Two of the people at the Miami-Dade Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday
night left with a phenomenal impression of Sen. Marco Rubio and support his run for presidency.
But they weren’t guests. They didn’t buy the tickets that started at $150 for a stuffed chicken dinner with jumbo asparagus.
They served the plates of chicken and asparagus.
“He inspires me. He gives me hope,” said Miguel Rivero, 46, who waited on Rubio’s table with Marina Uran, 54.
Read related story: Marco Rubio shines bright at Jeb-less Lincoln Day Dinner
“He’s young. And he is already making laws as a senator,” said Uran. “His parents have instilled good values in him and they are immigrants like us.”
Uran, a Colombian-born citizen registered as a Republican, says he’s got her vote. But he probably had it already: She was at the Freedom Tower when he announced his candidacy in April.
“He will be our next president. God willing,” she said.
Rivero, a Cuban, is not yet a citizen because he needs to travel back to Cuba as often as possible to see his wife and stepdaughter, who he has tried to bring to the U.S. for three years. But he hopes to be naturalized and registered by November 2016.
“I want to vote for him. He is Cuban like me and even though he is a Senator, he is the kind of person who doesn’t forget that he came from humble beginnings,” Rivero said.
Both said they know Rubio’s story and that his parents worked jobs like theirs.
“His father was just like me, working in a room like this one, to serve people like him,” Rivero said.
Read related story: It’s out — Marco Rubio sets sights on 2016 White House
Uran said that she worked at the Marriott JW Marquis in Miami where President Barack Obama spoke in 2012 and that she was not even allowed in the room. “I think they brought their own servers. None of our staff worked that event,” she said.
Ladra approached Uran and Rivero when she saw Rubio — after patiently posing for what seemed like 100 or more selfies — suddenly stop in his tracks on the way out the room, extend his hand and thank them for their service that night.
He didn’t have to. He didn’t know I was looking. There were no cameras around anymore. It was a sincere gesture.
“He thanked the whole staff,” Rivero told me.
Maybe it was the caffeine.
Said Uran: “He didn’t touch his food, but he had lots of coffee.”
Among Marco Rubio’s biggest fans — servers at GOP dinner added by Ladra on
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Maybe you should have told them that Marco does not support raising the minimum wage. Hospitality workers are harmed more than any other profession with low wages, they are also usually uninformed on political policy.
These must be trolls. They make Golden boy sound like he is the next coming of Jesus Christ. But as with all that appears to good to be true even Golden Boy will prove to be Fool’s Gold. He’s a career politician who can talk a good talk, but has yet to do anything of significance. He’s novelty in a cheap souvenir shop.
I would vote for him for a popularity contest. He is very sweet and easy to engage in conversation, but I cannot vote for him for President. His policy views are horrible for me, and he is swayed too much by those in the far right corner of the boxing ring. Every president/presidential candidate that I have met, has been exceptionally charming. They don’t rise to the top by being curmudgeons.
I do know the case of a Cuban American who called his office for help. She was in a dispute with her bank. Instead of his office helping the constituent, they ended up helping the bank. Why offer help to a poor old lady, if you are only going to help screw her over?
Art, I assume you are a Democrat. I have met many presidential candidates too, and not all of them were EXCEPTIONALLY CHARMIN, the others tried, and you could tell. Ronald Reagan, was EXCEPTIONALLY CHARMIN, so is Marco Rubio, also Rick Perry, and believe it or not Bob Dole, he is also very funny. Mitt Romney and Jhon McCain were not what I would call a peoples person, (they tried)
And that Bank story, sound fake, why would you call your Senator, because you are having a dispute with your Bank ??
These are the types of stories that need to be told. There are good hearted people in the world. Mr. Rubio is in a heated contest, everyone wants to and needs to win in order to lead. We want the right person to win and lead. I am starting to be won over, especially after reading this story. It helped me to connect with him. Thanks again.
Joe, thank you for sharing that story. I think that really says a lot. Coupled with the account of the servers it really does paint a picture of who Mr. Rubio is.
Marco Rubio is genuine. When the father of a murdered girl asked for a meeting with Rubio, he took am entire hour, in the middle of a day long event, to meet with us. Eyes don’t lie and his eyes told me he was genuine. Selfies are important to politicians running for president but I would bet my bottom dollar that hebwas genuine to the employees at his event. He has my vote as a man, not a politician.