Sunday 6 November 2011

Touted running mate Rubio taking heat

Possible GOP vice-presidential candidate Marco Rubio has found himself coming under increased scrutiny of late. A PAC, named American Bridge, has released a web spot over a fortnight ago detailing how the Florida Senator has embellished his family story. Essentially, bad man Fidel drove my family out of Cuba and now I'm making it in big-time politics. Can I get a 'long live the American Dream!'

Marco Rubio speaks at CPAC. Photo: Gage Skidmore (Flickr)


After some digging by the Washington Post it has been exposed that the freshman Senator misrepresented just when his family departed Cuba. They joined what would become a well established community of Cuban exiles as a result of the Castro/Guevara revolution.



Whilst Rubio may have been caught padding out his life story for political capital, frankly, it's pretty common practice. The larger point here is that as Rubio ventures further forward into the national gaze he will need to be prepared for the media onslaught who, on behalf of the electorate, will upturn every stone to ensure the story he portrays checks out, factually.