It may well be that a growing share of the American public favor expanding interaction with Cuba, but in reporting President Barack Obama's decision to allow Cuban-Americans unlimited travel and money transfers to the island, ABC's Jeffrey Kofman and NBC's Andrea Mitchell characterized opponents in a belittling manner -- while Mitchell also advanced complaints Obama did no go far enough. “With today's announcement,” Kofman asserted on ABC's World News, “President Obama is making it clear he is not going to do business as usual.” Kofman then declared: “It is now only the very hard line who want the policy to stay as it is.”
Mitchell, on the NBC Nightly News, acknowledged “some Cuban-Americans...still argue that the Obama White House is only helping Raul Castro and his ailing brother Fidel,” but she dismissed those opponents as “a dwindling number.” She emphasized the view Obama came up short: “President Obama did not propose a far more sweeping step, getting Congress to lift the trade embargo that has lasted for half a century, disappointing opponents of the policy.” Mitchell concluded by adopting that complaint as her own: “For the past year, European countries and the Vatican have been getting Cuba to release political prisoners, but the Obama administration still refuses to negotiate directly with Havana.”
As for where Americans stand, while 64 percent favor a change in policy toward Cuba to allow more travel, fully a third, 34 percent, oppose changing the policy, according to an April 3-5 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll posted by The Polling Report. The question:
Do you think the U.S. government should continue its policy that prevents nearly all U.S. citizens from traveling to Cuba, or do you think the U.S. government should change that policy and allow all U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba?
The conclusion to Kofman's story on the Monday, April 13 World News:
All of this is happening just days before President Obama attends a summit with Latin American leaders, many of whom including American's friends, have been critical of U.S.-Cuban policy. With today's announcement, President Obama is making it clear he is not going to do business as usual. It is now only the very hard line who want the policy to stay as it is.
From the end of Mitchell's NBC Nightly News piece:
ANDREA MITCHELL: President Obama did not propose a far more sweeping step, getting Congress to lift the trade embargo that has lasted for half a century, disappointing opponents of the policy.SARAH STEPHENS, CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS: It continues to isolate the United States. China, Russia, Venezuela, everyone else in the world is in Cuba and not the United States.
MITCHELL: And some Cuban-Americans, although a dwindling number, still argue that the Obama White House is only helping Raul Castro and his ailing brother Fidel.
CONGRESSMAN LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (R-FLORIDA): When you give him unilateral concessions you embolden him. So it's a major mistake.
MITCHELL: For the past year, European countries and the Vatican have been getting Cuba to release political prisoners, but the Obama administration still refuses to negotiate directly with Havana.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center




















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The next MSM game plan?
April 13, 2009 - 19:58 ET by SRPwrdChanging Cuban policy? I wonder who gets broadcast rights first?
"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just like Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism." - PreBO, 4/4/09
Andrea
April 13, 2009 - 21:10 ET by allanfbelieves in Cuban exceptionalism. I think she wants to be the first Washington socialite to hold a party for Fidel in 50 years.
Hardline what?
April 13, 2009 - 20:43 ET by GeronLDid the infoditz say what it was they were hardliners of??
In the words of Rush...as only he can do so well...
April 13, 2009 - 21:02 ET by bigtimerAndrea Mitchell...NBC News...
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
bt, you have to get it
April 13, 2009 - 21:13 ET by motherbeltbt, you have to get it right....it's
Annnn-drea Mitchell!
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
LOL mb... Thank you for
April 13, 2009 - 21:32 ET by bigtimerLOL mb...
Thank you for the much needed correction here...
Now if there was a way to make the sounds he does when he says it with the nasal voice he does...what fun that would be....
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
The deal was that if the
April 13, 2009 - 21:19 ET by RR GOPThe deal was that if the Castro regime allowed more freedom for the Cuban people, then restrictions would be lifted accordingly...more freedoms, fewer restrictions.
This does nothing but reward and legitimize the Castro brothers for decades of criminality against their own people.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
The Libs
April 13, 2009 - 22:34 ET by Jack Hermanwill probably continue the ban of Cuban cigars no matter what. Evil tobacco.
Obama...
April 14, 2009 - 04:21 ET by Army BratEmboldening tyrants since January 20th, 2009.
islam is a lie and Truth is killing it.
Perhaps there is a deal
April 14, 2009 - 05:57 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsPerhaps there is a deal afoot here. Obama opens up access to Cuba and, in return, Castro will take the Gitmo prisoners and re-educate them before freeing them.
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
translation please
April 14, 2009 - 06:39 ET by m1xramThat needs a liberal to english translation.
oh, those forgetful mummies
April 14, 2009 - 07:32 ET by SickofLibs“For the past year, European countries and the Vatican have been getting Cuba to release political prisoners..."
See, this is why reanimated mummies like Mitchellhotep-ra make lousy reporters: since they're thousands of years old, they forget relatively recent things...
...like 1980 when Castro "released" thousands of criminals, drug addicts and mentally retarded Cubans into the U.S. I don't think we want to repeat that.
When the media say; "a dwindling number of..."
April 14, 2009 - 07:40 ET by P. AaronWhat they really mean is: "...well, we called a few people, and after nobody picked up, we left messages on their voice mail".
A "dwindling number" also means;
April 14, 2009 - 07:42 ET by P. Aaron"Americans are not watching the MSM or reading their publications as much as they used to".
Relativity
April 14, 2009 - 08:02 ET by cvgbuckeyeThis Cuban relationship business would maybe not be that troubling to me if it was initiated by anybody but Chairman Obama. The fact that he is doing it is a little like Olbermann legalizing relationships with insane asylums.
After all, according to
April 14, 2009 - 08:07 ET by nadadhimmiAfter all, according to Newsweek: "We're all socialists now". The msm ignores thousands of teabag protesters and gives full coverage to 12 Code Pink protesters. Very fair huh? Actually, the Russian Czar also ignored protests in 1917, it just increases the anger and the determination to get the bastards out of office. The recent spate of family killings in response to economic hardship will very soon morph into killing judges and polititians as stressed people begin to punish the real perpetrators instead of innocent people. The gov't and media have absolutely NO idea what is happening because they are surrounded by sycophants and ass kissers. People are getting dangerously angry and I think the gov't will start political arrests soon. If everyone keeps their powder dry, our Constitution will pull us through this terrible time.
If THIS doesn't
April 14, 2009 - 08:42 ET by Massage_Master07convince the liberals and undecided voters that this administration is all for and about socialism and communism, I don't know what will.
American Guns in Cuba!
April 14, 2009 - 19:28 ET by CobraManIt won't be long until the MSM starts complaining about the number of American Guns making their way into Cuba. We all know that this will happen. Right after CBS or NBC does an expose about the Cuban drug trade, fueled by America's need for illicit drugs, just like they do for just about every country we have "normalized" relationships with. Look at Afghanistan for an example.
Be careful what you wish for, Liberals, for you just may get it.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
WHO ARE THE CUBANS?
April 18, 2009 - 01:07 ET by Charles H. GarridoHello! Mr. Baker, your column thanks.- 4/18/09.- Hope such Mitchell and must Liberals & Socialism including such paper Miami Herald not even a line from Date April 17/1961. That's OK!... we are not forgetting, BAY OF PIGS.- YES...Kennedy & McNamara " a perfect failure" But will our Cuban and few americans youth with Valor and Blood. Sooner our/yours souls, with soil by sweat we will back.'
Sorry to say today "some"Cubans Remember they needed to go to AMERICA free speech and work every day thanks for America....either went by Boat (Key West) or Airline, now third Country today even Migrants (wet back) via River Grande(Mexico) arrived -Thanks, we are Free! Thanks and Thanks again.! YES....know forgetting! "Ingratos" INGRATEFUL,Ignorance, Invidious & Cowards. Cubans to travel as a Cuban you are a Mediocre, Surrender an Hypocriscy,Fariseos, (Pharisees)- Roman Catholic thence prays "JUDAS ISCARIOT" American Cubans Citizen or Cubans itself... Antibacterial & Soap please washing your hands returning to USA you had BLOOD from yours//ours BROTHERS and "BITE YOUR HANDS".- During 1959 "CASTRO was the SAVIOR" (Bohemia).- From the radio "Lesnick CUBA YES- YANKEES NO" same words President Mr. Obama is the media demagogue the "Populace" Obama,s the SAVIOR". Today Cubans Socialism,Comunist, travel and bring into Business also new USD Dollars, is to be"Heresy" thats why the CHUSMA "POPULACE).-Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.- Thanks & Cooperation.- Charles H. Garrido.- Miami Fla .-