>> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm david schuster center new york. already some historians are ca calling this most dramatic changes in foreign policy in a decade. president obama announced 54 years of policy of isolation towards cuba will be changed. the u.s. will normalize relations, establish an emabout as is in havana, will open up trade and ask congress to open up trade embargo. as part of all of this the cuban government earlier released alan

gross, he was allegedly an aid worker kept in cuban president for five years. there he is reunited with his wife. you saw the picture of alan gross when he landed at andrews air force base. he's expected to have a news conference within the half hour from washington. there you can see the official delegation greeting him. you can imagine what's going through his mind. five years kept in a cuban prison. there he is back on manner soil. everybody has been citing the role of the vatican in all of this, and i wonder if you can put this in historical context for us. >> the biggest openness of cuba to the world was in january 199 when pope joh pope john paul ii went to havana. i was fortunate enough to be there. there was tremendous optimism. there was joy in the streets. people really thought this was

the beginning of cuba opening to the world. unfortunately, i was there a year later to cover another story, and things had changed hd dramatically in the other direction. but it certainly seemed to be an opening that has remained between the vatican and cuba since then. pope benedict then went to cuba, and now we hear that pope francis has been instrumental in reaching this deal. >> and you were there when pope benedict went to cuba, and again we've known that pope francis has been urging the cuban government to try to solve this. what is your experience in being in cuba when pope benedict was there and what does it mean when you hear tha that a pope has been part of all this. >> we've had a structure of government that has wiped off a lot of religious. but this is a spanish colonized

island. there are churches around, and one of the arch bishops in havana wields influence. when pope benedict went there it was a little bit of a different story. he didn't have the same charisma that pope joh pope john paul had, but there was. discussion about alan gross at that time given what pope john paul had done, people were talking that it could have a different set of results. >> we have a statement from pope francis and it's interesting in many ways. the holy father wishes to express his warm congratulations for the historic decision taken by the government of the united states of america and cuba to establish diplomatic relations. the difficulties which have

marked their recent history. in recent months pope francis wrote letters to the leaders of cuba and president barack obama. they received delegations of the two countries in the vatican last october, which is two months ago and provided it's good offices to facilitate a con trucktivconstructive dialogue with solutions acceptable to both parties. there is the pope saying, come to the vatican. we'll keep it secret. you can have all your discussions here and work in privacy. >> there are reports that bells had been ringing at cuban churches. the role of the catholic church here may have been very, very significant. >> david, we've been expecting this news conference from alan gross, he's been described as a humanitarian aid worker. but that may not be the entire story. i wonder if you can explain why. >> it's unclear, to be fair.

alan gross has a history of traveling the world, he has donahue man tearan work. but when you look at this project, where he was picked up, and what he was doing, he was working with a company that was married-based firm that had subcontracted from the u.s. sort of an independent branch of the state department. they were working on a project, this is a direct quote from the website, to implement activities and support rule of law and human rights and consensus building to strengthen civil society in support of a justice and democratic governance in cuba. at the time there were only two other countries in which the state department was involved in developing those types of initiatives without the host country's permission. that was iran and myanmar. so when you look at that, this is not necessarily a program that was welcomed by the cuban government. naturally he was taking a risk by going there. he had been there four times already, and there were reports in terms of the equipment that he was handing out, the idea, and what had been reported was

that he was handing out laptops to the island's small jewish community. but these laptops contained chips that were not always very easily that could scramble signals. obviously when you broadcast from equipment or satellite equipment, you can locate where that laptop is located. this chip reportedly helps scramble that signal. >> the inference being maybe he was there because of the good wishes, but there is some possibility that he got some governmental assistance of the kind that is not typically available to people who are trying to help religiously persecuted people around the world. >> we don't know. he has been languishing in jail for five years. his health has deteriorated. when you spend a lot of time in cuba as alan gross had, you sort of know what's allowable and what's not. and bringing this type of equipment in, anyone who has been to the island knows that that is equipment that has raised all kinds of red flags

for the cuban government. >> one thing that is interesting about this exchange that we're sending these three cubans back to havana, and that i was surprised marco rubio did not bring up, but mark menendez has, there is going to be a lot of anger in the miami area because those three are part of the cuban five, they infiltrated an organization in florida "brothers to the rescue" whose main mission was to monitor the florida straits to monitor for rafters. some of those pilots were shot down by the cuban government, and they were convicted of conspiracy to murder, there will be some anger in florida about that. >> and those individuals have been made propaganda icons. you travel through havana, and you see the paintings and

murals, the state media, this is a big win i. >> we see some reaction from miami. the mayor of miami condemning this, taking the similar line from marco rubio saying that the united states got nothing out of this. as part of marco rubio's statement today he said that president obama is willfully ignorant of the way the world really works. marco rubio said that president obama is a single worst negotiator in the white house in my lifetime. mike viqueira has been monitoring all of this from the white house. mike, you, of course, heard what the president said, and any reaction? any statements coming out of the white house about the tone that the president is already getting from some of his critics? >> i think the tone, not not directly in reaction, but you can bet that the white house is anticipating this. a couple of things, david. last night, i'll go ahead and say the annual party reception for the press was held last

night. i was in attendance. i happened to see top officials in the white house huddling near the corner of a room, and then suddenly disappearing. in retrospect, gosh, it was evidence that something was going on here. obviously the president had been on the phone that very day for 45 minutes with rule castro. much of what is happening, in terms of the criticism he's getting. >> what you said is so intriguing. there you are at the christmas party and the president spends three hours with the first lady shaking hands and posing for pictures. the president left for a period of time? >> not that i'm aware of. everything took place before--the president host some 18 christmas parties where he's duty-bound or fulfills his duty of shaking hands at receptions. but there are top officials for broadcast and photographic

journalists at the white house, it happens every year. i want to talk about some of the statements that have come out. john boehner the speaker of the house is out with a statement. i'll encapsulate it this way. no how, no way i are think going to take up burns burton on his watch. and down playing any linkage between the release of alan gross. and the individual who had been held in cuba, an american, for 20 years, no dispute was an american intelligence asset. and three individuals held in the united states over the last several years that antonio just spoke of, obviously that is going to be a source of criticism, but the white house is saying that's on a separate trek notwithstanding that it's ought announced at the same time. but the director of national intelligence has that statement. just to illustrate how the white house wants to punctuate this

point. he names names. talks about this american who had been held, this intelligence asset in cuba for the last 20 years and the indispensable nature of the---i'm sorry, held in a cuban prison for 20 years. he held information that led to the conviction of a dia, defensive intelligence agency, here essentially a spy for cuba working within the intelligence community the apparatus here in washington. and walter meyers and members of the wasp network in florida, which included members of the so-called cuban five. i'm reading that to point out the extraordinary lengths that the government here, the white house, and the intelligence leadership james clapper is going to justify exactly what has happened here in terms of the intel half of the swap,

david. >> mike viqueira at the white house. mike, that's so interesting the white house is putting an emphasis on what they've got no one return in terms of this long-held u.s. spy, and the administration is saying provided crucial information for the united states, getting him back. certainly the white house will underscore that. at this point there are reports that church bells have been ringing in havana, cuba, almost inherit o unheard of, you don't often hear church bells in havana. >> i confess even though i was born there, i did not spend much time there. but it is indicative of the reality that the cuban people don't have any big beef with the united states. the cuban people would like to have normal relations with the united states. it's the cuban government who has managed to make the united states and what they call

blockade, the embargo a justification for almost anything for all the misery that has fallen the cuban people over the 50 years. there is no way of understanding as i'm sure david knows, how hard it is to live for the average cuban, how hard it is to get to work. how hard it is to get an education. how hard it is to get food, which in many ways many people think that the cuban government was overflown, it's so hard you can't think about overthrowing the cuban government. >> that is something that we will not hear from from critics to this policy. they say it will only embolden the regime who is holding it's own people captive in its country. let's go to michael shure, who has more on this announcement from president obama that the united states is normalizing relations with cuba. take it away. >> yes, david, you heard big talk about how john boehner said this is not the time for it.

harried, the outgoing senate majority leader said this is the right step at the right time. mitch mcconnell who is coming in, said he's going defer to marco rubio, who is an expert on cuban relations. interesting there, the majority of leader is not himself saying something, but also that he's skipping over ted cruz in that conversation. i think it bears talking about, the cuban american population, the cuban-american voter. it is now the most recent polling says cuban-americans lean more towards democrat thas than republicans for the first time in a generation. if you look at the politician of this, towards 2016 and hillary clinton in 2008, she herself called for the an end to the embargo. it's not a political risk so much for the democratic party.

while it's a dwindling number, it's an increasing number of democratic voters for them. one of the lessons if you look at this and have a little fun with it as you listen to the congressional reaction, you have the catholic pontiff interdicting on behalf of the jewish prisoner and maybe congress can take a lesson in terms of reaching across the aisle. >> some how i don't think there is going to be much reaching across the aisle on this topic. >> let me be optimistic for a minute, antonio, just for a moment. >> we'll stand by for the news conference from alan gross in washington on u.s. soil after five years. we'll go through some of the details of what this will mean not only for the cuban-american community but there is huge potential in this opening and normizing relations with cuba.

back after this.

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this is before the news conference to be held in 15 minutes. alan gross was held in cuban prison for five years for trying to provide technology and equipment i to the jewish community again, there is going to be a news conference in 10 to 15 minutes. the president said well look, here's what the president had to say earlier today. >> ned, we'll begin to normalize relations between our two countries. neither the american nor the cuban people are well-served by rigid policies that is rooted in events.

>> and the rise of fidel castro 55 years ago in 1961 when the united states imposed the embargo and they about all the relationships between the united states and russia that eventually came to a head because of ththe vatican released detail saying that it's old role in this was fairly crucial, and the fact that we see delegations of both countries where they have secret discussions in trying to put this deal together. david, as far as the reaction in

havana. >> michael: i spent about two years covering the island, and i had never heard church bells ringing across the island. what antonio said earlier was dead on. cubans typically have very close ties with their american counterparts. a cousin, aunts living in florida. there is a real connection. it runs along northern ha havana. there is a real connection between the two of them. but they are struggling. the empargo and mismanagement of that system of government has put in place a system in which there are shortages, constant daily hardships the reason for that is the embargo is not only

the restriction trying to come to the united states, but it prevents other countries going to cuba. any ship that docks in a cuban potter can't dock at any other potter if they want to dock in the united states for six months. the shortages when you're out of milk, you're simply out of milk, and they've been dealing with these problems for the last half century. >> despite the problems, it's one of the highly educated societies. >> that's a very good point. we should go back and look historically. cuba was also one of the most educated latin american

countries when castro took power. this is a highly educated country. not only with the cuban economy would benefit tremendously from a lift of the embargo. again, i don't think they'll lift the embargo, i think the feelings in congress are so strong that it is not going to happen. but already there is much more trade going on with cuba than you would think. and david is right, foreign countries are somewhat limited in the way they can deal with cuba the realit, the reality there are countries that put a lot of money in cuba and to some extent made that government survive in the years that the soviet union collapsed. >> and the impact for americans,

the biggest impact is tourism. you could not use american credit cards. you had to bring all cash to pay for your necessities there. that could change. >> that could change. that could mean nor american jobs. if there is a lifting of the embargo, there is more trade, that could be mean a lot of jobs in florida. >> you can use your american credit cards and banking cards, what restrictions could americans keep on cuba, how could that clamp down on the leadership? what goods would that prevent? >> i'm not sure. there are limitations on americans who do travel to cuba as to how much you're spending.

there are restrictions. i don't know if they're going to loosen that or not the truth is if you want to go to cuba now, you can go to cuba now. but you can also say that you got relative in havana and come up with somebody, and there is very little control. there are a number of flights going to cuba he every single day. it's not that hard. if you want to go to havana, you can go. but if they do lift the restrictions i suspect the spigot will be opened, and it will be tremendous. >> what is your view, david, yes, you have chinese firms, but those are partnerships with the cuban government. it's much like the administration in the way egypt used to be in which the army is

filtered throughout the economy. it would be very interesting to see how american country open up down the road. >> maybe they'll invest more but it will line more the pockets of the military, the military controlling the hotels, the government being essentially running the hotel and the tourism business is not going to change. >> right, that's the point of it. to see the systemic change that everyone is alluding to, this is going to take an act of congress. you can loosen restrictions, trade, direct mail, but to strike it through the core of this issue it's a decision really of the american people. >> as we drove down in the policy of all of this, this, of course, was a very personal story for alan gross, the american released as part of this overall deal.

he's expected to have a news congres conference. he's expected to talk and address us in five minutes. let's go to miami. we're joined by a legal analyst and american who came from cuba in the 1970's, he has lived there every since. your reaction to all this news? >> i'm very excited to hear this news. it's something that we've been waiting for for a very long time. and the cuban people, i'm sure, are very happy for this news. >> ihow do you see this playing out? >> i think this will better the lives of those cubans in cuba. to travel, bring things to cuba.

to have a better life. we have a very good relationship with china. i don't see why we can't have the same type of relationship or better with cuba, that is closer to us. >> what are you seeing in middle east. what is the reaction? we've seen the miami mayor come out and criticize this a few minutes ago. i would imagine this is a heavy topic of debate today. >> the majority of the cubans are republicans and are against the negotiations of cuba. you'll probably hear a lot of screaming behind me. i think one or two people here would enjoy having a good relationship with cuba. the only people who have been hurt by the embargo not having a

relationship with cuba are the cuban people. not the cuba regime. the castro brothers have an enjoyable life and run the country. they don't really care. the only way that civilians. >> we're seeing multi tasking protesters. they're holding up signs against the obama administration, i wonder if you can continue on that point. how do you see this playing out in terms of the community there and how quickly. what are the expectations now? >> the community here think it's way over due. it has been over 50 years that

we have not had a good relationship with the country of cuba. they believe that not having a relationship with cuba and having the embargo is going to hurt some how the president of cuba or the regime in cuba. it doesn't. it just hurts the people. i hope that this can become a good relationship as we have with china. which we have--the chinese people have american products, as you well know. i don't understand why we cannot have such a good relationship with a country that is our neighbor. >> i'm not so sure that everyone will agree with you, including our antonio mora. i'm bringing you in on the reaction. >> you know, i think sebastian brings up the view of the north of younger cubans.

i think they would like an opening with cuba. i'm not sure that wher little havana is just the center for republican cubans. i think cubans go there. i do think that there is going to be what that picture showed. you have him speaking to you about how he feels strongly that this is a great thing for cuban relationships, and the cuban people. and then as you pointed out you have the man behind him that says this should not be happening. jeb bush has issued a statement, and he said we should not be negotiating with a repressive regime. and jeb bush lives six miles away from where he's standing in little havana. >> let's go to michael shure with that. in reaction to jeb bush

announcing yesterday that he was going to explore running for president of the united states. reaction from marco rubio, who got something of a lift in the florida legislature. he said he was going to make up his own mind that no matter who runs for president is not going to effect his decision. but in terms of jeb bush's reaction, give us more. >> what you're hearing from jeb bush is i say the most careful of all republican statements today. he's basically saying, yes, it is not the time to do this. we don't want to engage cuba until they lead the way and making changes on their own. 50 years later i think a lot of people, including the president of the united states are saying that they have not done that for 50 years. let's try and do this in a different way. it's going to take a brave republican to actually embrace that. it's going to happen, i would predict because someone is going to have to set themselves apart from the field. it's not going to happen from the presumed candidates from the state of florida. it's just too dangerous for them to do that, and to oppose one another on this issue.

if they can get a court on this issue, then neither with own it, and i don't know if this will happen, but both will run for president and campaigning in the state of florida. >> you're seeing a scene wheral be gross ialan gross is expected to talk. they're outlining the basic ground rules. five or seven minutes for alan gross to come and talk to reporters there. to continue the conversation, how significant is this in terms of marco rubio's moment. there has been a ton of news about jeb bush, and every newspaper was leading with jeb bush. marco rubio has made it clear that he also wants to run for 2016, and he made it clear that he may not be stopped by jeb bush. how significant is it for marco rubio to come out and essentially set himself apart right now amidst all of the news and all of the noise for his

ambitions politically? >> yes, david, you make a great point. this is actually an amazing thing for marco rubio considering all of the tension was going on to jeb bush. then w we have mitch mcconnell coming out saying if you want to know about this issue, don't talk to me about it, talk to marco rube ye rubio about it. he's the expert. i don't know if this was the right way to go but it doesn't matter. the point is people are turning their attention to marco rubio right now. he has to be able to articulate this, but he has to be very careful. this is an issue that he cares about deeply, that his state cares about more deeply than any other state, but it's not number one on the country's agenda right now. so he has to be a little bit careful about that.

>> while this was top of the news today, cuban policy may not be the driving concern that voters have, again, we're waiting for the news conference from alan gross, the american who has been held in cuba for five years. we'll take a quick break. you're watching al jazeera america.

>> we're in a washington, d.c. law firm where we expect alan gross to come out and speak. first we expect to hear from a family spokesperson, and then alan gross will come out. all of this is part of a larger deal that the obama administration announced today in terms of the noble indication of relation relation--

normalization with cuba. you can see live pictures there. he's expected to speak in a few minutes. reaction will continue to pour in. we have reaction from the pope who expresses warm congratulations as he describes as a historic decision taken by the united states to restore ties. there has been sharp criticism from florida senator marco rubio who said that the president obama is naive to the way the real world works. and all of this has been carried out with intriguing choreography by the obama administration starting with the pictures of alan gross, the new statement by president obama an hour half ago, and then the news

conference this afternoon. let's go to jamie mcintyre from washington. we can't understan under state how much the choreography has been thought through all of this. >> the key part was negotiating the release of alan gross, and for the obama administration to be able to say that it was not a swap for spies because they never conceded he was a spy. gross, 65 years old, has been in prison for five years. he was arrested back in 2009 for distributer communications equipment to members of the jewish community on the cuban island. one of the sort of subtle ironies in what is going on today one of the initiatives that the president is taking under his executive authority is to relax exports of communications equipment to cuba in order to facilitate telecommunications as well as

internet service. they received a pledge from cuban president raul castro to also increase the access of internet to people in cuba. cuba has one of the least population that has least access to the internet. less than 5% of the population is estimated to have that. that's one of the pillars of this initiative by the obama administration i, as you articulated earlier, as you expose cubans to american ideas, more information getting in, that may have more--make more progress in moving cuba towards democracy and embracing human rights than the policy has engaged in in the last 50 years of isolation. the obama administration is making the argument that isolation didn't work. we're going to try engagement, and really it really isn't that much different from the approach that the united states takes with other countries that is

also accused of lack of freedom, lack of rights and lack of human rights. china has been mentioned a couple of times this hour as a country of a communist country that abuses human rights. but also president obama in his remarks talked about vietnam. the united states has a relationship with vietnam much different than cuba, and vietnam is a communist country that the united states fought a very bloody war with over the years, and making the argument that the united states can be engaged with some of these other countries in the world that it has history with as well, he argues that we ought to be abled to that with cuba as well. the main point the obama administration wanted to make was that this was not a sp spy-for-spy swap.

that mr. gross' release was made for humanitarian reasons. not an one-on-one swap. but in the grand scheme of things was it a prisoner swap, you have to say it probably was. >> jamie mcintyre in washington. and the concerns about human rights, democracy and cuba, i want to go over to mike viqueira at the white house, i wonder if that ability to continue those conversations have a better opportunity given the communications that it took to pull off this deal? when you look at raul castro and his address today in which he says the decision by president obama deserves respect and recognition, it feels like that conciliatory tone is the kind of things that enables president obama at that level to bring up issues that are of grave concern about cuba's human rights. >> it's a overwhelming and historic action by the

president. let's stipulate that right off the top, but it's going to be a tough road, as noted many times. as we know the republicans will take over the senate. they already control the house. that happens in two-weeks time beginning in january, and the president yet can work towards reestablishing diplomatic relations with cuba, but who is going to pay to carry out and execute that and including getting an embassy up and running in havana. the congress has the power of the pursers and you can bet that marco rubio and john boehner and other staunch opposers to the move. alan gross has been captivity for over five years was over at

air force base today, many, including chris van holen, who represented alan gross in the maryland suburbs where the grosses maintain a residents. jeff flake, the republican iconclast is the best way to term jeff flake senator from arizona, he was on a play to havana in the dark, predawn hours from andrews air force base to pick up alan gross, judy gross was with them. there is a picture tweeted of alan and judy in havana, and now president obama has called alan gross while he was midair on route back to andrew air base on that joint trip. a lot of choreography, the white house in full public relations

mode. they're forwarding all of the supportive statements they can find backing what the president is going to do from the office of the record of national intelligence to all the usual suspects including president, congress department, and members of congress. so this fight really is just being joined as we sift through what has happened here and the president dropping this bombshell, really, in announcing this opening to cuba 50 years in the making. >> mike, we'll ask to you stand by as far as what you saw on the screen. we have a spokesman at the law firm stepping up to where they'll speak. they'll have a statement, then a short break, and then alan gross will step up and speak, but he will not take any questions. mike, on the point about the choreography and again, the administration in order to sort of really sell this, and again, this is something of a campaign to convince the american people this is the right policy before the critics can say this is a

wrong policy. we'll expect to hear for example congressman van holen wh from the district where the gross' have a home. you talk about the trip to the middle of the night, and what it was like on the airplane, to really sell this as a gripping personal story as well as a dramatic policy change. >> it's the standard public relations playbook. there is no question about it. the white house is going to flood the zone. the public airways and appearances with people who back this, understanding that it's going to be controversial, and it's already controversial. sometimes it backfires as in the case of bowe bergdahl when his parents appeared with president obama in the rose garden. i think this is an entirely

different case, however, to echo what jamie is saying you're going to hear them emphasize time and time again there is no linkage here. they do not want to draw a straight line between the intelligence assets between the three cubans and one american who has been imprisoned in cuba. they're saying this is flown below the radar intentionally. but saying this was an intelligence test who provided vital intelligence for the united states within the u.s. government before this individual was detained 0 years ago. but they're going to try repeatedly have they already have to take alan gross out of the equation. it's certainly more than a coincidence that this intel asset swap is taking place on the very same day that alan gross after five long years in captivity in cuba is finally

being released with much fanfare is being realized. >> again, we're waiting for alan gross to come out and make a statement. he will not take questions. mike viqueira mentioned trying to portray this as a victory and success that the obama administration thinks it is, the president was two hours ago and the president stepped up in the white house and announced the change in policy. the president said 50 years has shown that isolation has not worked. for analysis on the president's efforts today let's bring in our political contributor michael shure. >> i thought it was an slept speech in terms of its crafting. what the president had to do was be respectful of congress a and lindsay cram saying there is no way i'm a going to do anything to fund an embassy in havana.

but i think bringing the pope in, bringing that part in, the spiritual part if you will, as the mike viqueira said earlier, he's from argentina, the pope, bringing in latin america, talking to the natural co constituents, talking about banking and capitalism. you can use your atm cards and credit cards there. that's the type of thing that let everyone else join in thend fray. i think some of the house majority leader, again, kevin mccarthy is saying today that a lot of the same refrain but also, david, comparing this, comparing cuba to syria and iran. >> i'm going to cut you off, the alan gross family is speaking. >> alan found out yesterday morning that he was going to be

released from his lawyer, scott gilbert. scott told alan on the phone he was--there was a long silent pause, and then alan said, i'll believe it when i see it. the plane this morning from andrews took judy gross, alan's wife, scott gilbert along senators leahy and flake and congressman van holen down to havana. they landed. they found alan there. they were on the ground for about a half hour. when they got back up on the plane there was a big bowl of popcorn waiting for alan because that's one of the things he said he has missed during the last five years that he was in

prison. he also got a corner beef sandwich on rye with mustard, and they had apple sauce and sour cream there. that was a nice hanukkah present. the pilot announced they were entering into u.s. air space, and alan stood up on the plane and took a deep breath. he called both of his daughters, and the words he said to them both was, i'm free. president obama called alan while he was on the plane in washington. he congratulated him on his freedom, and alan thanked him

for getting him out of prison. it was a frequently conversation, as you can imagine by coincidence they came over from the plane over to the real building where alan was visiting with members of congress and secretary kerry gave them a big hug. they talked for a while.

they sat down next to each other on the couch and watched president obama's address together. so after the address secretary kerry left. alan is now here with his wife judy, and going to got them, and they'll be back here in about five minutes. i just want to caution you all, he--while he was in prison he had a number of health issues. he recently--his teeth have been breaking, so he lost about five teeth recently at the front of his mouth. once we're done with this he'll take some time to work on his health, hopefully work on his teeth, and see some doctors. he's not going to be doing any interviews right away. i hope you all will appreciate that he's going to want to spend some time with his family and working to regain his health. so with that i'm going to go get

alan, and he'll be back here in five minutes. thanks. >> that is professional spokesman hired by the family to provide a narrative and some interesting background there in the last 4 hours. we noted that alan gross found out just yesterday that he was going to be released. he was greeted by several members of congress in havana, who flew down to meet him. there was popcorn waiting for alan gross on the plane. the pilots announced that they left air space. there was a frequently conversation as described with president obama. you're looking at the picture right now with several members of congress greeting alan gross and his wife judy. one of the lawmakers on that plane back from washington.

let's listen. >> good afternoon, i'm here primarily to answer questions, but before we do, i would like to know that the three of us went down to cuba to havana this morning, and brought alan gross back with us. we had mrs. gross, judy gross, with us going down. over the past several years we would watch his condition deteriorate, all three of us were very concerned. all three of us have spoken with the president about changing things to get him out.

now what has happened today is a positive step in many ways. first, of course, very positive thing that alan gross is back with his family at a time when his health conditions really require it. but also in a longer sense i believe that mr. gross would agree with this, it marks a step forward in relationships between our great country and cuba. i've often thought that memos would go to the president of the united states being tough on cuba and this policy went through president johnson, president nixon, president ford, president carter, you see what i'm driving at.

we have to face up that we will have differences, but we can improve the lives of cubans and improve the lives of u.s. citizens. by stopping this idea of a close-door towards cuba. and you can visit anywhere in the world, they'll let you in, except for cuba. that makes no sense whatsoever. there are a lot of things in areas of education, medicine, culture, art, that should unite us, not divide us. will we adopt their political system? of course not, nor do they have to adopt ours. but the reality is we're 90 miles apart. we should be finding out ways to work through our differences and embrace our areas where we're

alike. every business group would like that. every religious group would like that. >> you can see the reporters, they're holding up the phones and cameras for alan gross, who is expected to step u up to the podium. we've been warned he is missing teeth. he has been in frail health condition in recent weeks. so he won't be taking questions, and we've been warned that he wants to spend time with his family and not to do any interviews, but we're expecting a short at the same time from alan gross. you have to imagine what a remarkable 24 hours it has been for him. let's watch and listen.

>> i have to say happy holiday season to all of you. today is the first day of hanukkah, and i guess so far it's the best hanukkah i'll be celebrating in a long time. what a blessing it is to be a citizen of this country, and thank you, president obama, for everything that you have done today and leading up to today. i want to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of my wife judy. 44.5 years we've been married. and my lawyer and personal scott gilbert and their effort