Despicable: Newt Goes on Miami Spanish Radio Claiming Romney Supports Castro

By Gary P Jackson

I’ve seen candidates pull some despicable stunts, but this is just beyond the pale. As everyone knows Miami has a huge Republican leaning Cuban population. Obviously they are no fans of the Castro brothers. Many escaped the island’s dictatorial grip to come to America.

I came across this story over the weekend. It’s a fine example of the sort of person Newt is. It’s right out Newt’s socialist comrades’ playbook of demonetization. Alinsky would be proud.

First the back story. In 2008, evidently trying to connect with the Cuban population in Miami, Romney used a phrase connected to Castro. Not his finest hour, and a shining example of why, if you don’t have a clue, just be yourself and hope for the best. Don’t try to “fit in” when you clearly don’t.

Now most of us would see this, make fun of Mitt Romney…. relentlessly…. and move on. Not Newt. Nope, he’s running ads, in Spanish, on radio stations that serve the Cuban market.

When Newt Gingrich stopped by WAQI-AM (710), better known as Radio Mambí, last Friday, he promised to soon be on the South Florida airwaves in English and Spanish.

He has followed through, at least in part, airing a Spanish-language ad on some of the most influential radio stations in Miami.

In the piece, a man’s voice (not Gingrich) calls Mitt Romney a “liberal” who is “anti-immigrant” and may have “fame” but not be up to the job of president. Perhaps most damning, the ad says, “Mitt Romney goes around using Castro phrases,” referring to the 2008 presidential campaign when Romney, campaigning in Miami, mistakenly associated a Fidel Castro slogan with a free Cuba.

Romney talked about Patria o muerte, venceremos — Fatherland or death, we shall overcome — a trademark phrase Castro used to close his speeches. Romney’s use of the phrase did not sit well with Cuban Americans, who, according to a Miami Herald report at the time, ”
“winced.”

The ad also refers to Miami Republicans Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who have backed Romney but whom Gingrich served with in Congress.

[ …. ]

Here’s the text of the latter portion of the ad. The translation is ours.

Newt Gingrich is a candidate who has committed himself to the Hispanic people, a Republican in the style of Ronald Reagan with experience. Unlike Mitt Romney, who goes around using Castro phrases, Newt Gingrich fought against the regime alongside Ileana and Lincoln to approve the Helms-Burton law. He supported the creation of Radio and TV Martí and is in favor of prosecuting the Castro brothers for bringing down the Brothers to the Rescue planes. Newt Gingrich has given his word to the Hispanic community in writing and won’t let us down.

Now obviously, beside the lie that Romney supports Castro, Mitt is not “anti-immigrant” as Newt suggests. He does have a record of being tough on illegals.

Meanwhile, Newt is the biggest amnesty shill left in the race.

The Herald has this response from the Romney campaign:

UPDATE: Here’s a response from Romney campaign spokesman Alberto Martinez:

“This ad is false and full of ridiculous claims. Mario Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart all stand with Mitt Romney because he has laid out a clear vision for spreading democracy in our hemisphere. By attacking anyone who supports common-sense border security and immigration reforms as ‘anti-immigrant,’ Newt Gingrich is once again reading from Barack Obama’s liberal talking points.”

Read more here.

Anyone who watched Monday night’s debate knows that Mitt Romney has a pretty strong anti-Castro stance. Regime change is something he supports.

Newt Gingrich has done some really rotten things in his life, but this ranks up there with some of the worst.

Politics is war, that’s for sure, but honorable men [and women] fight the battles using FACTS about the candidates and themselves. Newt is not an honorable man. He lies about his own record, and then lies about others as well.

Is this the sort of man we want leading our nation? I don’t think so.