At the recent Democratic debate in Austin, Texas, journalist Jorge Ramos (swooooon!) asked audacious presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton how they felt Fidel Castro’s resignation would affect U.S. policy towards Cuba. And they were like, “Horny.” JK! They didn’t say that. But much clichéd rhetoric and accusations of back-tracking followed:

MR. RAMOS: Very simply, would you meet with him or not, with Raul Castro?

SEN. CLINTON: I — I would not meet with him until there was evidence that change was happening because I think it’s important that they demonstrate clearly that they are committed to change the direction.

Then I think, you know, something like diplomatic encounters and negotiations over specifics could take place.

But we’ve had this conversation before, Senator Obama and myself, and I believe that we should have full diplomatic engagement, where appropriate. But a presidential visit should not be offered and given without some evidence that it will demonstrate the kind of progress that is in our interest and, in this case, in the interest of the Cuban people. (Applause.)

Clappety, clap. And what say you, Senator Obama?:

SEN. OBAMA:I would meet without preconditions, although Senator Clinton is right that there has to be preparation. It is very important for us to make sure that there was an agenda and on that agenda was human rights, releasing of political prisoners, opening up the press. And that preparation might take some time.

But I do think that it is important for the United States not just to talk to its friends but also to talk to its enemies.

In fact, that’s where diplomacy makes the biggest difference. (Applause.)

One other thing that I’ve said as a show of good faith, that we’re interested in pursuing potentially a new relationship, what I’ve called for is a loosening of the restrictions on remittances from family members to the people of Cuba as well as travel restrictions for family members who want to visit their family members in Cuba. And I think that initiating that change in policy as a start and then suggesting that an agenda get set up is something that could be useful, but I would not normalize relations until we started seeing some of the progress that Senator Clinton talked about.

Clappety, clap. Beep beep boop. And then a little glimpse of awesome:

MS. BROWN: But that’s different from your position back in 2003. You called U.S. policy towards Cuba a miserable failure, and you supported normalizing relations. So you’ve back-tracked now.

Gadzooks!

SEN. OBAMA: Well, the — I support the eventual normalization, and it’s absolutely true that I think our policy has been a failure.

I mean, the fact is is that during my entire lifetime — and Senator Clinton’s entire lifetime you essentially have seen a Cuba that has been isolated but has not made progress when it comes to the issues of political rights and personal freedoms that are so important to the people of Cuba.

So I think that we have to shift policy. I think our goal has to be ultimately normalization, but that’s going to happen in steps.

Nice save. Now, Senator Clinton. Anything to add?:

SEN. CLINTON: Well, I agree absolutely that we should be willing to have diplomatic negotiations and processes with anyone. I’ve been a strong advocate of opening up such a diplomatic process with Iran for a number of years because I think we should look for ways that we can possibly move countries that are adversarial to us, you know, toward the world community. It’s in our interest. It’s in the interests of the people in countries that, frankly, are oppressed, like Cuba, like Iran.

But there has been this difference between us over when and whether the president should offer a meeting without preconditions with those with whom we do not have diplomatic relations, and it should be part of a process. But I don’t think it should be offered in the beginning because I think that undermines the capacity for us to actually take the measure of somebody like Raul Castro or Ahmadinejad and others.

And as President Kennedy said, he wouldn’t be afraid to negotiate but he would expect there to be a lot of preparatory work done, to find out exactly what we would get out of it.

Because Kennedy’s handling of the U.S.-Cuban relations went over swimmingly. Made people happy as pigs in mud, Kennedy did. Oh well. We hope Raul didn’t already pack his jammies in his little “Dora the Explorer” rolly-backpack, because Hillary and Barack totes aren’t interested in a playdate.

Transcript: Democratic debate in Austin, Texas [International Herald Tribune]
Image [LOLbama]