An email (it's flying around) that my mom forwarded to me (obviously another scare tactic - similar parallels have been drawn between the hypnotic effect on the masses with Obama and Hitler - fear is still a tactic in the campaign):

In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive. When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him.
They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed.
When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said, 'Praise the Lord.'
And when the young leader said, 'I will be for change and I'll bring you change'; everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'
But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed.
By the time everyone received their free educat ion, it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented, Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status.
By the time the change was over, more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans.
Fortunately, America would never fall for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America ? RIGHT?
Remember these words from Thomas Jefferson 'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.'


Now, another part of the reality. U.S. policy towards Cuba has not been successful. If anything, it has prolonged and increased the misery of Cubans. It could be argued (I'm leaving out the political prisoners and human rights violations) that many of Castro's social plans were held back or stopped by external political pressure (e.g. U.S. embargo). What is the answer? Read some of the links (if you are interested) and decide for yourself:


http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/cuba-politics-here-at-home/#more-4325
Ms. Brown: But that’s different from your position back in 2003. You called U.S. policy towards Cuba a miserable failure, and you supported normalizing relations. So you’ve back-tracked now.

Mr. Obama: Well, the — I support the eventual normalization, and it’s absolutely true that I think our policy has been a failure.


More on the candidates and Cuba:

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/002321.php

McCain reminding the U.S. of Obama's plans in 2003:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/05/21/in_florida_mccain_challenges_obamas_position_on_cuba/
While in 2003, during his first US Senate campaign, Obama supported relaxing restrictions on US-Cuban relations without qualifications, he has recently insisted that Cuba show signs of moving toward democracy as a condition for such a change in policy.

Still, supporters of Obama, who is scheduled to address a different gathering of Cuban-Americans in Florida on Friday, appeared happy to accept McCain's contrast between the two candidates' stances toward Cuba. Democrats accused McCain of adjusting his position, as well, saying that during his 2000 presidential campaign he had called for normalizing relations with Cuba - if the country took steps toward democracy.

Both candidates have changed their position to further their standings in the polls over the course of the election. Both actually shared the same position at different times. The question is, what will either candidate really do if anything? Since Obama will win, the question should be, what will Obama really do about Cuba? What will the new President of Cuba have to do about it if anything? Will it change at all until both the new U.S. President has been in office for months and Castro no longer holds power (even behind the scenes)?