Democratic presidential candidates tore into Bernie Sanders after the presidential candidate defended the rule of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro by touting his ‘massive literacy program.’
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg was among those jumping on the comments by the democratic socialist, who condemned Castro’s authoritarian rule even as he praised his social programs during an appearance on ’60 Minutes.’
‘Fidel Castro left a dark legacy of forced labor camps, religious repression, widespread poverty, firing squads, and the murder of thousands of his own people. But sure, Bernie, let’s talk about his literacy program,’ tweeted the former New York mayor.
Former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg also blasted the comments, tweeting a clip of Sanders and writing: ‘After four years of looking on in horror as Trump cozied up to dictators, we need a president who will be extremely clear in standing against regimes that violate human rights abroad. We can’t risk nominating someone who doesn’t recognize this.’
Bernie Sanders has praised Fidel Castro’s ‘massive literacy program’, standing by comments he made praising the dictator’s rule of Cuba in the 1980s
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign responded with a statement by senior advisor Cristobal Alex.
‘Make no mistake: Bernie Sanders’ comments on Fidel Castro are a part of a larger pattern throughout his life to embrace autocratic leaders and governments across the globe. He seems to have found more inspiration in the Soviets, Sandinistas, Chavistas, and Castro than in America,’ he wrote.
‘His admiration for elements of Castro’s dictatorship or at least willingness to look past Cuba’s human rights violations is not just dangerous, it is deeply offensive to the many people in Florida, New Jersey, and across the country that have fled political persecution and sought refuge in the United States … We already have one president who praises dictators and their mob-like tendencies; we don’t need another one. As president, Joe Biden will stand up on the global stage against tyrants and fight for freedom and democracy.’
The simultaneous attacks all hit at what Democratic political pros are warning could be a vulnerability for Sanders were he to get the nomination and run against President Trump. Trump has made attacks on socialism a staple of his attacks since Democrats took the House, picking up on the rise of Sanders and a group of left-wing elected Democrats.
The Democratic frontrunner and socialist, 78, defended the Communist regime as ‘not all bad’ during a wide-ranging 60 Minutes interview which aired Sunday.
Sanders praised Fidel Castro’s ‘massive literacy program’, standing by comments he made praising the dictator’s rule of Cuba in the 1980s.
That program included a push by Castro and revolutionary leader Che Guevara to boost literacy, in part by sending teachers into the countryside. The effort largely worked, and Cuban literacy is now near 100 per cent, according to the CIA World Factbook.
During the interview, Sanders told Anderson Cooper: ‘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 had said of dictator Castro in 1985: ‘He educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?’
Castro ruled Cuba for nearly half a century. A Cold War foe of the U.S., Castro’s government imprisoned dissidents and imposed one-party rule on the island nation. He died at the age of 90 in 2016.
When pushed further on the dissidents imprisoned in the country, Sanders replied: ‘That’s right. And we condemn that. Unlike Donald Trump, let’s be clear…I do not think that Kim Jong Un is a good friend.
‘I don’t trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine.’
Fidel Castro and his brother Raul attend a parade December 2, 1996 in Havana, Cuba
Sanders had said of dictator Castro in the 1980s, pictured: ‘He educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?’
‘SHOCKED’ TO BE A FRONTRUNNER
The self proclaimed Democratic socialist won a decisive victory Saturday in the Nevada caucuses, solidifying his frontrunner status in the race to choose the Democratic nominee who faces President Donald Trump in November’s election.
The 78-year-old senator from Vermont was leading with about 46 percent, followed by former vice president Joe Biden at 19 percent.
But even for Sanders the results are ‘shocking’, adding: ‘The ideas that seemed radical four years ago are now kind of mainstream.
‘When Donald Trump was a private businessman in New York, he got $800 million in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury housing. That’s called corporate socialism.
‘What democratic socialism is about is saying, ‘Let’s use the federal government to protect the interests of working families.’
Moderate Democrats are growing increasingly nervous that Sanders’ call for a political ‘revolution’ would drive voters away from the party, both in the matchup against President Donald Trump and in House and Senate races.
‘I think it would be a real burden for us in these states or congressional districts that we have to do well in,’ South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the House majority whip and the top-ranking black Democrat in Congress, said Sunday on ABC’s ‘This Week.’
‘The country can’t afford to let Bernie Sanders skate by another debate without a focus on his extreme record,’ said Mike Bloomberg spokesperson Galia Slayen.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., smiles while the crowd chants his name during a campaign event on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, in Austin, Texas
Sanders, right, labeled rival Mike Bloomberg’s, left, stop and frisk policy as ‘racist’
BLOOMBERG’S STOP AND FRISK POLICY WAS ‘RACIST’
Labeling rival Mike Bloomberg’s stop and frisk policy as ‘racist’ in the interview, Sanders added: ‘I think the more people understand Bloomberg’s record as mayor of New York, where he engaged in horrifically racist policies of stop and frisk, people in America don’t want that.’
He said: ‘I think this is the problem of a Bloomberg candidacy. It’s not just my supporters, he is not going to be a strong candidate. But, what I have said, and you quoted me correctly, is I said on day one I will support the Democratic nominee, no matter who that nominee may be.’
Admitting he ‘does not talk about personal stuff that much’, Sanders said his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, shaped his political beliefs.
But, he added: ‘I’m a kind of a private person in a sense. And you know, I’m not particularly anxious to tell the world about everything personal in my life.’
Other topics touched on during the interview included how he plans to fund Medicare for All.
Sanders admitted: ‘You know, I can’t rattle off to you ever nickel and every dime. But we have accounted for..Medicare for All. We have options out there that will pay for it.’
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his wife Jane Sanders arrive for a campaign rally at Vic Mathias Shores Park on February 23, 2020 in Austin, Texas
FUNDING MEDICARE FOR ALL
But despite offering no firm financial plans with universal healthcare Sanders now says he wants to also introduce universal childcare for children up to the age of four, adding: ‘We have a tax on wealth to pay for that.
‘You know, I get a little bit tired of hearing my opponents saying ‘Gee, how you going to pay for a program that impacts and helps children or working-class families or middle-class families? How you going to pay for that?’
‘And yet, where are people saying, ‘How are you going to pay for over $750 billion on military spending?’ How you going to pay for a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the 1% in large corporations which was what Trump did? When you help the billionaires and you help Wall Street, ‘Hey! Of course we can pay for it. That’s what America’s supposed to be about.’ Well, I disagree.’
TAKING ON TRUMP
Sanders, who says he is looking forward to taking on President Donald Trump, said: ‘Anyone who tells you that Donald Trump is not gonna be a tough opponent is kidding themselves. The way you beat Trump is bring nontraditional voters into the political process.
‘What we will bring up is that the president of the United States is a pathological liar. And it is increasingly clear that many people just don’t believe anything that he says.
‘He is a fraud. I look forward to taking him on.’
THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST WHO SYMPATHIZES WITH COMMUNISTS
Sanders praised Cuba’s late communist ruler Fidel Castro, pictured, during a lecture in 1986
Bernie Sanders is no stranger to controversy when it comes to comments about America’s Cold War enemies.
In 1972 he told a group of Vermont high school students that the United States’ actions in Vietnam were ‘almost as bad as what Hitler did.’
Sanders, who was 31 years old at the time, was running as the candidate for the Liberty Union Party, which was an offshoot of the antiwar movement.
The then-Burlington mayor praised Cuba’s late communist ruler Fidel Castro during a lecture in 1986.
‘I remember being very excited when Fidel Castro made the revolution in Cuba,’ Sanders is seen telling students at the University of Vermont in 1986.
‘It seemed right and appropriate that poor people were rising up against ugly rich people.’
Sandersalso told the students how he became so disillusioned by John F. Kennedy when he ran for president in the early 1960s that he wanted to ‘puke’ because of his hardline anti-communist stance.
During his unsuccessful bid to defeat Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in 2015-16, a video from 1985 was dredged up in which Sanders is seen heaping praise on Castro.
The grainy 1985 interview footage from Chittenden County, Vermont, shows Sanders praising Castro’s policies on education, health care and society in general.
At the time, Sanders had been on a recent trip to Nicaragua to observe the sixth anniversary of the Sandinista regime.
Daniel Ortega, left, and Hugo Chavez, presidents of Nicaragua and Venezuela respectively, during the former’s inauguration in 2007
He compared Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega – who is now president of Nicaragua – to Castro.
‘In 1961, [America] invaded Cuba, and everybody was totally convinced that Castro was the worst guy in the world,’ he said.
‘All the Cuban people were going to rise up in rebellion against Fidel Castro.
‘They forgot that he educated their kids, gave their kids health care, totally transformed society.
‘You know, not to say Fidel Castro and Cuba are perfect – they are certainly not – but just because Ronald Reagan dislikes these people does not mean to say the people in these nations feel the same.’
Indeed Sanders was sharply critical of Reagan, who had just been overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term the year before.