Not that it ever goes away, but the subject of Cuba–in this state and this town–will only continue to ratchet as we approach next year’s presidential election. Hillary Clinton did her ratcheting best recently by taking the anti-embargo issue to Miami where she criticized “most Republicans” for their “Cold War lens” views on Cuba. “Engagement,” she argued at Florida International University, “is not a gift to the Castros; it’s a threat to the Castros.”
Jeb Bush called her Cuban take “insulting” to many locals, and Marco Rubio characterized it as “appeasement.” These Cuban cards will be played many times more as the process winnows candidates and Florida’s swing-state primary approaches in March.
What will be a given is that the GOP nominee will be in agreement with Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Rubio, former Gov. Bush and the Ros-Lehtinen/Diaz-Balart pro-embargo crowd.
What will be ironic, however, is that the Democratic nominee, while she will have the support of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, won’t have anti-embargo support from Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who chairs the Democratic National Committee. It’s still too politically dicey for her in her South Florida district.
Moreover, Clinton also won’t have anti-embargo support from Bob Buckhorn, the mayor of the I-4 corridor city that could very well be the Sunshine State difference maker. It’s too personal for Buckhorn, who once flew with Brothers to the Rescue to search for Cuban refugee rafters.
Whatever the motivation, influential Democrats who can’t be strong, anti-embargo advocates are not helpful to the Democratic candidate–and more importantly, not helpful to Florida or Tampa.