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Rand Paul: Rubio’s Cuba remarks ‘rude'
The Hill ^ | December 20, 2014 | Justin Sink

Posted on 12/21/2014 3:36:24 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

The war of words between two likely 2016 contenders over President Obama’s sweeping changes to Cuba policy heated up further on Saturday, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) repeatedly blasting remarks from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as “rude.”

“I never start a fight but I'm happy to finish a fight,” Paul told Fox News Channel’s “The Kelly File on Friday.” “You know, I think the remarks were a little bit rude and intemperate.”

In an interview on the same show one night prior, Rubio said that Paul — who supports President Obama’s move to roll back trade and travel restrictions and reestablish diplomatic ties with the Castro regime — had “no idea what he’s talking about.”

In a subsequent radio interview, Rubio said it was “unfortunate that Rand has decided to adopt Barack Obama’s foreign policy.”

“[He] basically repeated the talking points of the president,” Rubio told Mark Levin. “And that’s fine, he has every right to support the president’s foreign policy, that’s who he wants to line up with, but I’m telling you, it isn’t going to work.”

Paul has repeatedly punched back, taunting Rubio on social media and in an op-ed for Time Magazine, in which he said those who support trade with Russia, China, and Vietnam — but not Cuba — held “an inconsistent and incoherent position.”

“I would say I don't doubt his sincerity, but I don't think a policy of isolationism has really worked with regard to Cuba… We trade with a host of countries that don't have perfect human rights records,” Paul told Fox. “And yet, we don't trade with Cuba. I think trade might loosen things up and might help to topple the Castros.”

Paul sidestepped subsequent questions about the extent to which the spat between the two was early sparring for a 2016 presidential campaign, saying he was driven by what he saw as an “inappropriate” response to a policy dispute. Both lawmakers are considered among the Republicans most likely to make a run for the White House.

“I think it's about the issues. I don't think that there's any certainty that either one of us will run at this point,” Paul said. “But the thing is it is about an issue and it's also about a fellow Republican who chose to, I think, use rude and inappropriate language with regard to a fellowa Republican. And I think that — I won't stand for it frankly. And if someone's going to cast dispersions on me and not talk about policy, then there will be an altercation and I won't shy from a battle.”


TOPICS: Cuba; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Russia; US: Florida; US: Kentucky; US: Maryland; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016election; bencardin; communism; cotillion; cuba; debuttante; demagogue; election2016; florida; jebbush; kentucky; marcorubio; maryland; naturalborncuban; nicaragua; paul; paultardation; paultardnoisemachine; randpaul; randpaulnoisemachine; randpaultruthfile; randsconcerntrolls; rubio; russia; tedcruz; texas; venezuela
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To: C. Edmund Wright

Lol..you sound a little butt-hurt Edmund.

Kinda like Rubio....


21 posted on 12/21/2014 5:51:57 AM PST by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu t aide)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

This comment from Paul seems to make sense. I sincerely ask for freeper wisdom as to what the reply to these words should be:

Paul has repeatedly punched back, taunting Rubio on social media and in an op-ed for Time Magazine, in which he said those who support trade with Russia, China, and Vietnam — but not Cuba — held “an inconsistent and incoherent position.”


22 posted on 12/21/2014 6:16:59 AM PST by bramps (Go West America!)
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To: driftdiver

“Why on earth would Paul support Obama on this.”

I have no clue...but I bet it costs Paul a lot of future support.

I like what Rubio has been saying, but his recent foray into the illegal immigration “inclusiveness” debate ended any warm fuzzies I had for him.


23 posted on 12/21/2014 6:18:45 AM PST by moovova
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Rand Paul will be a big problem for Karl Rove. Tokyo won’t know whether to promote his candidacy or kill it. Nice!


24 posted on 12/21/2014 6:24:18 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Rand Paul proves Marco Rubio’s point
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/12/rand-paul-proves-marco-rubios-point.php
December 20, 2014 by Paul Mirengoff

During an impassioned appearance on Fox News to denounce President Obama’s new Cuba policy, Marco Rubio stated, in response to a question that cited Rand Paul’s pro-Obama view on the subject, that Paul “has no idea what he’s talking about when it comes to Cuba.” Having been called out, Paul had little alternative but to respond, and it would have been easy for him to so intelligently. There are, after all, respectable arguments that can be made in support of Obama’s position.

Predictably, however, Paul ended up proving that he doesn’t know what he’s talking on a scale that transcends Cuba policy.

Paul responded by accusing the Florida Senator of being an “isolationist.” Rubio wants to “retreat to our borders and perhaps build a moat,” Paul taunted.

How stupid can Paul get? Rubio was merely advocating the continuation of a policy followed by American presidents for 50 years.

(Snip)


25 posted on 12/21/2014 6:31:02 AM PST by Valin (I'm not completely worthless. I can be used as a bad example.)
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To: WHBates

“And yet, we don’t trade with Cuba. I think trade might loosen things up and might help to topple the Castros.”

He’s right. We should have done this 40 years ago. Long overdue.


26 posted on 12/21/2014 6:41:35 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: Biggirl

Rand Paul has replaced the other crazy uncle in the attic that retired.


27 posted on 12/21/2014 6:47:08 AM PST by JayAr36 (Old enough to remember when this was a free country.)
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To: driftdiver

Rand Paul approves Obama’s policy supporting torture in Cuba

The embargo was not a failure. U.S. is Cuba’s bigger trader of food and medicine. Thanks to the embargo everything Cuba buys from US is being paid on advance, those over l40 countries world wide who sold Cuba merchandise on credit were never paid for their goods.

It seems that Obama, and those who oppose the embargo, want to add 11 million Cubans in the Island to U.S. welfare rolls. Castro will bankrupt U.S. as he bankrupted the Soviet Union.

AMERICANS BEWARE!

Pope Francis concocted Obama’s unconditional surrender to Cuba Stalinist regime. Francis have kept silent while the Cuban communists murder, torture, and violates the human rights in the island prison, and deft to Cuban people plight for freedom.

Behind Obama’s unconditional surrender to the Castro’s brothers, is the plot to make the American taxpayers liable for whatever the American companies sell to Cuba. The end of the embargo is their goal. “Because of something called the Export-Import Bank there’s no risk whatsoever in exporting to bankrupt, murderous and kleptocratic regimes- worse there’ no incentive for the kleptocrats to clean up their act, as would happen under a genuine free-market. Also the World, financed 80% by the American taxpayers will open their vaults to be freely looted by the Castro brothers.”

Castro helped to bankrupt the Soviet Union, Obama before leaving want to complete the destruction of United States.

In the commercial and political relations of the Cuban regime and the U.S. there are several priorities to be concerned with.

Cuba has defaulted in all his international financial deals and Castro encourages other Third World nations to follow his example. Why are we going to sell to someone without the expectation to ever be pay. The American taxpayers should be aware that they are the targets of the scam by which the multinationals sell to Castro whatever he needs and we, the taxpayers, end footing the bill. Castro for 42 years has been with commercial ties with over 150 nations. Now when he has exhausted the patience of nations fool enough to have given him credit, Castro’s puppets in the media, the congress in cahoots with some greedy commercial circles are trying that the American taxpayers shoulder the heavy burden of subsidizing his regime to the tune of 9 billion dollars.

From Humberto Fontova

Every atom of evidence shows that the actual people of Cuba actually want U.S. sanctions against the Stalinist regime that tortures them tightened. So perhaps President Obama should stop insulting the intelligence of Cuba-watchers by claiming to speak and act on their behalf. Here’s their reaction to this week’s early Christmas gift from Obama to the Stalinist dictator who tortures them:

“Sadly, President Obama made the wrong decision. The freedom and democracy of the Cuban people will not be achieved through these benefits that he’s giving — not to the Cuban people — but to the Cuban government. The Cuban government will only take advantage to strengthen its repressive machinery, to repress civil society, its people and remain in power.” (Berta Soler, leader of The Ladies in White, Cuba’s biggest dissident group.)

“[Alan Gross] was not arrested for what he did, but for what could be gained from his arrest. He was simply bait and they were aware of it from the beginning... Castroism has won,” (Yoani Sanchez, Cuba’s most internationally famous dissident.)

“I feel as though I have been abandoned on the battlefield.” (Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, former Cuban political prisoner awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush.)

>b>The list of back-stabbed and outraged Cuban dissidents is much, much longer.

At any rate, Cuba’s post-Soviet sugar-daddy (Venezuela) is currently in dire economic straits from the precipitous plunge in the price of oil, Venezuela’s top export. Their economic lifeline to the Castro regime looks shaky, hence the: “here I come to save the day!” by President Obama.

But let’s face it. Castro’s Stalinist regime has jailed, tortured and murdered tens of thousands (including some U.S. citizens) for over half a decade and most Americans don’t seem to give a flying flip. Fine. So let’s consult yet another Cuban dissident who actually serves up some red meat. Let’s notify Joe Sixpack and Soccer Mom (who quite understandably find all this human-rights stuff regarding a foreign country utterly irrelevant) that maybe it’s time to pay closer attention to the issue:

If the U.S. allows financing towards Cuba, it will be the U.S. taxpayers who would sustain the Castro regime. Since it has run out of doors to knock on (for credit), the Castro regime is now focused on the United States.” (Cuban dissident and three-time Amnesty-International prisoner of conscience Rene Gomez Manzanoin.)

“Whoops!” you say. “How’s that again?!”


28 posted on 12/21/2014 7:16:22 AM PST by Dqban22 (Hpo<p> http://i.imgur.com/26RbAPx.jpg)
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To: RginTN
Neither Soviet Union, China or Vietnam tried to obliterate New York and Washington by a nuclear attack.

The Cuban regime tried to obliterate New York and Washington with a nuclear attack during the October Missile Crisis of 1962. “In November 1962, the Castro brothers’ and Che Guevara’s agents had targeted Macy’s, Gimbels, Bloomingdales, and Manhattan’s Grand Central Station with a dozen incendiary devices and 500 kilos of TNT. The Holocaust was set for detonation the following week, on the day after Thanksgiving.” (Humberto Fontova)

Since taking power, Castro has been a strong ally of Islamic terrorism. Cuba continues to serve as a base for coordination and mutual support among transnational terrorist organizations. At Tehran University he stated to the thunderous applause of students and faculty, "The imperialist king will finally fall,” (AFP, May 10, 2001). Immediately afterward the Iranian Press Service proudly proclaimed that "Iran and Cuba reached the conclusion that together they can tear down the United States.” (IPS, May 10, 2001).

REMEMBER 9/11/2001

29 posted on 12/21/2014 7:27:46 AM PST by Dqban22 (Hpo<p> http://i.imgur.com/26RbAPx.jpg)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

“I think trade might loosen things up and might help to topple the Castros.””

With the present leadership of the United States, both democrat and republican, this is just another event that leans the United States further left and nearer the it’s “topple” point. rubio is pro amnesty which is something ese pushing us to the “topple” point. PORP&MR.


30 posted on 12/21/2014 7:41:20 AM PST by duffee (Dump the Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, joe nosef.)
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To: Georgia Girl 2
He’s right. We should have done this 40 years ago. Long overdue.

Yea, maybe your right, you could have been on those beautiful Cuban beaches while the normal Cubans a kept off, and in prison camps for complaining about it. But hey you'll have wonderful cheap vacations. What do you care right? You and the insider comrades will be living like kings and can sleep well at night. The Canadians have been doing this for years.

31 posted on 12/21/2014 8:01:15 AM PST by WHBates
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To: Biggirl

Paul’s a democrat...


32 posted on 12/21/2014 8:12:49 AM PST by GOPJ (Once the tiger claws you, the worst response is to pull his tail... freeper IronJack)
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To: mac_truck

most people on this thread realize it’s about Rand Paul, not about Rubio.

I bet you’re lost like this a lot. I don’t see the intellectual heft on your part to possibly avoid it. At least you’re a tiny step above Obama lo fo - but I’m sincing you are Paul Bot.......and that’s just a tiny step above...


33 posted on 12/21/2014 8:27:40 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: Gaffer

staying on topic is a tough thing to do I guess..........damn, I thought this about Cuba normalization.


34 posted on 12/21/2014 8:29:25 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: WHBates

Don’t reckon Rand will be running for POTUS. Well maybe a little bit seeing how well running pays.

That’s too bad, many of us had high hopes for him. Better for the real Rand to come out now rather than in January 2017.


35 posted on 12/21/2014 8:32:34 AM PST by X-spurt (CRUZ missile - armed and ready.)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

And when does a discussion about “Cuba Normalization” not involve immigration? Both of these two have tried to make great appeasing hay on immigration (okay, let’s call it like they say, undocumented). Why should we even listen to either of these two?

Further, if you had been the OP, I might give more credence to your interpretation of the entire thread. Alas, you did not. Oh Well.


36 posted on 12/21/2014 8:36:19 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: WHBates
starting to resemble his father, even the nuttiness

The son is much more facile liar.

37 posted on 12/21/2014 8:51:48 AM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: Gaffer

Cuban normalization doesn’t have SH-T to do with illegal immigration from South America. Both Rubio and Rand have stepped in it on that issue - so that’s a draw - but this is totally totally totally different issue.

If you can’t figure it out, maybe you shouldn’t try this at home.


38 posted on 12/21/2014 8:54:55 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

Give me a break. Maybe you should shuffle this argument over to where you have complete control over the narrative. I’m not about to think you have some overly weighted position on this . You can do it....I don’t read your stuff anyway.


39 posted on 12/21/2014 8:57:06 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: GOPJ

Rather a RINO.


40 posted on 12/21/2014 9:28:26 AM PST by Biggirl (2014 MIdterms Were BOTH A Giant Wave And Restraining Order)
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