Sen. Rick Scott: Bernie 'Can Kiss Florida Goodbye' After Praising Castro
Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont will never carry Florida now that he has doubled down on his praise for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, according to Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida.
During a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Feb. 23, Sanders praised the increase in literacy that took place in Cuba during Castro’s rule. He stood by that on Tuesday in a debate in South Carolina.
“What I said is what Barack Obama said in terms of Cuba, that Cuba made progress on education,” Sanders said then, according to a CBS transcript.
The comment triggered booing from the audience, leading Sanders to launch a furious defense of his position.
But to Florida voters, many of whom fled Castro’s Cuba themselves or have family members or know others who did, the position is indefensible, said Scott, a former governor of Florida.
“You can kiss Florida goodbye,” Scott said Friday on the Fox News show “America’s Newsroom,” when asked about the comments.
See the interrview below. Scott’s Sanders comments start about the 6-minute mark.
“You’re not going to have people that fight to get away from socialism vote for it again,” Scott said.
Scott said most Democrats favor socialism, but will avoid making that public.
“Bernie Sanders is the only Democrat being honest. He says what he believes. The others are all socialists, they just aren’t saying it,” he said.
After the Fox News hosts wanted to move on, Scott had one more thing to say about Cuba.
“Let’s go back to Cuba for a second. Let’s remember Castro had firing squads. There was a lady I gave a Freedom Award to. She got her hand chopped off by the Castro regime. She complained that they would close a school in her community and got her hand chopped off. Bernie Sanders is supporting this? This is crazy,” he said.
Many on Twitter agreed with Scott and criticized Sanders
Bernie really stepped on his own nuts today with the fawning over Fidel Castro. That cost him Florida and without Florida he is toast.
— David (@David_P1975) February 24, 2020
If I wanted to live in Cuba – I’d move there.
There is little economic difference between Bernie Sanders and the tyrants in Havana – and that is the truth.
https://t.co/Pr6ty9hoYu— Bill O’Reilly (@BillOReilly) February 24, 2020
Scott had earlier criticized Sanders for his pro-Castro position.
“Bernie Sanders has made it clear that he is shamefully ignorant and has no respect for those fighting for freedom,” Scott said in a Feb. 24 statement on his website, after Sanders accused the American Israel Public Affairs Committee of promoting “bigotry.”
“His comments in support of the brutal Castro regime, and now his accusations against AIPAC for ‘bigotry,’ are disgusting, but not surprising from a far-left socialist pushing an anti-Israel agenda. The United States must reject this behavior and rhetoric, and stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights,” the statement said.
Democrats also vented their disgust with Sanders, according to The New York Times.
“I’m totally disgusted and insulted,” Lourdes Diaz, a Cuban-American who is the president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus in Broward County, told the newspaper. “Maybe this will open people’s eyes to how super, super liberal and radical Bernie is. I’m not going to defend him anymore. I’m over it.”
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