As Meek Launches Florida Bus Tour, Greene Defends Cuban Yacht Trip

MIAMI- With less than three weeks before Florida's Democratic primary for U.S Senate, underdog Rep. Kendrick Meek launched his "Real Dem Express" bus tour, a 10- day trip across the state in the hopes of regaining momentum from billionaire Jeff Greene, who has spent millions on TV ads in the contentious race.

Greene has opened up a double-digit point lead in the latest Quinnipiac poll among likely Democratic voters ( largely due to his massive media buy ) but the real estate mogul suddenly finds himself immersed in hot-water:

Why did the billionaire and his yacht, "The Summer Wind", end up in Cuba in 2007 without a visa --- a potential violation of the U.S. embargo, and probable political stumble in the Sunshine State.

During a televised debate with Meek last weekend, Greene initially declared that it was a humanitarian mission to help the Jewish community in the communist regime, but he has since changed his story more than once.

His campaign even utilized one of the most well-known phrases in politics to defend their candidate. Greene, his spokesman said, "misspoke".

"It wasn't scheduled. It was last minute," Greene told reporters this week in his newest revision. "We were going from Honduras to the Bahamas, going by there and we had a mechanical problem."

However, two deck-hands on the 2007 trip refute Greene's explanation, saying Greene went to Cuba for one clear agenda: to party, and for a shopping spree for Cuban cigars.

"It is very, very unfortunate that he would make light of the fact that he could violate federal law and go to Cuba," Meek told Fox News aboard his bus Wednesday.

The Florida Democratic primary will be held on August 24th. Both Democrats trail far behind overall front-runner Charlie Crist, an independent who left the GOP in the Spring, and Republican Marco Rubio.

Fox News' Phil Keating contributed to this report.

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