Affable, serious, ambitious, intelligent but not extremely so, a bit vacuous but likable overall.
I went to (a tiny, private midwestern )college with Marco Rubio in 1989-1990.
Someone told me he wanted to be a politician. So one day, we were standing in the lunchline.. I said, 'Hey, man, what do you want to do when you grow up/"(seems like a pretty funny question to ask but we were both 18.)
He looked at me, sort of stood up really straight and said, very seriously: "I hope to be the first Cuban-American in the United States Senate."
I said, sort of humoring him because I remember thinking that while he wasn't an idiot or anything, neither did I get the sense that was he particularly bright, "Why not president?"
He said' Oh, I don't think that would be possible. I'm not dreaming that big."
„Why not?, I asked. „Because of racism?“
“I, well, uh, well--Yeah, basically, because of racism."
“I don’t think that being Cuban is a problem for most people.”
“You don’t?”
“No, most people where I’m from don’t think about that. If you were black, that would be a different story.”
“Yeah! A black man will never get elected”, he said.
“I agree,” I said.
“It’s too bad,” he said.
“It is,” I agreed. “But anyway, I don’t think being Cuban is a big problem."
“I do,” he said.
I said, ‘Well, even if it is now, it won’t be in 20 years when you’re old enough to run for president."
He looked really thoughtful, and then he said,’ Yeah, maybe it 20 years it will be possible.”
_________________________
We went on and talked a bit more especially about Democrats and Republicans. At the time he was a Democrat(he was only 18) but told me he thought the Republicans had some good ideas. I remember thinking that he would probably end up changing parties at some point.
I went to (a tiny, private midwestern )college with Marco Rubio in 1989-1990.
Someone told me he wanted to be a politician. So one day, we were standing in the lunchline.. I said, 'Hey, man, what do you want to do when you grow up/"(seems like a pretty funny question to ask but we were both 18.)
He looked at me, sort of stood up really straight and said, very seriously: "I hope to be the first Cuban-American in the United States Senate."
I said, sort of humoring him because I remember thinking that while he wasn't an idiot or anything, neither did I get the sense that was he particularly bright, "Why not president?"
He said' Oh, I don't think that would be possible. I'm not dreaming that big."
„Why not?, I asked. „Because of racism?“
“I, well, uh, well--Yeah, basically, because of racism."
“I don’t think that being Cuban is a problem for most people.”
“You don’t?”
“No, most people where I’m from don’t think about that. If you were black, that would be a different story.”
“Yeah! A black man will never get elected”, he said.
“I agree,” I said.
“It’s too bad,” he said.
“It is,” I agreed. “But anyway, I don’t think being Cuban is a big problem."
“I do,” he said.
I said, ‘Well, even if it is now, it won’t be in 20 years when you’re old enough to run for president."
He looked really thoughtful, and then he said,’ Yeah, maybe it 20 years it will be possible.”
_________________________
We went on and talked a bit more especially about Democrats and Republicans. At the time he was a Democrat(he was only 18) but told me he thought the Republicans had some good ideas. I remember thinking that he would probably end up changing parties at some point.
Over the years I thought of him now and again. I imagined that he was probably working in the Florida state legislature.
Recently, when I saw him on TV, I thought...''wait a minute...' Did a quick google check and sure enough...same guy!
Another college friend says he remember Marco Rubio and his girlfriend dressing in identical tracksuits and jogging together. I definitely remember a Hispanic couple that did that at that school and I think it was probably Rubio but I can't be sure it was Rubio. For the most part we were in different worlds at school, him being a football player while I was a theatre major. And he left after that year.
Another college friend says he remember Marco Rubio and his girlfriend dressing in identical tracksuits and jogging together. I definitely remember a Hispanic couple that did that at that school and I think it was probably Rubio but I can't be sure it was Rubio. For the most part we were in different worlds at school, him being a football player while I was a theatre major. And he left after that year.
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