McCain Blasts Obama for Saying He'd Talk to Cuba

John McCain told Miami’s Cuban community today that Barack Obama would “give hope” to the Havana regime by sitting down with Raul Castro without preconditions, prompting a response from Bill Richardson that McCain was “afraid to talk to bad guys.” Speaking on Cuban Independence Day, the Republican kept up the argument that Obama would appease America's enemies, the Chicago Tribune reports.

“An interesting perspective on Cuba,” McCain said sarcastically of Obama's wish to ease the embargo. Chris Dodd rebutted, charging that McCain had shifted from a more moderate approach to “a hard-line position," the New York Times notes. Dodd criticized "a Bush-McCain approach that has isolated us in our own hemisphere.” Added Richardson, “It's through direct negotiations that you deliver your toughest message.” (More John McCain stories.)