THEN: Fidel Castro, in a 1965 interview, decried the gay threat, telling American journalist Lee Lockwood, “Young people should not be in the hands of homosexuals."

NOW: Last February, after 49-years in power, long-time leader Fidel Castro stepped aside and handed the presidency to his brother, Raul. Though still all in the family, many see Raul's ascension as a positive move for the island, a sign that the communist government could evolve. A little over a month later, Mariela Castro, the president's daughter and leader of the government-backed Center for Sexual Diversity (CENESEX), took a progressive step when she called on the government to rewrite the 70s-era Family Code and pave the way for civil unions.

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In late July 2006, Mr. Castro, who is 81, handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raúl Castro, 76. …

Now, just days before the national assembly is to meet to select a new head of state, Mr. Castro resigned permanently in a letter to the nation. …

“I will not aspire to neither will I accept — I repeat I will not aspire to neither will I accept — the position of President of the Council of State and Commander in chief,” he wrote.

He added: “It would betray my conscience to occupy a responsibility that requires mobility and the total commitment that I am not in the physical condition to offer.”

James C. McKinley, Jr., "Fidel Castro Resigns as Cuba’s President," New York Times

Not only is Fidel Castro not dead, he's apparently schilling for Alan Greenspan. [HuffPo]

Exclusive

While ailing Fidel Castro has been keeping the press at bay to avoid the off chance they might, like, hint that he's nearly dead, we hear 20/20's Barbara Walters is on her way to scoring an exclusive get with Cuba's leader. Not only that: She's taking Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez along for the ride.

An insider tells us the ABC queen is set to fly down to Venezuela for a meeting with Chavez and then galavant northeast to the island nation for a sit down with Castro. We checked with a well-placed insider at ABC, who says the plans are moving ahead and that the interviews could take place as early as next week (Christmas time, y'all), but the details are not yet a definite go.

Meanwhile, another tattler tells us ABC staffers, at least, have been on Castro death watch as recent as last week, standing by waiting for the "red alert" newsroom wire chime. Which would've put a real damper on Babs' very merry, very Communist Christmas.

From here on Jossip, Friday:

Fidel Castro's exiled daughter Alina Fernandez has been hired by CNN as a contributor. Even more interesting? That she's Fidel's exiled daughter seems to be about the only reason CNN gave her a job.

From Jon Friedman's Markewatch column, today:

CNN's latest stretch for publicity was a doozy of a gimmick: it announced late last week that it had hired Fidel Castro's daughter as a contributor, just as the Cuban dictator's health became the island's biggest news story since the heady days of Elian Gonzalez. He was the bewildered little boy who found himself at the center of a media storm in 2000. [...]

You have to wonder exactly what journalistic verities Alina Fernandez brings to the job.

It's not that we're accusing Jonny of stealing our nutgraphs. But that he's making the same points as – egads! – blogs? We thought that'd be so below him.

CNN's still better at making news than breaking it [Jon Friedman, Marketwatch]
Related: While Fidel Ails, His Daughter Finds a Job

Via Inside Cable News comes this timely bit of news: Fidel Castro's exiled daughter Alina Fernandez has been hired by CNN as a contributor. Even more interesting? That she's Fidel's exiled daughter seems to be about the only reason CNN gave her a job. From the memo:

Alina Fernandez, exiled daughter of Cuban President Fidel Castro and someone critical of his policies, has joined CNN as a network contributor, it was announced today by Susan Bunda, senior vice president for news of CNN/U.S. Fernandez, who fled Cuba in 1993, will provide analysis and commentary from Miami.

The rest of things, after the jump.

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