BBC:

Cuba's ailing leader Fidel Castro has announced he will not return to the presidency, in a letter published by official Communist Party paper, Granma.

"I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," he wrote in the letter.

Mr Castro handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent intestinal surgery.

The 81-year-old has ruled Cuba since leading a communist revolution in 1959.

In December, Mr Castro indicated that he might possibly step down in favour of younger leaders, saying "my primary duty is not to cling to any position".

Soon afterwards, Raul Castro appeared to suggest that his older brother still had an important political role to play, saying the president still had full use of his mental faculties and was being consulted on all important policy issues.

Given his health these last couple of years, this should surprise no one. It will be interesting to note if the US-Cuba relations should manifestly change without Castro and how supportive the fairly influential Cuban-American community in Florida will be of making even a movement towards diplomatic relations with Cuba. Steve Clemons at The Washington Note looks at how the presidential candidates are likely to react.

Raw Story: (h/t DLBB)

Rep. Hinchey: New bill would break up media monopolies and restore fairness doctrine

Warns media reform critical to prevent 'end of democratic republic'

Concerns about monopolies and fears of a possible "fascist" takeover of the US media have prompted a Democratic congressman to push to restore the Fairness Doctrine, RAW STORY has learned.

"If Rush shoots his mouth off, he must give equal access to our side," Hinchey said. "The American public will begin to get both sides or all sides of an issue. That is basic - fundamental to a democracy."

Taylor Marsh wants you to know that when it comes to the Fairness Doctrine, Alan Colmes is a punk, and I gotta say, I agree with her. Hey, Taylor, know who is a much bigger punk? David Limbaugh:

What do the paternalistic proponents of the regulations mean by the representation of "all sides?" Would the terrorist viewpoint deserve equal time? Don't laugh, many believe that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter and liberals routinely sympathize with tyrannical dictators like Fidel Castro and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

I'm just sayin'...

Anti-Castro Majority Leader Tom DeLay enjoys a fine Cuban cigar

via Eschaton

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes, according to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a cigar is an economic prop to a brutal totalitarian regime. Arguing against loosening sanctions against Cuba last year, DeLay warned that Fidel Castro "will take the money. Every dime that finds its way into Cuba first finds its way into Fidel Castro's blood-thirsty hands.... American consumers will get their fine cigars and their cheap sugar, but at the cost of our national honor."

I like this part of the story: Asked about the Majority Leader's consumption of a Cuban cigar, his spokesman Dan Allen replied there has been "no change in our Cuban policy."

The right wingers will probably start saying stuff like:

Powerline : " We still haven't been able to verify that the cigar in question is actually a Cuban cigar at all. Assrocket says that they counterfeit Cuban's all the time. I have been calling TIME magazine, and right now they aren't returning my calls which smells fishy to me.

Powerline Update: We have just been emailed from an anonymous source that reveals the the cigar in question actually came from Harry Reid's office.

Powerline Update II: The cigar came from one of Mel Martinez's aids. Tom didn't realize that it was a Cuban cigar so he smoked it. That aid has since been fired."