(CNN) - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was joking when he said at a Florida fundraiser last spring that he would have a better shot at winning the presidency if he were Latino, Sen. Marco Rubio said Wednesday.
On a conference call with reporters, Rubio said that the comments - recorded secretly and published earlier this week along with other clips of the same event by a left-leaning magazine - were intended to be a line of humor.
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"Well I think he meant it as a joke," Rubio said. "At least, that's how most reasonable people would take it."
In the fundraiser, Romney said, "My dad, you probably know, was the governor of Michigan and was the head of a car company, but he was born in Mexico.
"Had he been born of Mexican parents, I'd have a better shot at winning this, but he was unfortunately born of Americans living in Mexico," Romney said to laughter at the fundraiser. "They'd lived there for a number of years, and I mean I say that jokingly, but it'd be helpful if they'd been Latino."
Rubio, who is Cuban American and a rising star in the GOP, and Romney acknowledged the candidate was on the list of people he was vetting to join his presidential ticket.
The Senator from Florida said Romney has made a similar reference or joke like that in the past.
Romney is to speak Thursday evening at a forum hosted by the Spanish-language television network Univision, then hold a rally in Miami, Florida.
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- Obama camp wastes no time highlighting Romney tapes
From CNN Politics
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The "joke" will be on Romney when he is declared the loser on the evening of November 6th...
Hay ,rubio ,you can go down the toilet with romney the tax cheat ,in Nov or when ever your on the ballot in Florida ,loser !!!!!!!!!
Rubio ,your nose is brown !!!!!!
Didn't say "latino" said "mexican."
If that was a joke, Im the Queen of England
There is a big but at the end of that joke.
If so, this would be the first indication that Romney even HAS a sense of humor.
Maybe Romney could make a bunch of empty promises to the Latinos, for their votes. It worked for Obama in 2008, when he made a bunch of empty promises to win the election.
As an Hispanic, I am not laughing about his comments at all.
"At least, that's how most reasonable people would take it."
Marco, Babe, let it go! It was not a nice thing to say. . .
Rubio is only in office because Meeks and Crist split the moderate and liberal vote. He won that seat with less than 47% if the vote and this constitutes a rising star? He's not even popular in Florida... just on TV and in D.C.
"Ok Marco. It's your turn in the barrel. Now it's time for you to placate those Latinos with magical words. Be sincere. We've been doing this all campaign long and managed to keep a grasp of supporters who don't care that I say. Tee hee hee!!! We just back pedal, blame Obama and we still have their votes locked up. Hence, the "other" 47%"
what a sell out this guy Rubio is, he uses your name to gain favor with the Latin Community you ha no shot at the VP Job spark plug. Then you go along with this Minstrel show and try to make what he said is a joke. Please, listen to the tape or watch it. There is nothing funny about it, he is giving people paying 50K a plate his play book and he got caught being Candid. Rubio what a Schmuck
This guy Rubio is really letting the ignorance of republicans emerge. the embarrassment is already big enough so don't make it worst
Rubio, how stupid do you think people really are.
His comment was "a joke"? Well, that makes sense, considering his entire campaign is a joke.
...so pushing policies to force "those latinos to self deport" was a joke too?
Getting another liar to help him try to weasel out of what he said? He and ryan lie enough. Stop making others lie for you Mr. .0001%.
what a suck-up
A joke? But it wasn't funny. All it did is show Romney disdain for Latinos and Hispanics and how he views himsself as a 'victim'. Guess if he released those tax returns we would see that he is among the 47% that paid zero taxes.
Marco Rubio = Uncle Tomas for the Republican Party. Sad! Racist jokes are just Soooooo funny aren't they Marco?
So if it is a joke he was laughing at the latinos for having no hope of being represented in the white house. har har. He's a laugh riot. His mormon roots are showing, poor people and minorities are "cursed" and he'll never be able to communicate with them.
Yes yes, we already know Romney is a joke.
The three liers Robmey ,Lying Ryan and the Cuban Rubio are jokers.Robmey is in the 47% category become he doesn't pay tax.
A joke..maybe Rubio considers people wearing a white hood also a Joke. How can a Latino disregard such insulting comments regarding inmigrnats and their strugles.what else to expect from a Latino against the rights of inmigramts and the Dream Act.. Latinos for Romne is like roaches for Raid!!