Posted on 06/22/2015 5:47:15 PM PDT by nickcarraway
When Jeb Bush was governor, Florida was roiled with the kind of debate that happens only in Deep South states with long histories of Civil War strife and segregation. As activists pushed for Florida to stop flying the Confederate flag — a symbol of racism to many African-Americans — Bush found a middle ground: He ordered the flag flown only at museums.
After a massacre in Charleston last week at the hands of a white supremacist, that same debate has now gone national. And unlike his fellow presidential contender, Marco Rubio hasn't been able to find a middle ground. In fact, he's all but refused to answer what he'd do about the Confederate flag still flying over South Carolina's capitol.
"I think it's important to let the people of South Carolina to move forward on it," Rubio told reporters in Miami this past Saturday.
Asked what he thought they should decide, Rubio hemmed and hawed like a pro. He supported Jeb's move in Florida, he said — even though he cosponsored a bill to protect Confederate flags in public places — but said he'd never be such a bully as to demand that South Carolina do the same.
"I have confidence in their ability to deal with the issue," was the most he could muster.
Other Republicans haven't been so wishy-washy. Mitt Romney said over the weekend that the Confederate flags should come down. Jeb Bush, leaning on his move as governor, said the same:
But here's Rubio's full transcript on the Confederate question. Not even Rick Scott could dodge a question with this kind of verve:
Aside from being a Grade-A, textbook example of political dodging, Rubio's slippery answers hit at a deeper problem for his party.
The GOP could win a national election next year only by broadening its base to include America's growing minority population. But the Republicans have spent decades pandering to exactly the type of far-right-base voters who might abandon a candidate who comes out strongly against Confederate flags at state capitols.
Rubio has clearly decided — along with fellow hemmers-and-hawers Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz — that the safest path lies in taking no stance at all.
refusing to take a stand is just as bad as taking the wrong side.
Sometimes its good to know when to STFU.
I hope you don't have any presidential aspirations, though you'd make a fine Democrat candidate.
Florida had ordered the Confederate Flag not to be flown under then Gov. Jeb Bush.
Who was the Speaker of the House then? One Marco Rubio.
The game of three card monty continues.
A classic non-issue of the kind which have been bedeviling the American electorate since the earliest days of Bill Clinton.
The liberal dominated media is the sworn enemy of this nation.
Just what we need. Another McCain.
That would be because he is a degenerate little TWERP.
The fact that he is giving up his Senate seat because he is sure that he will be the VP candidate is telling.
No Florida, no White House.
He is at least smart enough to realize that “JEB” is a nut job megalomaniac that has a day of reckoning coming soon.
How?
Of course he would. Especially if a few rinos, and extreme left Democrats encouraged him. He is a spaghetti spined, intellectual light weight.
Why should he ORDER it? If it is the right thing to do, it should not need to be ordered. Good people of America used to have the power to decide....where did that go?
You should take your own advice once in a while...
As president he would have no power to tell South Carolina or any other state to fly or not fly any flag.
lol
“Present”
There are a thousand more important issues going on as the world falls apart and our candidates are being suckered into spending political capital on this crap.
He should have said it's none of his business and moved on, next question.
So this is the new gotcha question the media will ask all the Republican candidates?
post 17 was meant to reply to #10.
...and pissing off half your clientele is bad for business.
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