Karen Bass renounces her praise for Fidel Castro
Source: Politico
Rep. Karen Bass on Sunday walked back 2016 comments praising Cuban leader Fidel Castro, as scrutiny of her views toward the Communist government threatened her potential selection as former Vice President Joe Biden's running mate.
On Fox News Sunday, the California Democrat faced questions about several visits to Cuba in the 1970s and a statement she released after Castro's 2016 death saying that "the passing of the Comandante en Jefe is a great loss to the people of Cuba.
Bass told Fox host Chris Wallace that her perspective "developed over time" and that she now understood that the Castro government "was a brutal regime." Bass said that she spoke with colleagues from Florida who raised concerns about her comments and that she "would not do that again, for sure."
"I absolutely would have not put that statement out," she said.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/02/karen-bass-fidel-castro-390413
I'd say the VP train has moved past her for multiple reasons.
3Hotdogs
(12,393 posts)jimfields33
(15,830 posts)It seems like cleaning up two issues is a smart strategy. Shes out in front of them and taking away the talking points. I think its brilliant!
Ferrets are Cool
(21,107 posts)They will never go away when it comes to a voting population. We don't need to spend our time explaining away our choices from just a few short years ago.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)We need somebody who won't scare any (sane) people.
Happy Hoosier
(7,325 posts)Last edited Mon Aug 3, 2020, 08:10 AM - Edit history (1)
Theyd be betting the farm on a vulnerable candidate for little gain that I can see.
Withywindle
(9,988 posts)Fidel Castro and Scientology? Really?
What are the pros for her that outweigh THAT? We're not desperate. We have a DEEP pool of talent, especially among women of color. What positive does she bring to the table that's that powerful? When we could have Harris or Abrams or Rice or Duckworth or any number of highly qualified candidates.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)jcgoldie
(11,631 posts)I think this is enough not to choose Karen Bass. Polls show Biden competitive or even leading slightly in FLA. Florida alone would bring the presidency for Democrats. Stirring anti-Castro Cuban hornets there is not a good plan when you have so many good candidates.
Politically I think this is way worse than the stupid Scientology thing.
onetexan
(13,043 posts)Pick Kamala Joe!!
RelativelyJones
(898 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)Messaging aside, I dont want someone dumb enough to even think such nonsense.
sop
(10,204 posts)Representative Bass said and did a lot more than that. She'll have a hard time distancing herself from this.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Dont know whether thats good or not, but its true.
-Laelth
PatSeg
(47,509 posts)and for some reason, I thought the Castro comments were a long time ago. 2016 is like yesterday. I think this is a disqualifier.
rlexx
(59 posts)Wanting regime change for the Cuban people is one thing. Praising Castro even in death can never be acceptable.
Demovictory9
(32,457 posts)jcgoldie
(11,631 posts)jalan48
(13,871 posts)MFGsunny
(2,356 posts)berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(4,465 posts)Coventina
(27,121 posts)Scientology is worse than Castro, IMHO.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,107 posts)hamsterjill
(15,222 posts)n/t
musclecar6
(1,690 posts)Think its down to Kamala Harris or Susan Rice. Both great choices and its gonna be hard to choose for a Joe if in fact those are the two leading contenders for him. Both are smart take no prisoners types and would have no problem stepping into the role of President on day one.
KPN
(15,646 posts)on the other hand, throw her under the bus, then she probably can't.
I've been fairly impressed with what I've learned about Karen Bass and think she would make an excellent pick -- with or without this "controversy". We all have said things that upon further reflection or enlightenment we would take back or change our view on. That includes everybody present and past.
If you don't think Karen Bass is the right candidate for numerous reasons, fine, but don't throw her under the bus out of fear for how the Rs will play this one statement. They are going to play everything as well as a bunch of made up stuff on everybody -- we all know that. It's unavoidable. Buck up!
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)later if for no other reason that the Castro thing was YEARS and YEARS ago.
JI7
(89,252 posts)needing to convince enough people white he wasn't their stereptype of some black people.
with Karen bass it's about a key demographic in a key state who are one issue voters. It's more about an issue here.
KPN
(15,646 posts)We can disagree.
Gilbert Moore
(218 posts)You could make that a bus, and it backed over her instead moved past her. . .
NonPC
(305 posts)I think we need someone more outspoken and charismatic (dare I say loud) -- who can go head to head with General Bonespurs and and his supporters -- and come out the winner on the evening sound bites. Quiet and subdued is nice, but we now live in an age of news being entertainment. If you are not entertainment, then you are ignored. I may not like 100% of Kamala Harris, but she will kick ass and take names and get the message out. But whoever the pick is, we ALL have to put away our complaints and support them 100% -- all the time.
ananda
(28,867 posts)I never could understand why she was ever
considered in the first place.
SunSeeker
(51,574 posts)Looking like it will be Biden - Harris.
bringthePaine
(1,729 posts)Mz Pip
(27,451 posts)Im good with everyone else but I think Bass would be a huge mistake.
Praising Scientology? Geez and now this Castro crap.
No. Just no.
rickford66
(5,524 posts)Not her ? My mistake.
rickford66
(5,524 posts)Too subtle ?
KPN
(15,646 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)Right wing jackals are efficient at creating these simplistic points on which to hang their hatred from.
Hell... they had 20% of the country believing Obama wasn't a citizen, and had the same half-wits believing that Kerry, a decorated war hero, had shirked his duty. And for their purposes, it all stuck as it was supposed to.
So at the end of the day, it matters little those jackals... the idiots will always find something, real or imagined, and hammer it with all the force that their hatred can muster.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)SHE IS A BIG FAT *NO*
marble falls
(57,112 posts)retraction of her opinions than I am with the sentiments. Good bad indifferent, "the passing of the Comandante en Jefe is a great loss to the people of Cuba. I'm not a Fidel Castro kind of guy, but the Cubans who stayed in Cuba seemed to support him. When the Russians got tired of the USSR it only took three days to come down, East Germany collapsed in days, Ceausescu fell in the middle of a speech. The Cubans kept el lider in office for decades and he died in his own bed.
NNguyenMD
(1,259 posts)then it might make up in other areas to mitigate the cost of losing Florida.
videohead5
(2,178 posts)She could cost us Florida. I want Harris or Rice.