President Obama was criticized for staying in Cuba to go to a baseball game with Raul Castro instead of heading back to Washington in the aftermath of ISIS’ latest global attack.
Obama even did the wave with the dictator during the Major League Baseball exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team at the Estadio Latinoamericano.
“Americans and Cubans share a love of baseball, and this is yet another powerful reminder of the kinship between our peoples as well as the progress we can achieve when we leverage those natural ties,” the White House said in describing the event on Obama’s schedule.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich first hit Obama over the game during a morning press conference, telling reporters in Minnesota he was a “little surprised that the President is going to a baseball game, when I believe he should, had I been president, I would have cut short my visit.”
Kasich expressed similar sentiments on CNN, and told Fox News Radio that Obama “ought to get back to Washington and ought to be on the phones.”
“Perhaps they could work them from Cuba but I wouldn’t be going to any baseball game today, that’s for darn sure,” he said. “I think he should suspend that visit, fly back to Washington and arrange some conferences with the heads of state.”
Asked this morning if Obama should have cut his trip short — he flies back to Washington tonight — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told Fox that “while our friends and allies are attacked by radical Islamic terrorists, President Obama is spending his time going to baseball games with the Castros.”
“And standing at a press conference with Raul Castro…while Castro denies there are any political prisoners in Cuba. And then even worse, President Obama goes out of his way to agree with Castro’s attacks on America,” Cruz added.
The White House pool report noted there was a moment of silence for the terror victims before the game without any specific mention of Brussels.
Obama was seen talking with Derek Jeter and Jackie Robinson’s widow. He was “smiling, sunglasses on, and chewing gum.” Secretary pf State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and senior advisor Valerie Jarrett also watched the game.
Wave of arrests in #Cuba while #Obama does the wave w/ #RaulCastro. #POTUS did promise 2 have ‘fun’.Tourism travel? pic.twitter.com/HVr8EAjYcJ
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) March 22, 2016
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