Posted on 07/05/2011 5:30:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
At first he didn't want to do any national media, preferring to focus on Florida issues. He didn't make his maiden speech on the Senate floor until June 14, five months after being sworn-in.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) so gifted at age 40, combines passion for his conservative ideas with a humility that could easily spill over into arrogance, if he didn't have a strong sense of self. On the morning of our first meeting, I arrive early. He arrives before his staff and goes around turning on lights with no sense that such action is below his pay grade. In a town full of hubris and self-absorption, Rubio appears not to have yet caught the disease. Perhaps he will turn out to be the Hispanic version of Jimmy Stewart's movie character, "Mr. Smith."
That doesn't mean Rubio can't attack President Obama, but when he does, it is the president's policies he goes after, not the man.
Of the president's harsh verbal assault on Republicans during his news conference last Wednesday, Rubio says, "I was taken aback by some of the rhetoric the president used, which I think is more appropriate for some left-wing strong man than for the president of the United States." Rubio singled out the president's "class warfare language." He called Obama's proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy, corporate jets and big oil companies "disingenuous and counterproductive" because the amount of money raised would do little to solve the debt problem and would actually "scare job creators away."
Rubio suggests Americans who got married, worked hard, went to college, got a degree and are providing for their families feel cheated because they find their homes in many cases worthless, they've lost the job they worked hard to get and can't find work in their field, or if they do, they work twice as hard to pay their taxes at jobs that pay them half as much.
"We need to be focused on what we can do to create an economy that creates jobs. And the way you do that ... is not by going around threatening to raise taxes on people who have the money to create jobs."
Rubio said Obama's policies "are really bad for our country. Barack Obama's re-election is not more important than America's future." Not a bad sound bite for a political TV commercial.
I ask him whether he thinks he and his colleagues, as they approach the Aug, 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling, will be able to stand against familiar attacks from Democrats that Republicans want to end Social Security and Medicare and evict grandma from her assisted-living center. "I will," he promises. He "hopes" his Republican colleagues will, as well. He says the chances of their standing firm will be improved, if they make their case for reform before the attack ads take hold.
Rubio says he's for "saving these very important programs," but they won't be saved if nothing is done.
What does he think of the Republican presidential field so far? "I think it's underrated. ... I think we're going to have a good nominee. ... The question for the American people in November 2012 is: are we going to extend Barack Obama's contract for another four years? If the election were today, you would say every meaningful measure of life in America is worse than in January 2009."
Rubio is aware this sounds Reaganesque as in, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
What about the vice presidency? Does he see himself as a possible running mate? "I don't think I'll be asked. I doubt very seriously you are going to see me on that ticket."
Maybe not, but if Rubio's stock continues to rise, he might not have to think about being asked in 2012. In four or eight more years, he might well be the Republican presidential nominee asking someone to run with him.
I think he is a wonderful candidate, but since his parents weren’t US Citizens at his birth he is not qualified for the office of President of the United States. Sad.
Palin/Rubio, and before you start the NBC stuff, the dems owe us one.
What the heck is this media obsession with Marco Rubio?
I like the guy, and 100% a fan, but he is JUST A KID
That’s not true. He was born here and he’s fully qualified, and there’s not a court in the land that would interpret the Constitution in any other way.
It takes only a split-second when Rubio’s name is mentioned for trolls to appear saying he’s not qualified, which means to me that he is seen as a big threat by the Dems.
He’s going on 41 years of age. He already has 20 years experience as a lawyer, member of the Florida House of Rep, Speaker of the Fla. House and now a Senator from the Great State of Florida.
A kid? Hardly. Although he does bring to the table some fresh ideas so needed in the GOP.
I'm not. Rubio and every other Congressman are pandering when they say things like this about blatantly unconstitutional programs.
I don’t think it’s an obsession; I guess it’s just that he’s a fresh face and we are certainly eager for those right now, especially after the parade of tired RINOs we have had over the last few years.
I agree that he’s probably too young to be considered at the moment, though. But he’s impressive because when he speaks, he speaks with authority, and that’s probably what makes people think he might be possible despite his youth.
Too soon, I agree. He needs to serve in D.C. for a bit, then run for governor of Florida and serve there for a bit. If successful as gov of one of the most important electoral states, he would have the experience and clout to be a great presidential candidate.
People push him because of the Hispanic angle just as Dems pushed Obama because of race and we see how that worked out.
Coming from the same area of Florida Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Marco Rubio.
Pretty stark comparassion.
One a skank bitch fool, and Rubio is an up and coming conservative star.
Haven’t you heard? Stuff like that doesn’t matter any more.
And an irresponsible kid at that..
Would you eliminate Social Security and Medicare?
Every US Senator in 2008, in Senate Resolution 511 agreed that citizen parents were a requirement for the presidency, and asserted, incorrectly, but nevertheless, that this is what made John McCain eligible to run. Demonstrating the extent of the corruption of our government they refused to discuss the application of their Resolution to Barack Obama, who him described himself as having been born "A subject of the British Commonwealth."
As Leo Donofrio has pointed out, not only have five Chief Justices cited the common language and common law definition from the time of the framers, but precedent was established when that definition was cited in the 1874 case Minor v. Happersett, which our corrupt legal class attempted to obscure by editing the text of Chief Justice Morrison Waite's decision in Minor at our most frequently used Internet source for supreme court cases, justia.com in October of 2008.
Precedence was established because the definition of natural born citizenship was used in the construction of the decision concerning women's suffrage - "...it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives, or natural-born citizens," Minor v. Happersett did not, and could not have, depended upon the 14th Amendment. It didn't because of the construction of the decision, but it could not have because the principal author of the 14th Amendment, John Bingham, clarified the definition of natural born citizen twice for the Congressional Record, agreeing with Vattel - born on the soil of citizen parents.
John F. Kennedy was 43 when he was inaugurated in 1961. Marco Rubio will be 46 in 2016 when when he runs for the 2016 election and be about 5 month short of being 47 when he is inaugurated on January 20, 2017. Bob Dole and John McCain were old goats
That language for a woman is better spewed on DU. You can disagree with someone without resorting to such vile language.
And questionable on illegal immigration and just months beyond the level of his state house of representatives.
Too many Freepers, being just as eager as liberals to cast off the accusation of racism, scramble to support minority pols beyond their level of experience even more frequently than the Dems do.
Since he table all bills on illegals in the Florida legislation, I would not call him a conservative anything, and dang sure not a star.
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