CASTRO TO US: PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A NON-BUSH ERA
By R J Shulman
HAVANA, Cuba – In a speech delivered to reporters, Fidel Castro said today that in a little over a year, George W. Bush would no longer be in office and he hoped that America would embrace fair elections, support education, decry bigotry and greed and seek to provide universal healthcare. “I cry out to my American brothers and sisters to rise up and take back the freedom and fundamental fairness that had made America great.”

The Cuban leader suggested that countries who hold fair election should send emissaries to the United States to help make sure that the election of 2008 is fair. “We would like,” said Castro, “to be able to welcome the US back into the family of peaceful and fair minded nations.”