So much for Washington Post staff writer Manuel Roig-Franzia waxing poetic about the tech-savvy younger generation of Communists in Cuba. "Party Elders Triumph in Cuba," as Raul Castro has been formally named the new dictator, a February 25 Post headline informs readers. Party elders?! That's language suitable for a story about the role of superdelegates in the presidential nomination process for the Democratic Party, not when describing window-dressing "elections" in one-party Communist dictatorships.
Roig-Franzia opened his article with a lament that a "younger generation" of Communists has been "bypassed" by the Geritol crowd:
HAVANA, Feb. 24 -- Cuba's revolutionary old guard consolidated its hold on power Sunday when the National Assembly bypassed a younger generation of politicians and named Fidel Castro's brother, Raúl, president and a hard-line communist first vice president.
The unanimous decision dealt a blow to Cubans who had hoped Sunday would mark a dramatic change of direction for the island nation ruled for nearly five decades by Fidel Castro, 81, who announced Tuesday that he was stepping down after a long illness.
Later in his article, Roig-Franzia noted that Castro's formalized accession to power should not surprise anyone, but even here the Post reporter sought to maintain detached neutrality by chalking up complaints about the fettered and unfair selection to what "critics say":
There was little doubt that Raúl Castro, Fidel's handpicked successor, would be named president by a National Assembly that critics say has served only to rubber-stamp the brothers' decisions. Assembly members interviewed during breaks said they were free to vote for whomever they pleased, but some said Raúl was the only candidate on the ballot.
As NewsBusters has documented, Roig-Franzia has a history of treadly softly and even praising some elements of Castro's regime. You can read more about that here:
- Post Reporter Puffs 'New Generation' of 'Tech-Savvy' Cuban Communists
- WaPo Writer Waxes Poetic for Castro Regime Control Mechanism
- WashPost Gets Raul All Wrong with Lil' Bro Castro Sounding 'Capitalist Notes' In Speech
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
Oxymoron, anyone?
February 25, 2008 - 11:43 ET by Tim GrahamIsn't "revolutionary old guard" a bit oxymoronic?
Raul Castro has a problem
February 25, 2008 - 12:04 ET by Lame CherryFidel Castro was put into power as a "traffic" cop for dope, money and forgery by the world cartel as the Cuban Italian mafia was not very effective nor were they sharing the gain.
For this reason, he was kept in power to the effect of a pledge by Kennedy of no more invasions and all the assassination plots were told to Castro so they failed.
Raul though is a Cuban of a different sort. The cartel now looks at Cuba, sure it has billions in money laundering but that does not compare to the trillions in developement which that fair island now has ripe for the picking.
There is a reason Papa Hemmingway extolled the virtues of Cuba.......it is indeed a paradise and has always been the greatest trade center outside America. It is a vacation and economic boom land just waiting to be had.
With Castro being forced out.........yes people Fidel has been forced out of power by the same people who put Chavez into power to fleece Venezuela........this is a signal that Raul had better lead his nation into the melting pot of rapine or there will be indeed a revolution or invasion where his head comes off.
Now do not get your investment accounts liquid to buy up tracts of Cuban land as this is not for real people.......it is for George Soros and his Warren Buffet nation rapist crowd. They will move in and drill oil, build developments worth trillions and build villas worthy of the Caesars.
Raul has signaled the handwriting on the wall. Cuba will become a Chicom vista of elites making billions while poor people are made into slave labor.
I hope that in the shift that Andy Garcia is elected President of Cuba and as the dust settles we can then go bass fishing in Papa Hemmingway's lake like the good olde days.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
That's language suitable
February 25, 2008 - 12:22 ET by dscottThat's language suitable for a story about the role of superdelegates in the presidential nomination process for the Democratic Party, not when describing window-dressing "elections" in one-party Communist dictatorships.
Yes an interesting irony considering Democrats call their political party the "Democratic" party as though they were for the people (majority) making the choices, when in fact they practice the rule of the elites, the few making the choices. The superdelegates being just one of those examples, the other being rule by judicial fiat over riding the decisions of the people's representatives (consent of the governed), the legislature. The superdelegates do not represent interests of the people voting in the primaries, they respresent the Party itself as though the Party has it's own set of interests apart from the people who are members.
The Republican Party doesn't have superdelegates, I wonder why that is????? I guess we are not as sophisticated as the Democrats.
Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008 Long Live the Empire! Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.
"bypassed". Is that hip new
February 25, 2008 - 12:38 ET by DaBird"bypassed". Is that hip new lingo for "oppressed"?
Change! They need Change!
February 25, 2008 - 13:05 ET by Chris NormanChange! They need Change! Becuase Change! is good...
And Hope, too. Hope for Change, er...I mean, Hope for someth..
February 25, 2008 - 17:27 ET by R D HelmMaybe we could just send them "the messiah." That would leave us with Hillary and Ralph.
Proud member of the "Rough Republican Attack Machine."
→ Helm
February 25, 2008 - 17:32 ET by Cool ArrowMy dog has a urinary tract infection. If you could just send Obama to breathe on him, surely he would be healed.
♣ a seal
Cool,
February 25, 2008 - 17:48 ET by R D HelmLOL-I'll send him right over, once I have the opportunity to bask in his glow. I mean, that should take care of that annoying boil on my behind, should't it?
Hmm....maybe if I faint first....or just lay hands on the TV screen while he is on...or...
Proud member of the "Rough Republican Attack Machine."
Roig-Franzia is not a journalist-he's a tool
February 25, 2008 - 13:19 ET by ironchefofmunchies"Assembly members interviewed during breaks said they were free to vote for whomever they pleased, but some said Raúl was the only candidate on the ballot."
Reminds me of an old Henry Ford quote "you can a buy a Model T in any color you want-as long as it's black".
What did the other assembly members say I wonder? A REAL journalist may have asked a follow up question or two, but then Roig-Franzia isn't much of a journalist.
He's just a good "party man". The Communist party.
Correction
February 25, 2008 - 13:23 ET by Mica the MagnificentThere were two men on the Cuban ballot - Raoul and Castro's brother.
Loaded ballot
February 25, 2008 - 16:05 ET by CobraManDon't forget the two other candidates: Death and Imprisonment.