Dick Morris: Why Rubio can’t win

The Hill ^ | February 23, 2016 | Dick Morris

[ozzymandus]

Karl knows a lot about losing, that’s for sure.

[Talisker]

"The candidates are fungible. It is the posture of animosity to the deal-making and craven refusal to stand up to Barack Obama that they oppose."

Yep.

[Helicondelta]

Rubio is running to be Trump’s VP.

He can’t win and he knows it.

Trump is the second choice for most of the Cruz/Carson voters.

Rubio is not even trying to take down Trump. His endgame is the VP slot and/or to build name recognition so he can run again in 4 years.

[fortheDeclaration]

Each senator, congressman or governor who lines up to support Rubio brings with him the kiss of death. They announce his fidelity to an agenda and style of accommodation that is precisely what the Republican rebels can’t stand. With each endorsement, he becomes less the Marco of the Tea Party and, instead, the Marco of the unpopular establishment politics of John Boehner and Mitch McConnell.

[fortheDeclaration]

No matter how you slice and dice it, the Republican electorate is 2-to-1 against the party’s leadership. Whether they express their discontent by backing Trump or Cruz or Paul or Carson or Mike Huckabee or Rick Santorum doesn’t really matter. The candidates are fungible. It is the posture of animosity to the deal-making and craven refusal to stand up to Barack Obama that they oppose. Rubio can never span that divide. The winner of this race for the GOP nomination will be either Trump or Cruz — and the party establishment better get used to it.

He gets it!

[catfish1957]

This Toe Sucker is still around?

[mowowie]

imagine a two person debate with Trump and sputtering little boy rubio with his canned lines standing next to him....

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Enough with the toe sucker stuff please.

I see it every time there's a Morris post.

That was 20 years ago.

Morris has redeemed himself many times over in my opinion.

He's been on our side for a long time now.

[P.O.E.]

Can’t believe Dick Morris is still drawing a paycheck.

[Gaffer]

In way he’s right about not besting Trump, but the one thing Rubio is doing right now is severely damaging Ted Cruz. I want Ted to remain viable and in the campaign as second. With all this GOPe support for Rubio, bashing between Trump and Cruz camps, Rubio is out there lying his Amnesty Snake ass off and getting away with enough to out do Cruz.

I’ve already made my choice (yesterday when I voted early). Trump got it. But I sincerely am hoping that Ted will take a very strong second here in Georgia.

Collectively, we have to take down the GOPe Heir Apparent Rubio (now that Dauphin Jeb is out of the picture).

[nathanbedford]

Having already conceded the probability that Trump will be the nominee and further surrendered and said that I will vote for him in the general, no one hopes I am more wrong about Donald Trump than I.

I will surrender all to this process except my self-respect.

[Gaffer]

I understand that and don’t disagree. Earlier this year, my perfect world was Cruz as nominee. But I voted Trump yesterday so that we do not get another GOPe quisling who will lie and cheat us, completely forsaking everything he’s told us. Will Trump do this? That’s to be seen. Would Jeb, Rubio, Kasich do this? The history of the GOPe tells me they are much more certain to do it. I want Ted to remain viable and any vestige of a viable GOPe candidate gone - off the scene and out of sight and out of mind.

As for self respect, I once felt the same. I am deeply ashamed I had to surrender it voting for John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012.

[samtheman]

Rubio is not even trying to take down Trump. His endgame is the VP slot and/or to build name recognition so he can run again in 4 years.

---

We will see in the next debate.

[nathanbedford]

I can understand a conservative who takes the point of view that Cruz is ineligible and Rubio has disqualified himself. I share that view with respect to Rubio and regard him to be a very dangerous, subversive pseudo-conservative for whom I could never vote.

I can even understand your preemptive strike in order to keep Trump going and to keep Rubio at bay. Right now, I would be very disappointed if Cruz withdrew from the race because that would put Rubio one-on-one against Trump and there are data out there that suggests Rubio would prevail, although I am skeptical.

I am very concerned with the demoralization which has occurred in the ranks of the conservative movement illustrated by the fickleness with which conservatives abandon Cruz for a man I regard to be a transparent mountebank. This is not a model of behavior which will encourage future conservatives like Tom Cotton to go on the floor of the Senate and fight for us all night long. Politicians are after all animals who know how to survive and politicians like Tom Cotton will look at the faithlessness of conservatives and conclude that the better part of valor is to cut deals with the likes of Mitch McConnell. Such a deal was cut by Marco Rubio the minute he walked into the Senate and it is being cut even now by Donald Trump before he even locks up the nomination.

This is not a good time for conservatism.

[gunsequalfreedom]

“This Toe Sucker is still around?”

Care to share your fetish or is it that only everyone else has one? In other words, what does your comment have anything to do with forwarding the discussion?

[IrishBrigade]

Morris has redeemed himself many times over in my opinion.

Were you paying attention to his prediction in 2012...? But all of a sudden he now has credibility...

[gunsequalfreedom]

Exactly. I think you said it a little more politely than I did.

[rrrod]

Good points.

[jersey117]

I was shocked that the goVernor of Texas endorsed Rubio.