The Road to Havana

Not a Hope-Crosby movie but this bit of news.

Cuban President Fidel Castro celebrated the 53rd anniversary of the beginning of his revolution with an invitation Wednesday: President Bush should visit his communist island and see for himself what a real national healthcare plan looks like.

During a two-hour rally attended by an estimated 100,000 people, Castro mocked the recent report of the Bush administration's Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, which offered health, education and other aid for a democratic Cuba.

Citing an endless list of accomplishments, Castro said Cuba doesn't need a U.S.-designed social development plan. Cuba, he boasted, has an infant mortality rate of 5.56 per 1,000 births and more than 7,000 TV sets in Granma province elementary schools alone, according to Cuban government news websites

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Don't mind me if I fail to wish him a happy anniversary. Isn't that child abuse having all those children exposed to televisions?

''I think there are I don't know how many thousands of citizens of this nation that have even reached their 100th birthday,'' he said. ``But our little northern neighbors shouldn't get scared: I'm not thinking of working at that age.''

Somehow I don't see Fidel working at 100 either. That's because he is either 6 feet under or wearing depends 24 hours a day.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration made its own plans to pour millions of dollars into hastening a transition to democracy.

''You'd have to tell Mr. Bush and others who are promoting this program to come to Granma to see what a true health, education and culture program looks like,'' Castro said.

Somehow Fidel I don't see the Bushes accepting your invite to Cuba. That's unless you have a free election. What do you have to fear? If Cuba is as wonderful as you describe, the Cuban people will elect you overwhelmingly.

So Fidel, what are you afraid of?

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