Posted on 02/23/2020 6:49:34 PM PST by karpov
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the frontrunner for the Democrats' presidential nomination, doubled down on his support for some of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's policies, saying in an interview that aired Sunday, "it's unfair to simply say everything is bad."
Speaking to CBS News' "60 Minutes," Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, pointed to social welfare programs introduced under Castro's regime that he described as redeeming, despite the communist dictator's often repressive human-rights violations against Cubans.
"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it's unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?" Sanders told Anderson Cooper.
Fidel Castro relinquished power to his brother, Raúl, in 2011; Fidel died in 2016.
Some Republicans jumped on Sanders' comments. "It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read & write," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted.
In a resurfaced speech given at the University of Vermont in 1986, Sanders praised the socialist policies implemented in Cuba by the Castro regime and criticized bipartisan efforts in the U.S. to tamp down on Castro's spread of communism.
While Sanders said in the new interview he "condemns" any human rights violations Castro committed, he also took aim at President Trump for his unlikely friendships with some dictators or strongman leaders, including North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin
"I do not think that Kim Jong Un is a good friend," Sanders said. "I don't trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
he’s got a point..
I hear the weather is still nice....
other than that..
I think the beaches might be ok, but that has little to do with the communists.
But did he make the trains run on time? Because that's the real test. If I had a dictator who could make the trains run on time, I'd be fine.
And Bin Laden built hospitals.
Castro killed a bunch of people but hey at least they died knowing how to read thank goodness for that
they have interesting cars
He’s gonna do it to us!!!!
Well, Cuba still has Gitmo’ there and hasn’t capsized.
Hey even Hitler must have done a few good things besides all that throwing folks into ovens and stuff
He just blew off Florida.
The Nazi’s kept the trains running on time too...
Left always falls back on the same crap
He built the Autobahn, gave working Germans access to buy a car, the “People’s Car” or “Volkswagen”.
Edsels?
My thoughts exactly.
“it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad.”
Bernie is right! It is much worse than most people have any idea.
I can see a young Bernie Sanders being happy with free health care and $37 a month.
I hope doesn’t blow this nomination. He’s got it without unforced errors like this.
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