# Obama shakes hands with Raul Castro. So what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 10, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985 "2013-12-10T15:32:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/41 "2013-12-10T18:52:07Z")
In the given context it’s actually ironic that the only guy who deserves to be there is, in fact, Raul Castro. Who knows, maybe Obama is paying “respects” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/42 "2013-12-10T18:53:10Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > John McCain, of course… > Sweet Jesus, shut up! You fatuous old twit, shut the _fuck_ up! How many Americans are there in Cuban prisons anway? Serious question. Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/43 "2013-12-10T19:02:51Z")
The handshake is only a scandal for the wackos. This, on the other hand, could get some traction: [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbIvjgxIIAAppF\_.jpg:large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbIvjgxIIAAppF_.jpg:large) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/44 "2013-12-10T19:10:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What did China or Vietnam do? Ex-fucking-actly. While China with their deplorable human-rights record and pollution-belching factories gets most favored trading status and having diplomatic relations with Vietnam after almost 20 years it’s still a controversy that our President shakes hands with a non-Fidel Castro? Give me a freaking break. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/45 "2013-12-10T19:10:52Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > The handshake is only a scandal for the wackos. > > This, on the other hand, could get some traction: [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbIvjgxIIAAppF\_.jpg:large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbIvjgxIIAAppF_.jpg:large) That’s rough. Who is that woman? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/46 "2013-12-10T19:21:03Z")
Did you notice Raul lean backwards a bit in the presence of Obama …? I think he was awed by the Spirit of annotating on President Obama something an ungodly country is not use to … there must be a reason we still have diplomatic problems with Cuba and the secret will not be released any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/47 "2013-12-10T19:26:45Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > That’s rough. Who is that woman? The Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. There’s another photo of her taking a selfie with Obama, and David Cameron 😃 Michelle doesn’t look very pleased in that photo either. [http://news.sky.com/story/1180483/cameron-and-obamas-selfie-at-mandela-service](http://news.sky.com/story/1180483/cameron-and-obamas-selfie-at-mandela-service) ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/48 "2013-12-10T19:37:02Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. There’s another photo of her taking a selfie with Obama, and David Cameron 😃 Michelle doesn’t look very pleased in that photo either. > > [http://news.sky.com/story/1180483/cameron-and-obamas-selfie-at-mandela-service](http://news.sky.com/story/1180483/cameron-and-obamas-selfie-at-mandela-service) I made a comment on HuffPost that reporting from Mandela’s service seems to be written by TMZ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/49 "2013-12-10T19:42:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > They became an outpost of Soviet power in the Western Hemisphere. And nationalized property owned by Americans. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > How many Americans are there in Cuban prisons anway? > > Serious question. Anybody know? I can only find references to one, [Alan Gross.](http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/02/20/u-s-delegation-trip-leaves-cuba-after-unsuccessful-negotiations/) [Amnesty International](http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/pris-cuba.html) doesn’t list any Americans amongst prisoners of conscience in Cuba. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/50 "2013-12-10T20:29:33Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Shaking hands is a form of communication. Communication is always a good thing. Bad things happen when there is no communication. Paw Paw is better than War War? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/51 "2013-12-10T21:31:34Z")
Just when the embargo was starting to really become effective, Obama goes and does this! 50 years overdue. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/52 "2013-12-10T21:57:44Z")
> [@XT](#): > > …He shook hands with Raul? That’s nice. Wonder if he’s gotten to boink the wife lately… Even if Raul were complaisant enough to offer his wife, Vilma Espín has been dead a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/53 "2013-12-10T22:35:35Z")
So the consensus is he should’ve yelled “psyche!” then pulled his hand back and done a little spin dance. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/54 "2013-12-10T23:02:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > They became an outpost of Soviet power in the Western Hemisphere. So the current embargo is the result of inertia? I think a couple of hundred thousand Cuban votes in Florida are probably more important than anything else right now. > [@ralph124c](#): > > No problem with this. The zombie-like Castros will soon be gone, and the best way to end the communist government in Cuba is to open up trade and travel. The Cuban revolutionaries are dying off fast-and the new generation wants to live a decent lifestyle-so the faster the regime goes, the better. If this were the 1980’s I’d say we should transmit MTV to them over the airwaves. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/55 "2013-12-10T23:29:02Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > So the current embargo is the result of inertia? I think a couple of hundred thousand Cuban votes in Florida are probably more important than anything else right now. Well, the generations of the Miami Cuban community are changing; how much is something we might learn something about in November 2014. (I don’t say the “Florida Cuban community” because Tampa has a Cuban community dating from the 1880s and, as Castro’s revolution did not drive them here, he’s never been a very big deal to them.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/56 "2013-12-10T23:34:05Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > If this were the 1980’s I’d say we should transmit MTV to them over the airwaves. Forget MTV, transmit Univision. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/57 "2013-12-11T01:02:01Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Even if Raul were complaisant enough to offer his wife, Vilma Espín has been dead a few years back. Ah, you know, Obama doesn’t need to scrump some old, dead chick when he’s got his own wife to do bad things too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/58 "2013-12-11T01:09:24Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > I can only find references to one, [Alan Gross.](http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/02/20/u-s-delegation-trip-leaves-cuba-after-unsuccessful-negotiations/) > > [Amnesty International](http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/pris-cuba.html) doesn’t list any Americans amongst prisoners of conscience in Cuba. Maybe McCain doesn’t realise that Gitmo is an American installation? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/59 "2013-12-11T03:10:59Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Ah, you know, Obama doesn’t need to scrump some old, dead chick when he’s got his own wife to do bad things too. 😉 But the the look she was giving at the interaction with Madame PM seemed to suggest our guy is going to have some chilly nights coming up… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-shakes-hands-with-raul-castro-so-what/675985/60 "2013-12-11T03:47:26Z")
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