Rep. Bobby Rush says he was a little unsure of himself when he first arrived at Fidel Castro’s house in Cuba. The retired Communist dictator enthusiastically extended his hand and said, “Bobby, welcome to my home!” Rush was stunned.
“It was kinda awkward,” the Illinois Democrat told the Huffington Post. “I couldn’t say ‘Mr. President'” — Castro installed his brother Raúl as president of Cuba in 2006 — “so I called him Mr. Fidel.”
Rush and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus made waves with their visit to Cuba during the April recess, during which they met with both Castros. Rush said that Raúl Castro told him the “Cuban military and American military have been in discussions and having monthly meetings for a number of years now” (something Raúl also told actor Sean Penn). And the ailing Fidel Castro was very eager to talk Christianity, comparing the spread of Christianity to the Communist revolution.
