Bernie Sanders defends his 1980s comments about Fidel Castro in an interview on 60 Minutes

[George II]

Link to tweet

[Kurt V.]

1. for some voters this shows sanders doesn't change by political winds.

[Liberty Belle]

2. Those were good answers - denouncing Csatro as a dictator, while

acknowledging some things under Castro that did benefitted people -- then ending by noting that unlike Trump who cozies up to a murderous North Korean dictator, "Vladimir Putin is not a good friend of mine."

[George II]

5. Fidel Castro was a murderous dictator, too.

[OliverQ]

14. I don't recall Bernie cozying up to Castro.

Just because he might make a positive comment about some things that happened there doesn't mean he supports the dictatorship.

The Soviet Union under Stalin was one of the most brutal regimes in history, yet if it weren't for them, the Nazis may have successfully taken all of Europe. That doesn't mean I support Stalin's dictatorship.

[thesquanderer]

24. I'll take the old Bernie video over Bloomberg's very recent interview saying Xi Jinping is...

...not a dictator, and is answerable to his constituents. I assume you saw that one?

[democrattotheend]

22. I agree

But I may be biased because what he said is pretty similar to what my socialist-leaning grandparents would say about Castro. I've always felt that Castro, as bad as he is, was singled out for condemnation by the US while we propped up similarly authoritarian right-wing dictators, especially in Latin America.

[Iliyah]

3. Hmmm, not going to go well with the Cuban

community . .

People died.

[OliverQ]

15. Cubans always vote Republican anyway.

[Blue_true]

17. You keep doing that.

A poster earlier showed you that 45% of Florida Cubans are democrats. In fact, I believe the entire South Florida Congressional delegation are democrats, that WOULD NOT happen without a large number of Cubans voting for them.

[CalFione]

4. Yikes. Florida is gone in the general.

[Kurt V.]

6. this assumes Florida's Cuban electorate is monolithic. its not.

[OliverQ]

16. No Dem was likely going to win Florida anyway.

It's a Republican state now, and they cheat like crazy there. Biden isn't polling any better there.

[Blue_true]

19. I live in Florida and I call bullshit.

Clinton won Florida once. Obama won Florida TWICE.

Republicans try to make it hard for people to get on the rolls and vote, but they don't otherwise interfere in elections. Don't call up 2000, because several independent studies showed that Bush actually won the state by around 500 votes, Nader got 97,000 votes in Florida after he refused to back out of the state like he promised he would.

[OliverQ]

20. That's why Florida is considered a swing state.

Because Dems have won there in recent memory. That doesn't mean it's easy or likely. Only Bloomberg is polling well there. Bernie is tied with Trump there, and the other Dems are losing.

[DanTex]

7. Great and honest answers.

[Laelth]

8. You know what?

As much as we old, fuddy-duddies cringe about this sort of thing, I suspect that the younger generation will actually like it.

Just something to consider.



-Laelth

[George II]

9. Not those of Cuban descent.

[Blue_true]

21. Younger Cubans here in Florida are not as anti Castro as the elders.

In fact, most favor trade with Cuba. President Obama's visit to Cuba was pretty popular with young Cubans and many visited relatives while travel restrictions were eased.

So it is a complex deal. If Bernie can articulate a modern view on our relationship with Cuba, he can pull in a large number of young Cubans.

I know a Cuban business person in my home city here in Florida. He thinks the trade embargo was always nonsense.

[melman]

10. Nuance

So shocking.

[NurseJackie]

11. Here come the excuses...

... anything goes, eh?

[Alhena]

12. I strongly oppose Bernie, but he speaks well for himself

Don't see much to get worked up about in that segment. In a way it's impressive- he communicates his views well, radical though they may be.

[George II]

13. He speaks well about himself.

[Cha]

23. And so what voters here are Ok with

this.. They're not speaking for the independents in the swing states.

[NCProgressive]

18. That clip is disqualifying

Defending it is worse