FLORIDA IS DEFINITELY IN PLAY

Obama spoke before a MAJOR Cuban-American group and he was well-received. McWAR only offers the stale approach of the rabid right.

Foundation warm to Obama's ideas
Sen. Barack Obama spoke to an enthusiastic Cuban-American crowd.
Posted on Sat, May. 24, 2008
MIAMI HERALD

BY CASEY WOODS, ALFONSO CHARDY, AND BETH REINHARD
cwoods@MiamiHerald.com

The prominent Cuban-American organization that Republican President Ronald Reagan once counted on to secure victory in Florida was electrified on Friday by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

In a lunchtime speech to the Cuban American National Foundation, Obama offered a new Cuba policy approach to an audience accustomed to presidential candidates coming to show solidarity, but not to challenge the long isolation of the island's communist government.

Obama, greeted by a standing ovation and scattered chanting of his campaign slogan, ''Yes we can,'' touched on one of his more controversial ideas: a willingness to meet with Cuban leader Raúl Castro.

Obama's speech offered a sharp contrast to the remarks delivered just four days ago by presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain in Miami. McCain's stay-the-course message was warmly received, but CANF President Pepe Hernandez said he was disappointed.

''We love Sen. McCain and we have been friends with him for a very long period of time, but we think at this juncture of history of the Cuban process we need to try new approaches and new methods,'' Hernandez said. ``There was nothing in his speech that we have not heard before.''