I am extremely impressed by our President.

[MicaelS]

I am 58 years old, and I never thought I would see the normalization of relations with Cuba in my lifetime unless Castro died and there was another revolution. I have vague memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I witnessed decades of anger, bitterness, hate and some very harsh rhetoric on both sides. Yet here we are headed down the path of ending the Embargo, and normal relations. It takes real courage to go against the path of the last 60 years, yet Barack Obama has made the choice to do so.

Two Thumbs Way, Way Up, Mr. President.

[tazkcmo]

1. Congratulations President Obama!

This and the Iran deal may help reclaim that peace prize he won a while back. Good for him and the world.

[BillZBubb]

2. Agreed!

It is way past time and only President Obama made it happen. Kudos to him.

[joshcryer]

3. His poll numbers should be 20 points higher.

The media fails us.

[malaise]

4. I hope you're watching his press conference now on CNN

Freaking brilliant

[treestar]

5. Yes, the one country still left out there

as "communist." It went on and on after the fall of the USSR.

Other leaders so often are so impressed with him, too.

[Diclotican]

9. treestar

treestar

I think most pepole outside of US is very impressed by this Administration - and its President - who is able to undo some of the damage the neanderthal who occupied the office from 2000 to 2008 did to the relationship between USA and the rest of the world....

But then - the level was pretty low when Obama got elected as the next president in 2008 - so if he had just been able to talk and shew a gum at the same time I think most nations had at least be comforted by the fact that he was better than the last one....

And Obama have surprised - positive by what he have been able to make true - even if he have had a Congress and now a Senate who have doing its best to mess up and undo what he have doing - and to garnish his legacy as best as they could...

It would be a real victory for Obama - if he was able to make peace with Cuba - and to make normal relationship between the two states - I suspect even Fidel Castro would like to at least go to his grave - knowing his legacy will outlive him - and he even have been able to live long enough to make sure the country are not on war-footing with USA when he dies....

Diclotican

[G_j]

6. is the Republican idiot squad

attacking him on this too? I figured they would be, but haven't been paying attention to anything they say.

[joanbarnes]

7. Agreed!

[mountain grammy]

8. Agree. Pretty impressive.

[Aerows]

10. I'd really like to know what he said

rather than a bunch of people raving about what he said. Can someone PLEASE post a link for those of us who were not watching earlier?

"President Obama said something awesome" isn't all that helpful. LOL.

[dinger130]

23. He said

"consistency is the hobgoblins of narrow minds".

I always heard that consistency was the last refuge of the unimaginative.

But when dealing with the Neanderthals, "narrow minds" is a better fit.

[jwirr]

11. 73 years old and remember the Revolution. Was angry that Eisenhower would not help him when

he asked. Very glad to see an end to this.

[Cheviteau]

13. I'm 75 years old.

I remember the revolution also. Fidel came to Washington seeking weapons to insure his revolution could remain in power...not offering free elections. Eisenhower made the correct decision in turning him away. At the time, democrats held both legislative houses with very strong leaderships. And they agreed with Eisenhower. Fidel showed his true colors after his march into Havana. And no one can be happier than I that we are reconciling with our nearest neighbor. It's about 35 years late though. The Cuban people have endured enough suffering.

[YOHABLO]

12. American business's want reparations by claiming their lost property and Cuba wants reparations

for the decades of embargo. How's that going to play out? Are corporations licking their chops?

[MicaelS]

14. Don't forget about the "Exiled" Cubans who lost property, too.

That is another can of worms.

[Cheviteau]

15. They can lick their chops...

...all they want. Good luck with that. From viewpoints of both.

[RichGirl]

16. Even though I don't always agree with Obama....

I truly respect and admire him. FOX NEWS has spent the last 7 yrs doing nothing but demonize him. Our Congress has refused to work with him...even in things they were for. If it weren't for these two powerful forces devoted to keeping him down, I truly believe he would have and could have changed the world.

I love him.

[Cha]

17. "The Cold War has been over for a long time" - President Obama hails "turning point" with Cuba/Pic

BBC Breaking News ✔ @BBCBreaking
Follow
"The Cold War has been over for a long time" - President Obama hails "turning point" with Cuba http://bbc.in/1Emy7re
6:06 AM - 11 Apr 2015 1,998 Retweets 1,737 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2015/04/11/rise-and-shine-1039/

Mahalo Micael

[99th_Monkey]

18. I'm imagining that this somehow got Obama back in touch

with his community organizing roots & his passion for bringing sanity & humanity to the public sphere.

I couldn't help notice he just 'took his gloves off' with the GOP obstructionists
on the Iran deal & their meddling in foreign policy in general.

[lovemydog]

19. So am I MicaelS. Here's the full press conference.

[seveneyes]

20. It takes at least two to agree to anything

Solo is the cup that isn't filled.

[deurbano]

21. My parents built a bomb shelter in our back yard, and the Cuban Missile Crisis was a major reason.

Without the Cold War, we could have had a pool! (We lived in the Central Valley where it was HOT in the summer.) Oh, yeah... and that constant fear of nuclear annihilation. (Good times.)

YAY!

[leanforward]

22. We've normalized relations with VN, why not Cuba?

I was in HS for the Bay of Pigs. I was in college for the Cuban Missile Crisis. All things considered, we've not normalized relations because of the influence of some angry old hispanic guys. Likewise, the "neocons" are angry old white guys.

Strategically, normalizing relations with Cuba will increase our influence with that Country. A lot of our influence around the world is not to be a hardliner, but inclusionary. Yes, recently Russian spy ship did dock in Cuba, but as relations normalize, can you imagine what could be done to bastardize the current regime. Has the American experience ever been known bastardize governance.

To me he is Mr. President and a salute. He grew up in Hawaii, a state known for its diversity. He was a community organizer. He has worked with diversity. He is a critical thinker. He got my vote a long time ago.

I'd sooner hold the flag for the President, than for the angry old white guys espousing "boots on the ground".

[H2O Man]

24. Recommendation #101

Thank you!

[rury]

25. Thank you MicaelS

I am ALWAYS impressed with him!!

[Gothmog]

26. This is a great accomplishment

The cold war is over

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. I agree.