Karen Bass walks back Castro comment amid VP vetting

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Rep. Karen Bass on Sunday walked back a years-old characterization of the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, seemingly seeking to defuse an escalating controversy as the California congresswoman contends for a spot on the 2020 Democratic presidential ticket.

In an interview on MSNBC, the five-term House lawmaker and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus addressed her decision to describe Castro as “Comandante en Jefe” in a statement she issued marking his death in 2016.

The Spanish phrase, which translates in English to commander in chief, has been criticized as unduly deferential to the communist strongman who presided over various human rights abuses.

“I have talked to my colleagues in the House about that, and it’s certainly something that I would not say again,” Bass said. “I have always supported the Cuban people, and the relationship that Barack Obama and Biden had in their administration in terms of opening up relations.”



Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/27/karen-bass-castro-comment-vp-vetting-382316

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Bass is 67; is that the "new generation" we're looking for in 2024?

[Merlot]

1. Bass would be a placeholder, not a serious presidential contender

5 term house member from California with no national profile. Why is she being considered?

[Laelth]

6. Biden has enough "national profile" for the whole ticket.

Karen Bass is no lightweight.

-Laelth

[qazplm135]

10. Probably because, she'd be a placeholder and not a serious presidential contender

Harris is being attacked primarily because she'd be a formidable candidate as the sitting VP, and I'm fairly certain others who would like to run (and their supporters) are not keen on that happening.

[Merlot]

17. Exactly, she's a placeholder.

That (if it were to happen) to be a mistake. If Biden didn't run in 2024, we'd need a strong VP who has made a name for herself.

[Laelth]

20. Placeholder?

That’s what they said about Harry S. Truman.

-Laelth

[qazplm135]

22. oh stop

Karen Bass is not Truman.

She's a fine human being who has done great things. She's not the next President of the US.

[Laelth]

23. When Truman became VP, he had less political experience than Bass has now.

That’s all I am saying.

-Laelth

[qazplm135]

26. no

that's not all you are saying, and it's a pretty specious comment.

[Grins]

2. Why do they let these people out without their handlers????

This isn't that hard.

[hlthe2b]

4. Comment made in 2016 ...

Yeah, I know the Cubans of Miami will make hay, but I rather doubt the context was as laudatory as some would suggest.

[hlthe2b]

3. Bass is not the hard hitter I think we need in this position, NOW, especially.

I do like her, but I want someone who can be both a "hard-assed bad cop" that holds the Trump ilk to count and an engaging voice and strategist. Obviously, Biden needs a good working relationship and hopefully a close connection, but he needs so much more from this particular pick.

[Laelth]

7. She was Speaker of the California Assembly.

I suspect she hits harder than you think.

-Laelth

[hlthe2b]

8. Perhaps, but she hasn't come across that way in interviews or congressional hearings...

[Laelth]

9. Not yet, perhaps.

Karen Bass plays a very understated political game, like Obama, but she plays it well, and she’s fantastically liberal. She is also under very serious consideration by Team Biden—for good reason. She has a long and accomplished career in politics. She’s my favorite for the VP slot at this point.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Bass

-Laelth

[Callado119]

24. You keep saying that, but..

How many Presidents, and a VP has to ready to be president on day one, have the highlight of their career being a speaker in a state legislature? Few have gone from the house of reps to be president or VP as well because people don’t feel they are experienced or tested enough unless they are a sitting or for U.S. Senator or governor who’s won statewide races. While Bass may be a good congresswoman, she would be the definition of a lightweight as VP. Picking someone so inexperienced when there’s a highly qualified sitting us senator who’s also a black women just because they think Bass will be more subservient would be tokenism and would hurt the campaign. This Cuba mess would already cost them FL, so hopefully they steer clear of her..

[Laelth]

27. California isn't just ANY state.

California has more people than Canada, but the main point about her being Speaker is that it proves she’s a leader. Nancy Pelosi, for example, is qualified to be President, I would think. Bass may have no executive branch experience, but neither did Truman when he became FDR’s VP.

-Laelth

[Laelth]

5. She was probably encouraged to walk back this comment ...

... by Team Biden.

She is under SERIOUS consideration. Do not underestimate her. She was Speaker of the California Assembly, after all. She’s no lightweight.

-Laelth

[groundloop]

19. I honestly don't see the big deal about that particular comment.

Calling Castro "Commander In Chief" is hardly as though she were fawning all over him. To me it sounds like a handful of Cuban republicans looking for an excuse for a fight.

And from what I've read about Karen Bass it sounds like she could be a good choice.

[Laelth]

21. Presumably, it hurts the party in Florida.

Either way, she walked it back, and I am not aware of any other political baggage that haunts her.



-Laelth

[getagrip_already]

11. get the hook - next!

We need someone younger and better vetted. Sorry, she doesn't make any grade, california speaker or not. That is not exactly a paramount virtue.....

[marble falls]

12. "Comandante en Jefe", like him or not, that's what he was. Can we find anything less important ...

to split hairs about????

[Zeus69]

13. She's not the choice.

Never was going to be the choice.

[Laelth]

16. Your absolute certainty piques my curiosity.

Care to elaborate?

-Laelth

[Zeus69]

30. Can debate...

Who the choice should be, but this is a race among Harris/Demings/Rice. That’s why I feel “certain“ it is not Bass.

I am on record that the pic has been Harris internally for quite some time. The rest is due diligence and the “process”.

We will know soon.

[Laelth]

31. Fair enough.

My early support for Harris evaporated after the murder of George Floyd. She’s just not a good look for us in 2020. That and I am not looking forward to watching Republicans running ads from our primary debates showing Harris ripping up our nominee, but you’re right. We will know soon enough. Personally, I am in no hurry.

-Laelth

[Sherman A1]

14. Never heard of her

but I hope that Biden will pick a strong running mate.

[Progressive Jones]

15. I don't understand why Bass is wanted by so many.

What does she bring to the table?

[Laelth]

18. She won't overshadow Joe.

She’s younger than Warren. She didn’t attack Joe in the primaries like Harris did. She’s an African-American woman who has a good shot at becoming President if she’s Biden’s VP (and this will be great for turnout). She’s a strong liberal. She’s not a pro-state, pro-lock-em-up-forever former prosecutor (bad optics in 2020). She was the Speaker of the California Assembly. She’s a hard-working, no drama, behind-the-scenes leader and legislator.

She’s well worth Biden’s consideration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Bass

-Laelth

[qazplm135]

25. It's pretty clear this is more about

your dislike of Harris than anything else.

Particularly with your BS description of her as "pro-state, pro-lock-em-up-forever."

[Laelth]

28. That description applies to Demmings too.

It’s not all about Kamala, and I am very fond of Kamala, but 2020 is the year of BLM, and a former prosecutor may not be our best choice.

-Laelth

[qazplm135]

29. no it doesnt

stop slandering two accomplished women with this BS.

[JonLP24]

32. I can't wait for a "new generation" that doesn't get bent out of shape over Castro

US allies with Saudi Arabia and Biden said the Egyptian dictator isn't a dictator.

Biden: Mubarak not a dictator, protests not like Eastern Europe

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/140923-biden-mubarak-not-a-dictator-protests-not-like-eastern-europe%3famp