Last week, seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus – Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Melvin Watt, D-N.C., Michael Honda, D-Calif., Laura Richardson,, D-Calif., Bobby Rush, D-Ill., Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, and Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo. -- returned from a visit to Cuba where they met with the dictators of Cuba, Fidel and Raul Castro.
They were quite impressed with Fidel Castro, the longest reigning dictator in the world, the man who deprived an entire generation of Cubans of the most fundamental human rights. Some of their reactions:
CBC Chairwoman Rep. Barbara Lee: “Former President Fidel Castro is very engaging, very energetic.”
Rep. Laura Richardson: “He looked right into my eyes and said, 'How can we help you? How can we help President Obama?’”
Rep. Bobby Rush: “I think that what really surprised me, but also endeared me to him was his keen sense of humor, his sense of history and his basic human qualities.”
“He drank water, we drank water, nothing else was served, but that was just fine! I was, after all, in the presence of history.”
“In my household, I told Castro, he is known as the ultimate survivor.”
Regarding this last comment, columnist Mona Charen pithily noted: “Funny how easy it is to survive when you don't hold elections.”
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