FLORIDA HOUSE

Rubio's emotional farewell

House Speaker Marco Rubio credited his Cuban parents for his success as he wrapped up nine years in the Florida House.

BY LAURA FIGUEROA

lfigueroa@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE -- Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles who climbed the political ranks to become Florida's first Cuban-American speaker of the state House of Representatives, bade an emotional farewell Friday afternoon, choking back tears as he spoke about his motivation to succeed: his parents.

''To this day, to this very day, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel like I'm living three lives in one,'' said Rubio, a West Miami Republican whose nine-year run in the House is ending due to term limits. ``There isn't a day that goes by that . . . I'm not trying to accomplish all the things they could not do. And it drives me in everything I do.''

Some in attendance wiped tears away as Rubio, 36, spoke about his parents' humble origins in Cuba. His father, a factory worker, often slept in warehouses, using wooden crates as a makeshift bed, Rubio said. His mother dressed up Coca-Cola bottles with scraps of cloth to create dolls, he recounted.

''I've been distracted almost my entire life by this obsession to do all the things they couldn't do,'' Rubio said. `` So if I look a little hyper or a little focused . .. I just want you to know what's driving me. I want them to know that their lives mattered.''

A portrait of Rubio was unveiled and will hang among other paintings of previous speakers in the House chamber. Gov. Charlie Crist, former Rep. Ralph Arza and former Florida Republican Party Chairman Al Cárdenas were among the guests on hand for Rubio's send-off.

Several lawmakers applauded when Rubio spoke about God.

''God is real,'' Rubio said. ``I don't care what the courts says, I don't care what laws we pass, you can't pass a court ruling that will keep God out. . . . God is not some old man with a white beard. . . . God is a real force of love. He loves every human being on earth. Whether you are an embryo or behind bars.''

Rubio's next political move remains up in the air. He is said to be considering a run for Miami-Dade County mayor against incumbent Carlos Alvarez. He also could wait two years to run for a state Senate in 2010.

Describing Rubio as ''my brother, my speaker,'' Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, recalled a recent conversation with his own mother. They spoke about the difficulties Rubio faced presiding in a time of financial shortfalls.

''My mom put it in perspective,'' Rivera said. 'She said, `There's a reason God made Marco speaker this time. We may not know the reason today. . .. Maybe the reason God did it was to show Florida that a first-generation American, whose parents came here literally with nothing but the clothes on their back, could lead Florida through some of its toughest times.' ''