Fox News "Hannity" - Transcript Interview with Marco Rubio

Interview

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Here with more, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is with us.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO, R-FLA.: Thanks.

HANNITY: Senator, when you think of how many people from Cuba risked their lives -- first, how many people were murdered as Castro came to power and the poverty he created -- broken down, dilapidated, rickety boats in shark infested waters, risking their lives to come here to get away from there. You know as much about this as anybody.

RUBIO: Yeah. I mean, Fidel Castro -- first of all, two and a half, over to close to two and a half million Cubans have fled the island since the Castro revolution. Many served 30 years in jail. Many were executed after show trials.

People died in the straits of Florida in rafts to get away from it. Families divided, never able to (AUDIO GAP) see their relatives again. Others died before they could see them again. So, it's a terrible tragedy embedded in this.

But I want to say something (AUDIO GAP), Sean. (AUDIO GAP) this one comment, this is not about one comment. This isn't really to be some -- she's not being sincere when she says it's about one comment.

Congresswoman Bass has a long, appears to be, three to four-decade history of being an admirer of the Castro regime. It started as a student. It continued during (AUDIO GAP) during her time in government and even up into her time here in Congress. She frequently visited the island, both as the part of Venceremos Brigades that were there to participate in the revolution and be helpful to it, and as recently as a few years ago. So, this is about more than just one comment.

And let me say one more thing, what she said the other day that Republicans have taken to calling every Democratic communist, that's just false. I'm the first to tell you, there are many Democrats that have worked with us on this issue, a number of them that feel strongly about it, especially in Florida, but other parts of the country.

This is about her. It's about her long track record and, frankly, she would be the highest profile Castro sympathizer we've ever had at any level in American government.

HANNITY: What do you make of this radical left turn? The Democratic extreme socialist party?

RUBIO: Yeah, I mean, that's where the energy is coming from in that party, and there was a point made earlier about Joe Biden -- you know, Joe Biden is a solid liberal. (AUDIO GAP) the party has moved so far to the left that it leaves him looking like a centrist to some people.

It's not that he's moved. He is still right on the liberal side. It's that the energy in the party has moved further left.

But here's the problem, when he -- if he becomes president, God forbid, all the people in his administration will come from that group and you will see a fundamental change in this country that will please someone like Congresswoman Bass, for example, that sympathizes with the (AUDIO GAP) --

HANNITY: All right.

RUBIO: -- Castro (ph) regime.

HANNITY: Senator, as always, thank you for being with us.

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