The Greatest Negotiator in U.S. history wins release of 53 Cuban political prisoners. Wait...maybe not.

A couple of weeks ago the emperor--a fellow the lying media have been telling us for seven years is the world's absolutely bestest negotiator--negotiated a deal with the murderous, dictatorial regime that runs Cuba.

In exchange for Cuba releasing one U.S. citizen and one Cuban (who is beginning to look like a double agent), the emperor agreed to release three convicted Cuban spies. 

The deal had another part too: the emperor agreed to remove the U.S. embargo on Cuba--potentially releasing a flood of investment to the mismanaged island nation--in return for Cuba's release of 53 Cuban political prisoners.

Now, the 53 Cuban political prisoners weren't U.S. spies or citizens, just Cubans who had been jailed for criticizing the Castro regime.  As a result some Americans questioned the benefit to the U.S.  I mean, it's fabulous that the 53 would be released, but was that a reasonable exchange for lifting the U.S. embargo? 

But of course not a hint of this criticism made it into the Democrat state media--the big story that  crowded out all the details was the crowing over the achievement of the long-sought (by the Left) goal of lifting the embargo.

But then something odd happened:  Two weeks after the deal was announced as done, some reporter--no doubt looking for a heartwarming story about some of the Cuban political prisoners finally being freed--noted that there hadn't been any such stories.  So he asked one of the State Department's Grubers--the consistently uninformative Jen Psaki--if State had any information on progress in freeing the 53 Cuban political prisoners.

Here's the exchange:

After Psaki stated that she had no updates to provide, a befuddled Matt Lee asked, “Hold on.  What’s happening? Are they out? Are they not out?  Where are they?”

Psaki: “I don’t have any more updates to provide for you, Matt.”

Lee:  “So the Cubans don’t actually have to do anything?”

Psaki: “Matt, no. This is something they’ve agreed to.  I would point you to them for any updates on the number of people or the people have been released.”

 This surely wins the prize for off-the-charts irony:  The State Department telling a reporter, in effect, "If you want to know what's going on, ask the Cuban government."  Not "We're working round the clock to find out" but "Ask the Cuban government."

This also confirms that the 53 were indeed part of the deal, since Psaki didn't say "We decided not to negotiate for their release."  It was part of the deal, but now Cuba seems to be thumbing its nose at the emperor.  How unexpected!

But really, what are 53 Cuban political prisoners in the Great Scheme of things?  What's important is that Barry got to preen as a great negotiator, the Left and the Castros got what they wanted, and anything else is trivial.

Aren't you proud of our amazing emperor?  Thanks, Democrats!