Subject: [big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain's Cuban Independence Day Remarks in Miami, FL
From: "Cammie Croft" <[email-masked]>
To: "big campaign" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 13:55:32 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Hello Big Campaign,

Just off the phone with our tracker Jacob who made it into today's event.
Below are the notes from our call.

*BIG HIGHLIGHTS: *McCain attacks Obama on his policy toward Cuba, McCain
attacks Obama and Clinton on free trade with Columbia; McCain answers
questions about Guantanamo, Haiti, Iran, the Economy; in response to a
question about Chavez, McCain says "I think that that doesn't mean that we
go around invading countries, it doesn't mean we use force of arms."

*Miami, FL: McCain's Cuban Independence Day Remarks*

*Background Details:
*- For an event that was billed as public with no RSVP information, our
tracker was surprised to find that at first only those with tickets were
gaining entry into the event.  Eventually, those without tickets were
allowed in (as was our tracker).  After some asking around, our tracker
learned that tickets were previously handed out to local Republican groups
and those with tickets were given priority seating.
- Charlie Black was there -- behind the risers, out of site of camera shots
- Meghan McCain was in attendance
- McCain was introduced in Spanish by a gentleman who was held prisoner and
tortured under Castro's regime
- Press outlets included Good Magazine (which is based in New York); French
outlet, France 24 was there; the usual national networks and traveling
press; lots of local affiliates -- especially Latina TV and newspapers;
Miami Herald also present
- Audience was approximately 3-400 in size.  Most in the audience were
Hispanic/Latino.
- McCain was frequently confused trying to locate questioners in the
audience during the Q and A period
- McCain used three giant telemprompters

*Speech Highlights:
*Full Remarks:
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/c6208dbe-e868-4917-b4e6-f56c363d20c7.htm

Attack on Obama:
"Just a few years ago, Senator Obama had a very clear view on Cuba. When
asked in a questionnaire about his policy toward Cuba, he answered: "I
believe that normalization of relations with Cuba would help the oppressed
and poverty-stricken Cuban people while setting the stage for a more
democratic government once Castro inevitably leaves the scene." Now Senator
Obama has shifted positions and says he only favors easing the embargo, not
lifting it. He also wants to sit down unconditionally for a presidential
meeting with Raul Castro. These steps would send the worst possible signal
to Cuba's dictators – there is no need to undertake fundamental reforms,
they can simply wait for a unilateral change in US policy. I believe we
should give hope to the Cuban people, not to the Castro regime. My
administration will press the Cuban regime to release all political
prisoners unconditionally, to legalize all political parties, labor unions,
and free media, and to schedule internationally monitored elections. The
embargo must stay in place until these basic elements of democratic society
are met."

Attack on Obama and Clinton:
"We have made progress toward this vision by expanding the benefits of free
commerce, through NAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement, and our
free trade agreements with Peru and Chile. But the progress has stalled; our
longstanding bipartisan commitment to hemispheric prosperity is crumbling.
We see this most vividly in Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's opposition
to the free trade agreement with Colombia. The failure of the Congress to
take up and approve this agreement is a reminder why 80 percent of Americans
think we are on the wrong track. Congress can find time to pass a
pork-filled farm bill, but it cannot stir itself to support a key ally and
further American prosperity."

*NOTE: CNN reports that Obama will be giving a speech in response to
McCain's attacks at 4pm EST today.*

*Question and Answer:*
1) Q: Thanks MCCAIN for talking about Colombia and Uribe. Gives gift.

MCCAIN: Restates support of Colombia free trade agreement. Shouldn't turn
down your best friend. They're helping us beat our enemies. Promises we will
enact free trade agreement.

·      2) Q: On prosecution of Cuban officials, would that include Raul and
Fidel Castro for their persecution of Cuban lawyers?

MCCAIN: Yes.  But I would also have the AG investigate the plane that was
shot down.

·       3) Q: Letter from a freedom fighter like you that needs to be
helped. Please read it.

MCCAIN: I will read it absolutely immediately.

·       4) Q: We ask the Communist Cuban government for freedom. But there
are 6 young people that because they hijacked a plane for liberty are in
jail. Why are these young people in jail. We need your help for freedom.

MCCAIN: Thank you. I will learn more about it.

·       5) Q: As a  POW – and we have several POWs here – what are we going
to do for the freedoms and right to justice for prisoners in Guantamo?
(BOOS)

MCCAIN: We have to move them to Leaventown. Some of these people are the
most evil people you've ever encountered. But at the same time, there need
to be procedures. I think they can be given trials, not the same trials
American citizens receive. E.g. Nuremburg trials. Some people may be
determined to get real trials. We haven't made enough progress.

·       6) Q: What are you going to do to stop the communist governments
from supporting terrorists?

MCCAIN: Get closer to countries who are our allies, e.g. Chile, Mexico and
other Central American countries. Pay a lot of attention, treat them as
equals.

-  Free trade agreements / exchange of goods. Stop letting sugar come into
our country at outrageous costs. Sugar-base ethanol can be imported from
Brazil without tariffs. Hemispheric trade agreements. I don't believe in
subsidies.

-  Mexican economy, e.g. is still controlled by oligarchs. They'd be better
off if they brought in more competition.  We've got to have better economic
conditions in those countries so people can live and work and get educated
there.

-  They are our friends. President should travel and have meetings  with
these countries.  Emphasizes: those that are our friends, not those that are
inimical to our values.

·       7) Q: Haiti could be a strong ally to US. Your thoughts on
strengthening Haiti?

MCCAIN: I am by naturally optimistic about every country in the world. And I
am optimistic about bettering conditions. But it's a tragic story. We've
sent US troops in, OAS troops in, supplies in, we've held elections. Good
nations of good will have tried to relieve the pressing problems. We've not
been successful and there are thousands sitting in garbage dumps trying to
find something to eat. I have faith in current govt of Haiti, but I've had
faith in past governors and been disappointed. We need to keep the pressure
on.

- MCCAIN defers to Mario and ?

- Other surrogate – the Haitian community here is one of the most
hard-working and has been a great asset to US.

- MCCAIN: Haitians are industrious, hard-working, love their families and
obviously deserve a lot better.

8) Q: couldn't hear question ... but McCain began talking about Iran

- Angry McCain: "Hold on! Hold on!"

- MCCAIN: It's dangerous to sit down and talk to our enemies. I won't do it.
Obama will. There are times in the past where we've done it and there've
been very serious consequences.

·       9) Q: The economy is bad. What are you going to do about it?

MCCAIN: First of all, we have to ensure people can stay in their own homes.
That means they can go and get FHA 30-year loan. When sold years later, 1/3
go to owner, 1/3 to bank and 1/3 to lender. Obviously we don't want to
reward the speculators, but we do have an obligation to help homeowners.

- We have to become independent of foreign oil. There are people who believe
we can't. I'm sure there were people who believed we couldn't put a man on
the moon or invent the internet. The technology and innovation are there.
Nuclear power must be part of any solution. Right now there's about $500b /
year when you buy gasoline, some of which goes into hands of terrorists. We
can do it! We can't keep borrowing money from China. We've got to balance
our budget; stop wasteful pork-barrel spending. I promise I will put us on
the road to independence from foreign oil.

         10) Q: In our Presidential agenda, what priority will political
liberation of Cuba have, and human rights?

MCCAIN: Quotes Declaration of Independence – says right to life liberty and
pursuit of happiness "by the way also applies to protection of human life" –
we've gone to all corners of the world and shed blood and treasure usually
in the pursuit of others' freedom. We should try all means necessary first,
but military needs to be an option.  Freeing political prisoners is
important; so, too, is addressing human trafficking. Let me also add
internet child porn – it's poisoning our families. Child Pornographers get
online and legitimize each other. So we need to use our technological skills
to track down and put in jail these most evil people.

- Said this doesn't mean we're going to go around invading other countries
to make them more democratic -- we just apply pressure on them; extreme
amounts of pressure

·         11) Q: In Peru, we have a problem with terrorism in connection
with cocaine. What will you do to stop that?

MCCAIN: I'm aware that the problem is legitimate and that there is a
disparity between the rich and the poor that exacerbates the problems. I
think the present Peruvian government are working to address the problems –
they have a lot of challenges, but things are getting better. We're building
a good relationship from the US. The current Peruvian President is a good
guy. The last one also seemed sincere, but didn't get as much done as liked.
Would you agree? …

·         CONFUSED MCCAIN – can't find the questioner.

·         12) Q: Bridge of Young Cuban Professionals. What is going to
happen to our property in Cuba?

- [Surrogate whispers in McCain's ear]

- MCCAIN: I believe that should be addressed by a freely elected government
and legislation in Cuba.

  13) Q: Says he wants Chavez out of Venezuela now rather than waiting 50
years like for Castro in Cuba.  Thoughts?
MCCAIN: Gives long answer than ends ...
"The United States must always function on the principle that we believe
that everyone has the rights have that we have guaranteed ourselves. And yes
they don't sometimes. But that does not mean that we should abandon our
struggles to see that all human beings are God's children and have certain
rights that they were born with. And *I think that that doesn't mean that we
go around invading countries*, *it doesn't mean we use force of arms*. It
means, though, that we put as much pressure as we can where we can to
improve the lot of human beings throughout the world, and that's in that
country, too."

·
-- 
Cammie L. Croft
Tracking/Media Monitoring Director
Progressive Media USA
[email-masked]
202-609-7679 (office)
206-999-3064 (cell)

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