Mitt Romney for President My Man Mitt: Miami Herald: Bastian of Liberal Lies?

You know you've come of age when the DNC aims all its guns at you; when moderate republicans have you in your cites and when your enemies in the press will do ANYTHING to drag you down in the dumps.

The later episode was on full display over the last two days as the Miami Herald reports on a supposed faux pas that Gov. Romney supposedly committed in front of a Cuban-American audience by quoting a Castro phrase at the end of his speech.

There's only one problem. He was using the phrase to bash Castro.

Capn' Ed and others at CQ are on top of the story.

Here' how the Miami Herald reports the "blunder":

People chuckled when presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Mormon raised in Michigan and elected in Massachusetts, bungled the names of Cuban-American politicians during a recent speech in Miami.

But when he mistakenly associated Fidel Castro's trademark speech-ending slogan -- Patria o muerte, venceremos! -- with a free Cuba, listeners didn't laugh. They winced.

Castro has closed his speeches with the phrase -- in English, ''Fatherland or death, we shall overcome'' -- for decades.

Here's what Romney ACTUALLY said:

Romney: “I said at the outset that the threat in Latin America is unprecedented. I say that because the Castros have a second tyrant and he has great wealth, from oil. We must stand just as firm against caudillos like Hugo Chavez, tutored by Fidel Castro. Chavez and Castro are brothers in blood, intent on personal gratification at the expense of their people. Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro have stolen the phrase – 'Patria o muerte, venceremos.’ This phrase should not be used by dictators, but by liberators.

“There are two spheres of influence in the Western Hemisphere. One is dark, bellicose and spreads misery by denying people basic freedoms; the other shines like a powerful light, is peaceful and wants only for its people to live in liberty and prosper."

It's absurd that the Miami Herald had to stoop to this level. But we can't say we're surprised

Labels: bias, castro, press


	3 Comments: Hey Justin, I am sure you really meant to use the word "sights" instead of the word "cites". I hope this was a typo. I am Cuban and I agree with your post, but suffice it to say that the Cuban thing is something difficult to understand. But not impossible. The Herald tries to sell newspapers, just as Castro tries to control political flows. If Cubans are to be blamed for anything, it is our natural ability to be blinded by emotions which we let others control so easily. Castro has had a field day for the past 50 years reigns in hand. By MentalWipe, at March 20, 2007 at 11:47 PM Well no kidding, I bought the story when I first read it though it surprised me a guy like Mitt didn't do his research?! Reading the actual speech is a totally different story. What a bunch of propaganda you get from the MSM nowadays. By Anonymous, at March 21, 2007 at 12:12 AM You're right, it's surprising the Herald stooped to the level of mis-contextualizing Romney's words. Those two block-quoted paragraphs are ripe-to-bursting with the kind of broad-brush talk that offers nothing but emotional stimulation for the most simple minds. The honest, direct quote relfects much more poorly on Romney, assuming that was the Herald's intent. P.S. The Avant Garde is killing your readability, especially at that size. Please use Georgia or even Arial. It's work to get through an article set in that font. Use it only for heads/subheads. By Anonymous, at March 22, 2007 at 11:38 AM Post a Comment