John & Cindy McCain, Beer, and Cuba

A short diary to make note of something that was mentioned on Lou Dobbs tonight...I searched and didn't see anything else here about it...sooooo....

Does John McCain Have a Cuba Embargo Problem?
July 30, 2008
Lesley Clark--McClatchy-Tribune News Service

WASHINGTON -- The pending merger of American beer giant Anheuser-Busch and a Belgian company that brews and sells beer in Cuba is thrusting John McCain into the middle of thorny Cuba-U.S. relations.

McCain's wife, Cindy, owns the third-largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the country -- which means she would stand to profit by partnering with a company that is in business with the Cuban government.

McCain is a staunch advocate of the embargo, which bars most American companies from doing business in Cuba. Among the yet-to-be-resolved issues in the $52 billion deal is whether Belgian giant InBev - expected to operate under the name Anheuser-Busch-InBev - will continue to market its Cuban line of beer, and what that may mean for U.S. distributors.

Two of McCain's top Florida supporters, Miami Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, assailed the InBev-Anheuser Busch deal earlier this month, saying they are "deeply concerned" that Anheuser-Busch is about to be purchased by a company "with ties to the Cuban dictatorship, a state sponsor of terrorism."

A spokesman for the Diaz-Balarts said Tuesday night the two congressmen stand by their statement.

more

•  The McCains' response to this conundrum

  should prove to be interesting.

  by MTmofo on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:45:45 PM PDT

  •  Indeed it could...

    and could cost him the Cuban vote in Florida...

    Here is what a True U.S. Patriot stands for. 

    by SaraBeth on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:48:47 PM PDT

    •  Good! n/t

      by MTmofo on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:52:45 PM PDT

  •  yeah but

    but what MSM reporter is going to ask him about it?

    No one that doesn't want snarled at. Or ignored.

    Or, whoever does ask it will get the "that is my wife's business, I have no clue and/or get the fuck outta that kitchen" response.

    I'm not saying it's not a valid issue-- it is to me-- but it's just that I don't believe the MSM will go for it. Where's all the the pre-InBev/AB questions to McSame?

    (crickets)

    There's you post-InBev/AB questions too. Cindy is untouchable, about her adultery/drug/stealing, she is about her finances too.

    by OWCH on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 07:41:05 PM PDT

    •  btw

      tipped and recc'ed, just I don't see any real consequence. hope I'm dead wrong.

      by OWCH on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 07:42:34 PM PDT

      •  Thanks...

        We'll see, eh?  

        Here is what a True U.S. Patriot stands for. 

        by SaraBeth on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 04:02:08 AM PDT

•  Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart are...

  old school hardliners who are playing to the repub idea that the embargo works.  Anheuser-Busch sees the writing on the wall: with a democratic win, the embargo days are numbered.

  by appletree on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:48:04 PM PDT

  •  While I don't dispute this...

    it is still the law of the land... and until changed it is fair to question this merger on these grounds...

    Here is what a True U.S. Patriot stands for. 

    by SaraBeth on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:50:15 PM PDT

•  That's rich...the Cuba right wing nuts vs.

  the McCain family. Too bad Mas Canosa's gone - his dick would be knotted by now...

  by Massconfusion on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 06:50:13 PM PDT

•  I refuse to drink Cindy McCain's Cuban Communist

  beer.

  I think it outrageous that McCain would seek to profit from Cuban totalitarian communist Marxist-Leninist nationalistic-- and worst of all-- socialistic, socialized-medicine-advocating, bearded, child-raping, anti-American, timba-dancing orisha-worshipping, revolutionary, raft-building, radical, dissident, son-singing, baseball-playing, 56-Chevy-driving, tight-dress-wearing, Che-Guevara-worshipping

  Cuban

  beer-drinkers.

  by juancito on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 07:39:37 PM PDT

  •  Is this snark?

    If it is you forgot the tag.
    If it's not then shouldn't you be happy if the embargo gets lifted? That would mean Cuba will change,wouldn't it?

    by mint julep on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 07:48:45 PM PDT

    •  It's not snark-- I hate Cubanas in tight dresses.

      They're so--- evil.

      Okay it's snark. And I would totally like it if they lifted the embargo, and even renewed diplomatic relations with Cuba. So now a question for you:

      Do you think a (hypothetical-- cause I'm one of those who foresee a close election) future Obama Administration will possibly have the foresight, chutzpah and courage to do that?

      by juancito on Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 08:01:30 PM PDT

      •  I think Obama

        will lift the embargo.At least I hope so,but then I hoped Clinton would do it too and see how right I was with that.
        It serves no purpose other than using Cuba as a boogieman.I want to believe that most Americans are tired of it also.

        by mint julep on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:16:02 AM PDT