You're watching...
Florida senator sets the record straight on his family history and whether he's running for vice president
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Hi I'm Bill O'Reilly thanks for watching us tonight no talking points memo this evening because we have an in depth interview with senator Marco Rubio of Florida.
As you may know the Washington Post is raising questions about senator -- -- family and his political narrative as a son of parents who fled Castro's Cuba.
According -- Paper mr.
rubio did not accurately put forth a timeline in ginned up.
His parents refugee status courses -- very emotional and touchy issue.
So we wanted to hear senator reveals response also -- senator consider a vice presidential run.
I spoke with Marco Rubio on Friday.
By senator the -- the Washington Post has had to make it a pretty big deal out of it I'm not really see in the great importance of the story is it your timeline is off on your family history.
Of coming from Cuba to the United States did you mislead anybody and in your family history when you talked about it.
No absolutely not the -- of my parents came I was always under the impression that it was in the late fifties and until very -- recently didn't realize that it wasn't they came earlier taken earlier for the first time as legal residents to the United States no special privilege.
But here's the point is -- relevant to whether -- exiles -- not the day that I was born in May of 1971.
My parents could not return.
To them -- to the nation of their birth.
Unless they're willing to live under communism in 1956 the opportunities they had in the United States for better in the opportunities over Cuba it wasn't a Communist thing for them primarily they just wanted to come for better life for the first time they came right for a first cut right and then when they try to go back then they saw the chaos that Castro had imposed on the island.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- the bottom line is it misses the point.
I don't need to embellish trying to and a minor -- is very simple and the son of exiles and of immigrants and that has framed my political thought.
Some people say the much impose one do -- hit job on you because you don't -- rising -- -- Republican Party possible VP candidate.
Under consideration.
Do you believe that I don't know what what their motivations were made that when I -- -- mad about it.
I'm not mad about it is -- the record to be straight look at they wanna say that I got the dates wrong their right and I admit that I didn't know best and -- that but.
But I got the dates wrong but -- that I think my parents when exiles and -- -- misled people about the essence of my personal story.
That's not fair it's outrageous and and I I was really wish -- would have corrected their article because I don't think it accurately reflects.
What I said or what the essence of my stories -- critical last week -- pres Obama even after Qaddafi.
Was killed.
While some Americans say lying to the right thing why did you remain critical after development I'm glad things worked out the way they did but here's the problem.
That we have this -- and the fact that this is a protracted.
Conflict the fact that it took so many months statements statements but here's what's happened a lot infrastructures been destroyed in Libya has to all be rebuilt.
Thirty some odd militias have -- -- that's going to be a -- to get them to disarm you have a lot of young man who instead of entering the workforce and rebuilding the country.
Are now young man that need medical rehab prosthetics because they've been injured in war.
That that the cost of rebuilding the country has -- exponentially higher -- the United States had just gotten engaged a little bit earlier and a little bit more aggressively.
You know what happened last week would have happened months ago and -- a cost a lot less money that would have been a lot less uncertainty here's what else happened in the last eight months.
Thousands of shoulder fired rockets have gone missing.
And now these rockets are out there capable of shooting down airplane and we don't know where they are would you.
If you were in charge of put American troops and now and the Libyans that'll do that you would -- -- harder.
We would have done a no fly zone earlier in the process that the rebels and had no fly -- when they asked for this and women are -- you what you want more aggressive action quicker but not necessarily any more military -- -- on the ground here's the other thing NATO has limited capabilities the British and the French they're working very hard -- -- a very good job but they don't have the weaponry we have -- we had just stayed in that -- a little bit longer.
This thing -- ended sooner as well.
Now you're watching -- Republican debates right.
I have seen all ninety of them now either an opponent -- -- this got -- did you know -- -- -- -- new cable channel 24 just debates as I -- reality -- now when you see these guys on stage and and and congresswoman -- many are you like in the flow here to have opinions about some of the things they say it's not that they necessarily got it wrong I would say differently.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- But I'm encouraged that Herman Cain is offering his plan it doesn't hurt to start there wasn't more importantly it's now forcing other candidates offer there's and that's a good thing -- we're gonna have a debate in the Republican primary on ideas.
We know we're gonna win this election in 2012.
And I think that's what I hope will be -- -- -- these candidates are allowing to see to have happen is that they're they're engaging and ideas.
The driven debate what do what about the punching each other you know Larry -- Romney Latino or do we like to see -- -- -- -- -- the Democrats that it -- ran fifty state primary.
And and -- He doesn't offend you and then go after each other it's gonna happen and when does that not happen it's amusing though right.
Part of it's amusing it's part of the process we that's not to accept Indian politics we can decide it is somehow to -- your pretty feisty guys somebody came up -- you instead yeah I think you probably go back -- when you.
In the most effective way possible I suppose you -- -- I think actually is good though I think it's it's important how the record set straight there is focus on -- of possible VP candidate because Florida obviously is it state that the Republicans have to win.
And you're Hispanic American -- the Republicans have to get the Hispanic to at least consider them voting for them this time around so.
That's -- at the top of pretty much everybody's list not saying that they're gonna pick you -- you being considered.
-- right.
-- -- think about that while honored by it but quite frankly I'm focused on my job on the -- that's what everybody said no it's true but I don't of course it's true.
You know your senator they elected you to help them into Florida you have to -- even -- area.
Okay and that's what -- hadn't in New Jersey right but you could get a call is very very.
Possible.
That you and your not gonna sit here and rule out that yeah well let me tell you why do number one -- is that -- there are some things that only rule on it out write this -- factor definitely I get this district.
So no matter who the nominees for the Republican point.
If they say I'd like you senator rubio.
To consider being vice president you're gonna say absolutely not I'm not gonna do yeah I'm gonna say I've been here in the United States senate for about a year there's some things I wanna -- doing here but I really really want to accomplish some things and it's off the table.
That is.
That's that's almost shocking the you -- just -- -- with -- you're good on TV.
You -- absolutely a conservative.
You represent Hispanic Americans and a fine way and if you could elevate the Republican Party into the White House you're telling me you wouldn't like -- -- from the senate and because you can't.
Assure you can absolutely not you will -- import of one of -- hundred there you have it there's a lot of important public policy that's come out of the sentence that's an important place we can do a lot of good from there.
It would focus on.
I believe I can do just as much good I would -- -- that view and high.
A couple of merit -- changes every firewall I think look I'm glad to be at odds with the folks I'm glad -- -- an honest -- because certainly this is going to be area.
Nasty campaign and in Florida it's gonna be super -- when -- you have a president when you have a president whose record is one of making things worse they have no choice but to make it that way and that'll be unfortunate the American people deserve better and I could see you in ten years maybe even sooner running for president yourself.
Or having a show here on fox.
You might want to think about guys that.
I know being the -- factor why got to get out of here some -- -- -- -- -- absolutely it's live right there I could see you running for president.
First Cuban American president I could see it well -- be a tremendous honor you know obviously that's.
Those are things that present themselves down the road and absolutely but you know -- here's the key and right now it's really important for me at this stage 91012 months and in my career in the senate.
To focus on that and and not talk about these other things because the starts affecting the way you behave and how you vote and very -- do things are true there was plenty of time for those kind of decisions later so that's a pleasure to have you -- thanks very much thank.
