Marco Rubio beams with pride as daughter introduces him at major DC event

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could not hide his pride as his daughter Daniella introduced him before his keynote address at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington DC on Friday. Daniella, a third-year law student at the University of Virginia, spoke about her father's Cuban heritage, political career and the values he had instilled in the family, including faith, patriotism and the defence of basic rights. “Beyond all that he has achieved professionally, his greatest legacy will always be the value he has instilled,” she told the audience, adding that she was proud and fortunate to call him her father. After she welcomed him to the stage, the two shared a brief hug. Rubio then turned to the audience and said, “Was that cool or what?” drawing laughter and applause. Praising his daughter's confidence, Rubio said she had no stage fright, unlike him, as he admitted that he did not particularly enjoy public speaking. “My kids, I used to bring them on stage and show them off; now they're introducing me,” he said, adding that he did not know where she had got her confidence from. He also joked about Daniella's studies at the University of Virginia, saying he hoped it was a good law school because it was an expensive one.

‘My home was not a democracy’

The proud father moment was followed by another light-hearted exchange when a law student asked Rubio how Americans could instil values such as freedom in the next generation, as he had done with his daughter. “Well, my home was not a democracy,” Rubio quipped, drawing laughter from the audience. He quickly clarified that he was not the family dictator but rather “the minister of defense”.

Rubio urges Republicans to look beyond midterm losses

The speech was Rubio's first major address since Republicans suffered significant setbacks in the November 3 midterm elections, with Democrats making major gains. Addressing the conservative audience, Rubio urged Republicans to take a long-term view, recalling how former president Ronald Reagan's party had suffered major losses in the 1982 midterm elections. “Less than two years into Ronald Reagan's first term in office, everything sort of seemed headed in the wrong direction,” he said. Rubio encouraged Republicans to focus on their long-term goals rather than individual election cycles. “Great things that last are built in decades, not election cycles,” he said, expressing confidence that the party would experience more victories despite its recent defeats.