President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shared an awkward handshake Monday that drew nearly as much comment from U.S. media as the historic meeting between the two leaders.
Obama and Castro met for a press conference Monday to discuss the United States’ loosening of restrictions on Cuba. Both leaders also took questions from the press.
Obama, Raul Castro Have Historically Awkward Handshake; Stunned I Haven’t Done This One Yet:https://t.co/CBn2QIMRae pic.twitter.com/vhJK4mRWBc
— Gavon Laessig (@gavonl) March 21, 2016
rarely has “diplomatic flap” been quite so literal https://t.co/cw4DcfivBI
— Ariel Edwards-Levy (@aedwardslevy) March 21, 2016
.@POTUS, Raul Castro share awkward photo op following joint press conference https://t.co/kvtdRFvV3V pic.twitter.com/igeCQASz8m
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 21, 2016
They’re just doing that Whose Line Is It Anyway game where Colin has to move Ryan’s limbs pic.twitter.com/TrkeqqQfYW
— Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller) March 21, 2016
This image pic.twitter.com/5iHcm0PViP
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) March 21, 2016
This is so uncomfortable and I can’t stop watching itpic.twitter.com/EJVDDNDi1j
— Justin Sink (@justinsink) March 21, 2016
#Wolverines pic.twitter.com/GweQ9iSRNO
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 21, 2016
I mean what happened here https://t.co/kXdqXGZdMM
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) March 21, 2016
“I’ve made a huge mistake.” https://t.co/ABV8n0hI7A
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) March 21, 2016
THERE IS NOT A RED TEAPOT OR A BLUE TEAPOT
ONLY A LITTLE TEAPOT, SHORT AND STOUT https://t.co/9x5RCRXEYl
— Eliot Nelson (@eliotnelson) March 21, 2016
CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Castro about the country’s political prisoners, and the Cuban dictator denied any such persons exist.
“What political prisoners?” he asked. “Give me a name or names after this meeting is over … and they will be released before tonight ends.”
Obama said elsewhere during their meeting that he welcomes Cuba’s “constructive criticism” of the United States.
“When we share our deepest beliefs and ideas with an attitude of mutual respect, then we can both learn and make the lives of our people better,” he said.
