Senate hopefuls hit the stump on Cuba policy

The four top candidates in the race to become Florida's next U.S. senator vied Monday to show the state's politically powerful Cuban-American community why each would be the best to fight for democracy in Cuba.

Gov. Charlie Crist, GOP challenger Marco Rubio and two Democratic candidates, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and ex-Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, addressed the US-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee, which backs a hard-line stance against Cuba. It was the first time since the Senate campaign began that all four attended an event simultaneously.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has chipped away at Crist's lead, was the candidate to receive the most applause from the audience of more than 300, including some of the nation's most powerful Hispanic political, media and business leaders.

It was Democrat Meek's 83-year-old mother, former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, who stole the show, garnering a standing ovation during a shout-out from her son.

During his speech, Rubio warned that U.S. policy toward Cuba says as much about America as it does about Cuba.

"Do we still mean all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights?" he asked. Or "have we come to a point in our history where we believe that selling rice and cattle to a tyranny is more important than standing by the principles that underlie our founding?"

Crist stressed his experience as governor and commitment to the state while highlighting his grandfather's experience immigrating from Greece.

Carrie Meek was honored for her long commitment to Florida and the Cuban-American community. Her son indirectly linked her struggle as a single mother and her fight against racism in the United State to the struggles of human rights activists in Cuba.

In response to those in his party who think the United States should offer more olive branches to Cuba's government, Meek said, "We have made several moves as Americans toward the Cuban government and the Castro regime, but they have not moved not one inch toward democracy, free elections or releasing political prisoners."

Long-shot Democrat Ferre, who is from Puerto Rico and a six-term Miami mayor, took perhaps the most daring position of the day, urging the audience to support Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez despite her opposition to travel restrictions on the island, a measure supported by the PAC.