THE PRESIDENT STARTS HIS LATIN TOUR - AT 6:25 P.M. ET:  President Obama is in Mexico.  Before beginning his Latin tour, he issued a statement that's been reprinted in a number of Spanish-language newspapers.  There are good things and bad things.  Naturally, the president includes his boilerplate America bashing:

Too often, the United States has not pursued and sustained engagement with our neighbors. We have been too easily distracted by other priorities, and have failed to see that our own progress is tied directly to progress throughout the Americas.

Yeah, we've been distracted by other priorities, like the Cold War, preventing nuclear annihilation - stuff like that.  And there's more:

This week, we amended a Cuba policy that has failed for decades to advance liberty or opportunity for the Cuban people.

Okay, now that the Democratic California delegation has been satisfied, let's move on.  There are some good things in the president's statement:

That is why I look forward to the day when every country in the hemisphere can take its seat at the table consistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter. And just as the United States seeks that goal in reaching out to the Cuban people, we expect all of our friends in the hemisphere to join together in supporting liberty, equality, and human rights for all Cubans.

That's directed at Chavez and his pals, some Americans included.  Let's see if the president can get through this trip without groveling, and maybe even noting some of the great things the United States has done for the world.

April 16, 2009