Posted on 03/19/2007 10:28:03 PM PDT by JohnSheppard
Cubans in Miami are steaming mad at former Gov. Mitt Romney for shooting his mouth off in stumbling Spanish, mispronouncing names and erroneously associating a notorious Fidel Castro-spewed Communist catch phrase with freedom fighters.
Politicians in South Florida have lashed out at the former Massachusetts governor and 2008 presidential hopeful for describing the socialist saying “Patria o muerte, venceremos” as “inspiring” and for claimingthe phrase was swiped from liberty-seeking Cubans by leftist admirers of Castro.
The phrase, which means “Fatherland or death, we shall overcome,” was bellowed as a political speech sign-off by the dictator for decades.
At another point in the speech to the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Romney bungled the names of prominent Cuban GOP politicians, referring to Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio as “Mario.”
Romney also garnered criticism for his hard-line stance on immigration and ending the talk with the phrase “Libertad, Libertad, Libertad,” a revolutionary saying made famous in the gangster movie “Scarface,” which many Cubans feel plays on cultural stereotypes.
But it was the former Bay State governor’s use of an infamous Fidel Castro line that sparked the most controversy.
“Hugo Chavez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase - Patria o muerte, venceremos,” Romney said. “It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba.”
But scholars and prominent Cubans contend the saying has always been a Communist rallying cry and that it represents the very essence of Fidel Castro’s oppressive regime.
“It means communism. It means Fidel Castro,” said Florida state Rep. Rene Garcia, a Republican who was at the March 9 speech. “It’s a Communist catch phrase.”
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bostonherald.com ...
"He should hire some intelligent FReepers."
I suggest you and JohnnyZ.:)
The writer errs in thinking Hispanics are like the French ~ hence my comment.
Thank you!
A candidate MUST work with all groups. To dismiss his spanish and ignorance and say that it didn't matter is silly. If it didn't matter, why did he even TRY to speak in spanish? He should have stuck to his native tongue and saved himself embarassment.
As for not knowing about Cuba and Castro, he is speaking to Cuban Americans, and he is the one who brought up Cuba and Castro! He could have stuck to the theme of American immigration, but he delved into waters that were too deep for him. I want my presidential candidate to be intelligent enough to avoid these big mistakes.
Hillary and Romney both were pandering. And I wouldn't vote for either one of them. They are playing sleezy politics. I'm not impressed.
I wonder how many understand your reference to JFK? :0)
Well, I guess Mitt's not perfect. Who is?
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