Snow Thumps Mitchell Claim U.S. to Blame for Cuba's Woes: 'Socialism 0-for-History'

With baseball season underway, Tony Snow today used a metaphor from America's pastime to knock out of the park NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell's allegation that the U.S. is to blame for Cuba's economic woes.

As I noted here earlier today, Mitchell reported on MSNBC from Havana on the occasion of Cuba's May Day celebrations. Describing conditions in Cuba, as the country transitions from Fidel Castro to brother Raul, Mitchell claimed:

There have been no major problems, other than the continuing economic difficulties that of course this country faces because of the U.S. embargo, the economic embargo.

This NewsBuster participated in a conference call today with White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. Asked by me to comment on the Mitchell claim, Snow, flashing midseason form, observed:

As for the economic straits of the people in Cuba, there's an unbroken record of eocnomic failure in socialist states. Certainly the economic approach of the United States has not helped the economy of the Cubans, but on the other hand, this has been an economy that now for 47, 48 years has in fact been a basket case.

It's a direct result of policies that suppress people's natural freedoms, and their abilities to generate wealth and also to enjoy the incentives to build fresh wealth and opportunity on their own. So, again, look around the world, and socialism is 0-for-history when it comes to producing widespread, profound prosperity.

Back, back, back, back . . . gone!

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net