organization. At least we know they'll be entertained by our dazzling musicianship."

Likewise, Kirsten Burgard, of The People's Inaugural "Gayla," which will be held at the Historical Society of Washington D.C., says her group is not expecting any backlash. "As a matter of fact, one of our musical acts is a Christian inspirational hip-hop group," she said.

Though Obama has said very little about gay issues and has said he does not support gay marriage, there is overwhelming optimism among gays that his presidency will reverse what many of them consider the intolerance of a Republican administration.

"We're looking for an uplift in attitude," says Bill Capello, general manager of the DC Eagle, a gay bar located a block away from the convention center where several events will take place.

"It already seems to be more upbeat, friendlier. We believe Obama will be a friend to gay America. We don't see him vetoing any measures that come across his desk. He may not be on the fringe of gay activism, but we expect him to be an ally."

Said Blackwell: "I believe LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Americans, like all Americans, are looking forward to a president who will bring positive change to this country. That's why we've chosen ‘Brand New Day’ as one of the pieces we'll be playing in the Inaugural Parade, to reinforce our view that this inauguration is ushering in an entirely new era for all Americans."

But not everyone shares their enthusiasm. LaBarbera’s group hopes to disrupt the Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend, held annually on Martin Luther King weekend for men with an interest in motorcycles and leather, by releasing details about the group’s plans.

"They keep their hotel location top-secret because they don’t want conservatives to find out. But we know it, and we’re going to try to get it stopped," he said. "This is the most vile event, and it’s being held at a swanky hotel where conferences regularly occur. Groups coming in after MAL won’t know what went on there before they got there.”

Other groups that oppose the gay rights movement said they do not plan to use the inauguration as a chance to demonstrate, and that they hope the week’s festivities go smoothly.

"I hope that everyone at the inauguration — on both sides — has manners and shows respect. Isn’t that what we’re taught to do?” Christian Coalition president Roberta Combs said.

The Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said, "The Christian community embraces the idea of openness and tolerance, and believes that all should be welcome at the inauguration."

But there is some lingering resentment toward the gay community for its reaction to the passing of Proposition 8 in California, when demonstrators protested outside some houses of worship. "We would never choose the route of bigotry or hatred," Mahoney said, "as the gay community did when they lost Prop 8, by defacing and vandalizing churches and places of worship, and attacked people of faith because they did not share their beliefs.

"For all their cries of inclusion and openness, there are few groups out there more intolerant and hateful than the gay community."

James T. Harris, a Christian conservative radio host who famously told John McCain to “go after” Barack Obama at a rally in Wisconsin, said he thinks the inauguration will provide a chance for conservatives to showcase their tolerance.

“The gayer inauguration, the better," Harris said. "I hope that all of San Francisco turns out, and turns the inauguration into a gay pride festival. Then liberals can see how open and tolerant conservatives are.

"Let America see liberalism in all of its self-absorbed lunacy. Then maybe America will only have to tolerate four years of the madness.”

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

fantomas:

If you cannot exert some measure of self-control in the waning days of RCAB, I shall be obliged to do so for you. The Madhouse Annex has been reopened for the last time. I do not have the time or patience to treat you but will isolate all manifestations of blatant insanity there and restore some semblance of order and decorum to these proceedings.

Moreover, if you continue your shenanigans, I will not leave an open thread after January 20th where you and your sundry personalities can continue to nest with the buzzards.

Rick said...

I believe that he has never done anything dishonorable and suffered much on our country's behalf. That's what makes him a hero.

I'll give you this much, Manuel. While Prieto and his Boyz minimize the lives of millions of Cubans to nothing more than political fodder, you do the same with only 24.

That's mighty "Cuban" of you.

.

Anonymous said...

Manuel= Batistiano sin Blog

Fantomas said...

His relaxed and reassuring - even beatific - smile is omnipresent.
--------------
Mansuelo acepta aprender de Fantomas es sensato es inteligente, siempre te lo dije " the smile", the "smile" was the key . No hay ninguna necesidad de abrir el Madhouse, no lo hagas

By Rick Santorum

I have been to New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington in recent weeks. In those cities, at least, you cannot watch the news, pass street vendors selling T-shirts, or browse magazine racks at the grocery store and not feel good about our next president, his family, and our nation's future.
There is an air of something big, something grand, something electric about to explode upon us. Barack Obama's visage is everywhere. His relaxed and reassuring - even beatific - smile is omnipresent. So are his irrepressibly cute girls and their together mom.

It seems less like a run-up to an inauguration than like a publicity campaign for the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Instead of on billboards, bus sides, and TV and Web ads, the Obama: The Movie glitz comes to us in news reports, magazines, daily papers, and network news shows. It's all part of what certainly will be the longest, most hyped media promotion of an agenda in history.

But that's not the end of it. Combine it with Democrats' beefy congressional majorities, which can pass whatever the new president proposes, and a nation looking to Washington to ease its economic woes, and Obama seems poised to take Washington as the Allies took Paris.

But a close look at Capitol Hill makes plain that Team Obama has put the Staples "Easy" button in the drawer. In this climate, it would be easy to leave Republicans out of the debate and still pass a whopping stimulus package. But, as the media have repeatedly noted, Obama the statesman has offered the olive branch to his impotent potential adversaries.

How noble of the president-elect? No, how politically smart.

Obama was a candidate of scant accomplishment but grand promise. Promise won, but promising to be a unifying, transformational force creates high expectations. Rolling Republicans right away would shatter that Hollywood story line.

Obama also faces the reality of needing at least one Republican senator to join him to break filibusters. Many speculate that three moderate Republicans will provide the necessary Senate votes and the imprimatur of bipartisanship.

Still, Obama and the GOP moderates will not produce the kind of post-partisan harmony that Obama promised and the public now expects.

But I believe Obama has an ace in the hole among Senate Republicans. This unlikely ace can deliver not only the GOP moderates needed to break a filibuster, but also the stamp of bipartisanship: the 2008 GOP standard bearer, John McCain.

McCain was once the mainstream media darling, back when he joined Democrats on a host of issues. He prized his maverick moniker and used it to propel himself onto the national scene in the 2000 Republican presidential primary. Early in the Bush years, he shored up his status as the media's favorite Republican by opposing Bush on taxes and the environment.

But this love fest came to a halt when McCain became the front-runner for the GOP nomination. First he began to sound more like a conservative by altering his stands on immigration, the environment and taxes. Then he named Sarah Palin his running mate. It was too much for a media that had fallen head over heels for Obama. The media had a new darling.

In McCain's mind, however, losing the presidency will not be the final chapter of his life story. He knows the path to "Big Media" redemption. Working with the man who vanquished him in November will show them all the real McCain again.

Remember, it was this onetime prisoner of war who led the charge to open diplomatic relations with Vietnam. If that past is prologue, and McCain's legislative record is any guide, he will not just join with Obama but lead the charge in Congress on global warming, immigration "reform," the closing of Guantanamo, federal funding for embryonic-stem-cell research, and importation of prescription drugs.

But McCain won't stop there in his effort to rehabilitate himself in the media's - or maybe his own - eyes. He will forge common ground on a long list of initiatives that go far beyond where he has gone before, including the stimulus package.

Alas, the two White House rivals now stand positioned to help secure each other's place in history. The next mainstream media blockbuster could be Barack Obama and John McCain: The Movie.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail Rick Santorum at rsantorum@phillynews.com.

Anonymous said...

BREAKING NEWS




Val has gone mad, mad , mad, mad , mad , mad, mad, mad

So, how's that Obama vote working out for ya so far?
Because it's all about he chaaannnge. We need the chaaannnge. Can you feel the chaaannnge? Chaaaange. Chaaaannnnnge. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change.


Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change.Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Change. Chaaaaaaannnnnnggggge.

Posted by Val Prieto at 11:01 AM | Permanent Link to this Post | Habla (0)

Anonymous said...

FANTOMAS SE HA QUITADO LA CARETA EN SU BLOG

AHORA DICE QUE

HE NEEDS COMMENTS

Anonymous said...

thanks .. for share with us ,, thanks ,,


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