At Along the Malecon, some speculation about Governor Richardson’s trip to Cuba, now in its third day, promoting farm sales and cultural exchange.
His five-day schedule leaves plenty of time left over for other matters after he has negotiated Cuban concerts in Santa Fe and sales of his state’s cattle and chili peppers to Cuba.
My hunch is that it doesn’t matter whether Richardson talked to the Obama Administration in advance or received an assignment from it. He knows the issue well enough that he will have useful things to say to Cuban officials there, and useful impressions to relate to the Administration when he returns.
Richardson did speak to Cuban American leaders in Miami on his way, Rui Ferreira reports.
[AP photo]
It will be interesting to see if Gov.Richardson gets a last minute meeting with Fidel Castro or Raul Castro. If that's the case, the Cuban government shows that it is intrigued by the Obama administration but not ready to negotiatte seriously. If, on the other hand, Gov.Richardson gets the call today to meet with Pres. Raul Castro either today or tomorrow AM then it's time to set the table because some serious cooking is going on!
ReplyDeleteRed or green?
Vecino de NF
publicity hound
ReplyDeleteHere's a sure-fire way for him to lose that spare tire: give him a libreta.
ReplyDeletechingon
richardson' position on cuba is well known and documented. the fact he's there sends signals up to the white house.
ReplyDeletespeculation and insults just show how worried the right wing nuts are becoming.
Anonymous August 26, 2009 5:06 PM,
ReplyDeleteIs the term "right wing nuts" a term of endearment or an insult?
I suspect that the only ones that are really worried are those that for many years have used anti-yanqui rhetoric and now they must come to accept both yanqui presence and business in Cuba.
Vecino de NF
Richardson wants to sell CHILE PEPPERS in Cuba? I hope he is still not in Havana when the first Cuban in history bites down on one of those chile peppers. (Actually, I like them a lot, and the bland food of the Cubans is one of the least intriguing aspects of the island.)
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the famous story told about Sargent Shriver during his vice presidential run. According to legend, Shriver was campaigning in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood when lunchtime arrived, so he went into a kosher deli and asked for a ham sandwich and a glass of milk!
Anonymous August 26, 2009 5:06 PM,
ReplyDeleteIs Tracey Eaton a "right wing nut"? Phil Peters? Anya Landau French? Armengol? Rui Ferreira? They are all speculating and giving their informed opionions about Gov.Richardson's visit to Cuba.
Red or green?
Vecino de NF
yes, that's right, anon, Richardson's presence in Cuba has us quaking in our flipflops. It just makes such perfect political sense that the Obama Administration would farm its Cuba policy out to a former rival and well-known glory-hound that we can expect the embargo to be lifted by the end of the week.
ReplyDeletechingon