OUR THUG:

Rubio Elected Fla. House Speaker-Designate (AP, September 13, 2005)

Republicans elected Rep. Marco Rubio as the Florida House's first Cuban-American speaker-designate on Tuesday in a ceremony broadcast live to Cuba over U.S.-government-backed Radio Marti.

The 34-year-old Miami lawyer described Cuban President Fidel Castro as a "thug" who forced his parents to flee their homeland before he was born.

"It's hard to be apolitical when you grow up in a community of political exiles," Rubio said in his acceptance speech.

Rubio was elected by a unanimous vote in the House GOP caucus.

Cuba's best men are leaders in America.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 13, 2005 10:02 PM