On Monday's New Day, CNN's Chris Cuomo revealed that he was wearing his father's guayabera shirt, which was "given to him by Fidel Castro as a gift." Cuomo, who was covering President Obama's visit to Cuba, underlined that "it didn't mean something to him [his father] because it came from Fidel Castro necessarily, but because it marked conversations going on decades ago that were the same as those today." [video below]
The anchor summarized that for his father, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, "the concern was the freedom of the people. What is the point of this communist regime if it is not to truly make everyone equal — not at the lowest level; not by demoralizing everyone; but lifting everyone up? My father, generations of politicians, have been fighting this. So, I wear this shirt as a reminder of that, and of my pop."
Co-anchor Alisyn Camerota responded by echoing the Big Three networks' oft-used label for the visit: "That's great, Chris! I mean, so much history, from the clothing to the land."
The transcript of the exchange between Cuomo, Camerota, and fellow anchor Michaela Pereira from the March 21, 2016 edition of CNN's New Day:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Chris, we can't help but notice your culturally-appropriate garb that you're wearing. Tell us the history of your shirt.
CHRIS CUOMO: My guayabera?
CAMEROTA: Yes—
MICHAELA PEREIRA: Yeah!
CUOMO: Yes; yes. You have a very keen eye—
PEREIRA: We do for most of your clothing—
CUOMO: I wear this for — I wear this for (laughs) — I'll let that go, Mick. I wear this for a reason: this shirt belonged to my father. It was given to him by Fidel Castro as a gift that — you know, it didn't mean something to him because it came from Fidel Castro necessarily, but because it marked conversations going on decades ago that were the same as those today.
The concern was the freedom of the people. What is the point of this communist regime if it is not to truly make everyone equal — not at the lowest level; not by demoralizing everyone; but lifting everyone up? My father, generations of politicians, have been fighting this. So, I wear this shirt as a reminder of that, and of my pop. So, there's your answer, ladies—
PEREIRA: You look good in your pop's shirt. You look fantastic—
CAMEROTA: That's great, Chris! I mean, so much history—
PEREIRA: Right?
CAMEROTA: From the clothing to the land. Thanks so much, Chris, for telling us that story.
CUOMO: My — my mother was joking with me. I'll never fill my father's shoes, but I can fill out his shirt pretty well — a little bit too much pastelitos [Cuban pastries].
