Obama flip-flopping on Cuba: 2004 supporting normalization - December 2007 against normalization

[agdlp]

In a 2004 questionnaire, Sen. Obama supported normalization of relations with Cuba:

http://www.iviipo.org/2004queries_primary/Obama-response.pdf

Q: "Do you support normalization of relations with Cuba?" Obama: "Our longstanding policies toward Cuba have been a miserable failure, evidenced by the fact that Fidel Castro is now the longest-serving head of state in the world. If our isolationist policies were meant to weaken him, they certainly haven’t worked. 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."

But in a December debate, Sen. Obama revealed that he now opposes the normalization of relations with Cuba:

MODERATOR: Normalize relations, whether or not Fidel Castro isn't... OBAMA: No, but there are two things we can do right now to prepare for that and that is loosen travel restrictions for family members, Cuban-Americans who want to visit, and open up remittances so that they are able to support family members, many of them who are fighting for their liberty in right now. MODERATOR: But for now...OBAMA: I would not normalize relations, but those two things, those two shifts in policy would send a signal that we can build on once Castro's out of power."

http://www.hd.net/brownandblack.html