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Luv Ya, Fidel! CBS Says Cubans 'Shook Up' By Castro's Hand-Over of Power
CBS-Early Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 08/01/2006 5:22:32 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest

view edit Posted by Mark Finkelstein on August 1, 2006 - 08:09. In Miami, Cuban-Americans were literally dancing in the street at the prospect that the repressive regime of Fidel Castro might finally be drawing to an end. But back in Cuba, people greeted the news of the great liberator's illness with dismay. At least they did according to CBS News' woman-on-the-spot.

On this morning's Early Show, CBS ran a brief clip of a phone interview with Portia Siegelbaum, a CBS News producer based in Cuba. Here is the entirety of her report:

"The news of Castro's illness was most unexpected. I spoke to half-a-dozen people last night and they seemed most shook up by his handing over power, even if provisionally, to his younger brother Raul."

Note that Siegelbaum said the people she spoke with were 'most' shook up - not 'mostly.' In other words, it was unanimous: all the people she spoke with were 'most,' i.e, very disturbed.

That was it. Not a hint that some in Cuba are as overjoyed as their brethren in Miami at the notion that this brutal dictatorship might finally be coming to an end. Nope. Every single person Portia spoke to was 'shook up' at the news that, even if just temporarily, Fidel has had to turn over his totalitarian reins, albeit to brother Raul.

I'd say there are three possible explanations of Siegelbaum's report:

1. She moves exclusively in pro-Castro circles;

2. People realize that expressing anti-Castro sentiments to a journalist could be inimical to their health. Siegelbaum never raised that possibility; or

3. Siegelbaum intentionally chose to ignore anti-Castro sentiment to paint a portrait of an island distressed at its dictator's possible demise.

Portia, the cigars are in the mail.


TOPICS: Cuba; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: castro; cbs; cuba; earlyshow; portiasiegelbaum; raul
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1 posted on 08/01/2006 5:22:34 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
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To: Behind Liberal Lines; Miss Marple; an amused spectator; netmilsmom; Diogenesis; YaYa123; MEG33; ...

CBS Early Show/NewsBusters luv-ya-Fidel ping to Today show list.


2 posted on 08/01/2006 5:23:10 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest (W)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Will Dan Rather or Steven Speilberg be taking his place?


3 posted on 08/01/2006 5:24:47 AM PDT by subterfuge (Call me a Jingoist, I don't care...)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Are tears rolling down Dan Rathers cheeks yet ???????


4 posted on 08/01/2006 5:24:58 AM PDT by IrishMike (Democrats .... Stuck on Stupid, RINO's ...the most vicious judas goats)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Wouldn't expect less from the Communist Brodcasting System.


5 posted on 08/01/2006 5:26:54 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

I bet she just talked with fellow journalists instead of actual people on the street. More than a few tears will flow in the journalistic community when their hero Fidel becomes tobacco fertilizer.


6 posted on 08/01/2006 5:27:15 AM PDT by MAD-AS-HELL (Put a mirror to the face of the republican party and all you'll see is a Donkey.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Here's my scenario:

Castro dies in a few months. The freshly minted Katie Couric will be on the job and will travel to Cuba to weep at Castro's funeral. Book it.


7 posted on 08/01/2006 5:27:21 AM PDT by Obadiah (Liberals: Blazingly Stupid!)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Portia Siegelbaum

Is this a joke name? Like "Sillius Soddus" or "Biggus Dickus"??

8 posted on 08/01/2006 5:27:40 AM PDT by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Republicam)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Hopefully, he'll *expire* on the table and do the world a real favor.


9 posted on 08/01/2006 5:29:24 AM PDT by butternut_squash_bisque (The recipe's at my FR HomePage. Try it!)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

El Jefe is dead, Jim.

10 posted on 08/01/2006 5:29:52 AM PDT by Rummyfan
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

4. She's a socialist... who admires totalitarian-communists.


11 posted on 08/01/2006 5:31:08 AM PDT by johnny7 (“And what's Fonzie like? Come on Yolanda... what's Fonzie like?!”)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Castro had an "intestinal crisis" so they had to send him for emergency surgery to remove Dan Rather from his colon.


12 posted on 08/01/2006 5:31:09 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
The talking-head Doctor that Nightline had on last night, when asked how serious Castro's illness was, said that in "best case scenario, he should be back up in a month." Maybe a bad choice of words, but it made me laugh.
13 posted on 08/01/2006 5:31:19 AM PDT by 50sDad (ST3d: Real Star Trek 3d Chess: http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~abartmes/tactical.htm)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Oh we must send Fidel a card. It is so sudden. Attach it to a missile so he can read it right away.
14 posted on 08/01/2006 5:32:04 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Only stupid people would vote for McCain, Warner, Hagle, Snowe, Graham, or any RINO)
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To: Obadiah

Al-Katie will not be the only one there.

Add:
Dan Rather
Jimmy Carter
Cindy Sheman and other code pinkos
Colypso Louie
Harry Bellowfonte


15 posted on 08/01/2006 5:32:55 AM PDT by WakeUpAndVote (Got towel?)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

"... I spoke to half-a-dozen people last night and they seemed most shook up by his handing over power, even if provisionally, to his younger brother Raul."


SIX PEOPLE?!?


16 posted on 08/01/2006 5:33:31 AM PDT by maggief
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To: maggief

It was a small and exclusive reception at the Cuban Ministry of Press Affairs ;-)


17 posted on 08/01/2006 5:34:31 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest (W)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Heard George Stuffingenvelopes talking to Imus this morning saying,in a breathless,admiring kind of way that Castro had "so much power".

When I heard that,I shouted at the radio..."I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL A DICTATOR,GEORGIE!"

18 posted on 08/01/2006 5:36:29 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Wonder what the fallout would be if we iced Castro's brother just after big brother goes night night on the operating table ...... then simply annex KOOBA into the United States.

Maybe we can get Miami back?


19 posted on 08/01/2006 5:37:18 AM PDT by Fighting Irish (Béagán agus a rá go maith)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Imagine you're a good Cuban communist, so much that Fidel loves you. Raoul doesn't and considers you and your friends a threat. I can imagine plenty of people shook up at that idea.
20 posted on 08/01/2006 5:38:42 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (The man who said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" has never talked to Helen Thomas.)
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