This is bold.

And this That's what John McCain did the other day. He joined the parade of politicians who make the same empty promises year after year, decade after decade."

will probably make McCain's head explode. "Empty promises" coupled with "year after year, decade after decade". Translation: McCain is old and offering nothing.

I guess we can expect a 39 page response from the McCain campaign this afternoon?

As Barack has said many times:

He tells people what they NEED to hear.

Not necessarily want they WANT to hear.

He should suggest that we parachute in Ipods & gameboys. This would do more to capture the hearts and minds of the Cuban youth and change the dynamics of Cuban - U. S. realations than any embargo adjustments or diplomatic initiatives.

Of course, lifting the embargo might put AR, LA, NE, IA, & KS in play, while shoring up MO, IA and other farm states. It probably wouldn't hurt in FL as much as CW suggests either.

Pandered to the Jews and now the Cubans.

How about counting their votes Obama?

This is what separates Obama from Hillary, McCain and the others. He is a leader, he doesn't run around and tell each group what they want to hear. He tells black church congregations that they need to stop being homophobic. He tells auto manufacturers in Detroit that they need to start making more fuel efficient cars. He tells Cuban Americans in Miami the truth, that we need to stop pandering and stop following the same ignorant positions and try something new, something that has a much better chance of helping everyone.

Every single day he confirms to me that I made the right choice in supporting him from the beginning.

Obama just said that Charlie Crist couldn't save McCain:

Q: During the past two years, Gov. Charlie Crist has distanced himself from President Bush and been one of the few bright spots in the country for the GOP. Will his support of McCain hurt your argument in Florida that McCain represents a third term for Bush?

A: There's no doubt that Gov. Crist is an effective communicator and popular governor. But ultimately the voters in Florida are going to make their decision based on the person at the top of the ticket. And John McCain's positions are almost identical to George Bush's on the big issues that people are really focused on.

His economic policies basically revolve around the continuation of the Bush tax cuts. His health care plan doesn't provide universal health care, but is almost identical to George Bush's tax breaks for people without any regulation on the insurance market or assurances that people can get coverage and afford coverage. His policies on Iraq are almost identical to George Bush's.

So I think people are going to be making their decisions based on what John McCain says and not what Gov. Crist says.

Link to interview is here: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/state/epaper/2008/05/23/0523barackobamainterview.html

The Wall Street Journal reports that Clinton met with members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee yesterday:

The Wall Street Journal reports that Clinton met with members of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee yesterday. As of now, it looks like she doesn't have enough support for her position (seating Michigan and Florida 100%), but the escalated rhetoric over the past week could force the issue:

Sen. Hillary Clinton was scheduled to meet with some members of the Democratic Party’s rules committee Thursday afternoon, a sign that she may be testing her argument that Michigan and Florida should get back all of their votes to the convention and that she deserves most of them.

The committee is scheduled to meet May 31 to debate proposals to seat the delegates, with most members talking about a compromise. Both states were stripped of the delegates by the party as penalty for holding early primaries.

link: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/05/22/clinton-meets-with-dnc-rules-committee-members/

Hillary seeks to rewrite the nominating rules, retroactively, to win at any cost.

Isn't that what George W. Bush has done for his two terms.

Do we really want another W. in a Pantsuit.

Well, Forsythe totally stole my Inigo Montoya quote thunder...

But although I live in California (thank God), I grew up in South Florida from 4yrs old to 30. What Obama did is the opposite of pandering. And for anyone who's not quite sure why (aka Gotalife):

Cuban American community activists are single issue voters. That issue: who can promise to talk less, sanction more, and generally be more of a pseudo bad-ass in relation to Cuba. In fact, this is a big objection of the non Cuban American activist community in the area: not that they are the power brokers, but that is the only issue on which they seem to focus.

Ironically, they are demanding ineffective sanctions against Cuba that do nothing but cause hardship for their former island. Of course, this is partially because the activist community is made up largely of the upper and middle classes that fled Cuba. So, they can often get assistance to their loved ones home under the table -- while the poor in the country take the full hit from the sanctions.

I too admire Obama, and his ongoing conduct and willingness to take on sacred cows if the need be, continually affirm my choice.

Bush's Cuba policy has placed stiff fines on people who simply want to visit family back in Cuba. I can't imagine that plays well for 2nd and 3rd generation Cuban-Americans. The Soviet threat is long gone, Fidel is not running the country. There's no reason to continue an outdated cold war style policy there. It's brilliant and consistent with his stump speech to go to Miami and offer a message of change with regard to our relationship to Cuba. I think it will make a difference.

Now Obama is set to rebut McCain's attacks in a speech to the Cuban American National Foundation, scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., in which he's going to offer a vigorous defense of his position and actually try to win them over.

Goddamn this is refreshing. Get in there and fight.

Obama is just getting started now ... available at cnn.com.

Standing ovation.

He's got them clapping for negotiations. Incredible.

How wonderful it is to have someone who pushes back just as hard.

Man, he's winning the folks over! They know leadership when they see it!

This audience seems to approve of what he's saying so far.

"Every moment is critical to the defense of freedom."

Yes. We. Can!

"Todos somos americanos"

This is why I have no doubt of his progressive cred. Time to tell the truth to those who don't want to hear it. That's the kind of president I want.

It's the traditional winning Obama style, understand the other side's position, respect them, and then tell them why you disagree. So in response to newfapalooza he'd never actually say that someone else's "way had been garbage." That would be counter-productive and against his entire style even if that's what it ends up meaning.