Miami mayor withholds Obama endorsement

This update from Herald political writer Beth Reinhard, who is covering Barack Obama's speech inside the secure perimeter of Miami's Hotel Intercontinental:

In a noteworthy snub of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama,  Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, said he would not offer his endorsement today.

Diaz, who endorsed Hilary Clinton in the primary, said he would make a decision "on my own timetable."

The mayor is in the spotlight this weekend as newly installed president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and host of its conference, taking place this weekend at the Hotel Intercontinental. Obama was a featured speaker there this afternoon.

Diaz, however, said the purpose of the nonpartisan convention was to focus on urban problems.

Diaz also refused to say whether he shared the concerns of Cuban-exile protesters outside the hotel, who have condemened Obama as a terrorist. They have attacked him for having campaign advisors who helped return Elián Gonzalez to Cuba eight years ago. Diaz was a member of the legal team that fought to keep the boy with his Miami relatives.

"I dedicated six months of my life to that cause," Diaz said Friday. "I cringe every time I see the Cuban government use that boy for political purposes."

Comments

[Ericmiami]

Nice going, Manny! Thanks for the look into your soul and heart. I'll remember you at voting time!

[Ericmiami]

Act Cuban-exile community, Manny. Don't worry about making Miami the laughing stock of the United States. Have you thought of assimilating into your adopted country?

[Gilberto Gil]

So there are folks in the Cuban-American community in Miami who call Obama a terrorist? Are these people on drugs?

[Jonfk]

Finally a Democrat that knows the reality. We will remember you at election time and we will re-elect you time and time again...thank you!

[Jonfk]

Finally a Democrat that knows the reality. We will remember you at election time and we will re-elect you time and time again...thank you!

[Jonfk]

Finally a Democrat that knows the reality. We will remember you at election time and we will re-elect you time and time again...thank you!

[jakd]

It is great to see that there are some people that realize both McCain and Obama are a joke. I am just worried it maybe too late

[Melissa]

Thank you
Gracias
Thank you

Leadership...so hard to find

[Melissa]

Thank you
Gracias
Thank you

Leadership...so hard to find

[Melissa]

Thank you
Gracias
Thank you

Leadership...so hard to find

[Chris]

Well.

The comments on this blog, as this backstabbing "Democrat" Miami mayor, prove to me once again that what we have in Florida and its commercial capital are not fellow citizens but carrying members of the Banana Republic.

Come visit Atlanta, the Olympic City to 'busy to hate' Obama.

We will show you respect, even when 'other' Democrats won't.

[Marianna]

"Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, said he would not offer his endorsement today.
Diaz, who endorsed Hilary Clinton in the primary, said he would make a decision "on my own timetable."

It seems that Manny is waiting for incentive, like, say, a scratch my back and I'll scratch yours type of deal. It's time we vote out these pseudo, spineless Dem's and vote in true progressive Democratic leaders.

He is our nominee and will most likely be our next President. He deserves our respect.

[doug]

Good for you Manny. There is no need to support Obama at all. The majority of Floridians didn't and probably won't. Even if it means voting for McCain.

[Wisewoman]

Good for you mayor. I salute you. This 63 year old black female will not vote for this phony either. He lied on the Clintons when accusing them of race baiting in SC when he and his acmpaign were the ones spinning lies about them. The man is a danger to his country. I detest him because he dishonored the people who worked for civil rights in this country, both black and white. The news media knew better but was complicit in this farce.

[Larry]

Honestly, what is the purpose of using the Herald spaces again and again to let those nuts say Obama is a terrorist? He's a politician, a professor of constitutional law, a community organizer. Isn't it enough to have their lies all over your comments? Keep their vile opinions out of your news reports.

[Jerry]

The United States, Florida and Miami-Dade are all democracies. The people protesting Senator Obama have a right to speak for what they think is right. However, they should be confronted by the mayor for calling him a terrorist or un-american. Even Bloomberg had the class to do that.

[Debarak]

It's good to see a man stick to his principals. Good for you Mayor Diaz.

[Not Fooled]

Good for you Mayor Diaz. Barack Obama is dishonest and corrupt. His corruption is documendted in a u-tube video, "Obama's Strange Bedfellows" and another messy story, "6/18 Larry Sinclair's press conference"

He exploited the young and African American voters, then sold them out to promote sexism to undermine a more qualified candidate. Many are organizing online JustSayNoDeal.com to contest his selection by the DNC. A protest is being planned for the August DNC convention.

Don't be fooled. Diaz knows. Find out. Get involved.

[Fred L. Hartkopf]

Mayor Diaz,

like so many refuse to accept the reality of a man of African-American descent, who in all reality will probably be the next President of the United States. You guys just won't allow those of AFRICAN AMERICAN descent to add to our society, or our culture.

[Not Fooled]

Obama exploited his race and tries to hide his dishonesty behind it. Ask Reverend Wright.

[PR]

Manny Diaz is a pitiful excuse for a Mayor and a Democrat. I hope you enjoy getting shut out of the Obama administration, you loser.

[Mr. Hector diaz]

This is crazy. That lil boy seems happy in cuba and geting treated better than half the cubans in florida. Obama had nothing to do with this situation. If he's guilty by association than so all of bush's republican buddys for the war and all the deaths it has caused. If you choose not to vote for obama let it be because you don't agree with his policy not over this or because of hillary. And yes I am Cuban!!!!

[Mark Kraft]

Sounds like Manny Diaz is going to endorse Obama soon enough...

"He was right on message,'' he said, explaining that he would support the candidate who would do the most for America's cities. "He said everything I wanted to hear."

Good. He'll come around. He just wants to give the Clinton supporters in Miami a chance to come around first.

If I were Obama, I would campaign through Florida with Hillary. That would put any such difficulties to an end.

[Codger]

The comments from republican voters here are to be expected. I know that pretend democrats here calling Obama names are just that, pretending to be democrats. Hillary is campaigning with Obama, Florida is going to vote Democrat this year, and Obama is a breath of fresh air. His support among cubano-americans is high. Manny you are making a mistake, or you shouldnt have run as a democrat.

[Not Fooled]

I am an American voter whoes values have been aligned with the Democratic Party in the past. I expect RESPECT for DIVERSITY and the PRACTICE of INCLUSION from my party. The candidate selected by the superdelegates is an empty suit. Note, the Democratic Party is 54% female and the Superdelegates are only 36% female. This does not reflect the party or the general population whoes majority vote went to the female candidate. Why was the less qualified candidate selected?

Hillary Clinton has not released her delegater or conceded the nomination. We have not heard from her since she suspended her campaign. She has not been campaigning with Obama and the first such scheduled event will not be until the end of this week.

Even though I voted, I otherwise sat by while George W. Bush got elected twice. Not this time. FIND OUT. GET INVOLVED. TAKE ACTION.

[msnz911]

What a disgrace! Mayor Diaz is jus a pot to pee on.
Acting like his endorsments going change the dynamic of the race.
Keep your endorsement and shove it.
When times come, we will remember you and send you back where you belong: In a gutter.

[Jay]

It is irresponsible to keep printing these ridiculous claims that Obama is a terrorist. Shame on the Herald! If you're going to print this stuff, at least do some research into whether it is true or not. Simply re-printing lies is not journalism.

[Not Fooled]

Here are some more "lies" about Obama as in U-Tubes Obama's Strange Bedfellows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNfRb87dtY4

[Not Fooled]

Msnz911/Jay,

If you want to back a candidate who sells out his own minister of 20 years (who helped put him in office) to gain the support of the delegates he needed to promote enough sexism to undermine a more qualified candidate, then you will probably end up with the expected consequences.

Unfortunately, if he gets elected, so will America. Find out. Don't get foold again.

[prplvette85]

Thank you mayor for staying with what is right. It takes a bigger person to stand strong for his convictions than to fall in line and sell your soul. We will stand strong with you.

http://blog.pumapac.org

[prplvette85]

Manny,
what makes you think obama will even give anyone the time of day after he is done using them. Look what he does to his lifelong associates. do your research, you all will be under that bus sooner or later. obama cares about obama he proves that over and over. open your eyes and water down that kool aid before its too late..

[Harley ma]

Here we go again. NOT FOOLED spews some untruths and if he is not fooled, he is certainly fooling himself. Obama is not a terrorist, and for the mayor to allow the protesters to call him that is foolish on his part. It shows his ignorance. I am proud of our mayor, Marty Chavez of New Mexico. He also was a Hillary supportor, but he reported that he and Senator Obama had a positive conversation on energy issues, which are an issue for all AMERICANS.

[Not Fooled]

Mayor Diaz is a smart man who knows Obama. Diaz knows that no matter what Obama says, you have to watch what he does. "He said everything I wanted to hear."

Obama's entire campaign is full of broken promises and manipulation. He has been involved in alot of corruption. Checkout the video onU-Tube, Obama's Strange Bedfellows -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNfRb87dtY4

[antifish]

Thank you, Mayor Diaz, for withholding your support. Barack Obama lacks the judgment, leadership, integrity, and most importantly, the experience to be president. Both his book, "Dreams of My Father" and his 20 year association with Wright and Farrakhan give cause to believe he is a racist. The sooner America wakes up, the better. The DNC selected Obama by giving him delegates he did not earn, stealing earned delegates from Clinton and giving them to him, and strong-arming superdelaegates into supporting him. This is not representative democracy. Fight Back!!!

www.blog.pumapac.org

[heysandy]

WAY TO GO, MR. MAYOR!

Thank the Good Lord someone in the UnDemocratic Party still has some principles. You're going to come out on the right side of this, sir! Just stick to your guns.

Proud PUMA Democrate
blog.pumapac.org

[Maxy samy]

Someone calls Obama an empty suit

THE PRESIDENT OF HARVARD LAW REVIEW! Please.

[FLORIDA BABY!]

MANNY, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION WHEN YOU MAKE THESE STUPID DESCISIONS. WE ARE NOT LIKING THIS FROM YOU. YOU ARE DESTROYING YOUR FUTURE POLITICAL CAREER IN MIAMI. THIS MAY PUT YOU IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR NOW, BUT THIS WILL TURN TO A FLASHLIGHT AT THE NEXT ELECTION.

[ShortTermer]

Dear Manny, all of us who Obama and his fiends voted as HALF A PERSON and did not go by their own rules and did not follow FAIR REFLECTION
salute you! These actions are not representative of the America I know, and not the America that I want the youngest of family [2 year old] to have to grow up in.

Manny, we are not half persons, that harkens back to the days of Jim Crow; and I truly believe with all my heart that the Obamanation want all of us who are not AA's to be forced into being the Jim Crows of today's America.

Stay strong, we have your back. Call on us when you need us. We are proud of those Americans who have a backbone and a heart that is true - for never before in the history of our great nation have we needed strong hearts so much.

[patrick]

Cubans should use extreme caution when talking about terrorism. Have we all forgot about the 5 accused of the bombings??

[Mandela]

Be careful. Your distrust of ANYONE who does not share your passion and focus over Cuba/Cuban issues is immediately cast aside. You don't attempt to educate or reason with people who don't see things exactly like you do.
Remember that most of America doesn't get it.
Please, remeber when you placed the American public in the cross hair by not allowing Nelson Mandela to come to Miami. Your State/city was boycotted and America still doesn't get the issue.
Try to explain and educate. Don't threaten it doesn't work and turns the rest of us off

[Marty1]

Thank you Mayor! Maybe for the first time in your adult life you are sharing my feeling "ashamed to be part of the Democratic Party". I have been a life long Democrat, but apparently with the only 2 choices we have, I will have to endorse the one who scares me LESS-McCain!

Stick to your opinion.
Sincerely a Clinton Supporter for President

[Publius]

It's incredibly irresponsible for the Herald to reprint accusations that Obama is a "terrorist." Shame on you.

[ac]

What a spoiled brat this mayor is. When Obama is President he'll remember stuff like this.

[בחירות לעירייה לראשות העיר למועצת עיריית ראשון לציון]

All that an elected Mayor could do would be exactly the same. Belive me, I am dead against congestion charging - in fact I was the person who proposed that the Council reject it in the first place! But I am also dead against a Mayor because of the loss of democratic accountability and the sky high cost. It will make not one jot of difference on congestion charging.

[Anne]

Please let's not re-live the "Flori-duh" debacle of 2000. How has the Republican governance of the last 8 years helped our state? Our school system is bankrupt, college is less affordable, property taxes and insurance are ridiculous, young professionals have fewer and fewer reasons to consider moving here, we've been among the worst affected in terms of the real estate bust and foreclosure increase, and now they want to drill off our coasts, to boot! Cuba is one issue of MANY affecting us in south florida, and as a Cuban I must say here and now that the Republicans have done little to nothing on that issue as well! They just continue to play us and pit us against other minorities!

Obama is the best candidate either party has offered in a long time. It's important to be intelligent, worldly, and charismatic. But that's not all he has to offer. Before you spew more ignorance, take a look at his actual policies...some of them are similar to ones that McCain himself used to endorse when he was a "maverick" and not Bush Jr. the second.

If nothing else moves you, then how about the fact that Iraq has a 79 billion dollar budget deficit while our great nation has national debt in the TRILLIONS and get more in debt to China (a communist country with *real* threat potential) every single day. Is this the nation we idealized from the shores of our little communist island?

[Anne]

I meant that Iraq has a 79 billion dollar SURPLUS from oil money (which was supposed to pay for the war and national reconstruction) while we have a deficit in the trillions.

[P Alfonso]

There is something Manny and I share in common: We both migrated from Cuba in 1961.

It is obvious that Manny Diaz was not old enough to see the transformation that happened in his native country during 1959,1960,1961 and 1962. National movements towards a radical left are almost inconceivable unless you have experienced it. Nevertheless he should have done enough research so that one day he would not associate himself with the same kind of politics that brought him into exile in the United States.

I see that as an Independent he has been a Clinton supporter and although not yet endorsed Barack Obama he is on the list of speakers at the Democratic Convention.

I see on his website that on August 13th he sent a letter to President Bush with concerns of political disqualification in Venezuela. Once again unknowingly we had shared something in common, as on August 16th I posted on my website the article:
Barack Obama and Hugo Chavez: Two of a kind?
www.readwhatisee.com

I certainly hope that he take a look at his past to avoid making a mistake for the future.

[TTown Jim]

And one more paper that endorsed Obama is for sale.

[TTown Jim]

And one more paper that endorsed Obama is for sale.

[TTown Jim]

And one more paper that endorsed Obama is for sale.