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Rubio: Trump won’t be our nominee because we’re not an angry nation
Hot Air ^ | August 26, 2015 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 08/26/2015 3:04:21 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Is Marco Rubio sure about that? The 2016 cycle appears ready to boil down to the question of whether the US electorate is an angry one. Rubio’s betting on no — and strategizing on it as well:

In his stump speech to fewer than 100 people in the northern part of the second presidential nominating contest, Rubio gently poked at the real estate tycoon who is towering over the Republican field in the polls, portraying Trump’s message as one of anger as opposed to the senator’s message of hope and opportunity.

“There’s another gentleman running for president whose slogan is Make America Great Again. And I understand what he’s trying to say. But I would remind him that America is great,” Rubio said. “Ask yourself this question: who would you trade places with? Would you rather be China? Would you rather be Brazil or India or anyone else for that matter? There’s no nation on earth I’d trade places with. The issue’s not that America isn’t great. The issue is that America has the chance to be greater. And we’re not fulfilling our potential.”

Well, perhaps that may be true by the time the primaries begin in early 2016, but the summer of 2015 suggests something different — and not just among Republicans. Bernie Sanders has become the Democrats’ Trump without even being a registered Democrat. The socialist rhetoric from which the Democratic establishment has mainly shied over the past few decades turns out to be a big hit this year. This cycle, at least in the early stages, reflects a rising populism in the country that spreads across the political spectrum, and populism definitely comes with an angry edge. At least, it does this year.

Nonetheless, Rubio’s so convinced of this that he’s demurring on battling Donald Trump, or anyone else. Trump took a shot at Rubio for not attacking Jeb Bush, which Rubio shrugged off. Instead, Rubio told reporters, he wants to focus on his own message and let voters decide for themselves:

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

Rubio brushed it off Wednesday when asked about it. “I’m running for president. I’m not running against anybody,” he said. “I’ll continue to talk about my message.”

That’s a smart move for Rubio, and for the other Republican candidates as well. Both Rand Paul and Jeb Bush have tried frontal attacks on Trump, which plays right into Trump’s confrontational strategy. Bush has plenty of resources to sustain himself even if his numbers drop, but Paul’s all but disappeared from view after attacking Trump in the debate. It’s akin to the film War Games — the only way to win is not to play. Rubio’s smart enough to figure that out.

That still leaves the question as to whether a Republican can survive in this field without giving vent to the obvious anger within the electorate. Rubio’s betting that a positive vision combined with a tremendous talent for communicating it will eclipse anger and retribution. That was true in 1980, and perhaps might be true now, but it’s no sure thing, either.


TOPICS: Florida; Campaign News; Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: amnesty; berniesanders; bush; gop; laraza; openborders; populism; randpaul; rubio; sanders; trump
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To: sparklite2

I tell you, if I were running for dog catcher or county commissioner and I couldn’t round up 100 people for a rally, I’d be re-thinking my candidacy...


21 posted on 08/26/2015 3:10:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ. You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Many of us are angry and mad as hell and rightly so.


22 posted on 08/26/2015 3:10:50 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Do Not Vote for List: See my profile)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

23 posted on 08/26/2015 3:11:28 PM PDT by Bobalu (See my freep page for political images.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

uhhhhh....we are an angry nation. I take that back. We’re a mad-as-hell nation.


24 posted on 08/26/2015 3:11:34 PM PDT by grania
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This guy is totally disconnected from reality. It is so angry and so mad. Like never before in history.


25 posted on 08/26/2015 3:12:37 PM PDT by nhwingut (Trump-Cruz 2016 - Blow Up The GOP)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
And no. America is not great. America sucks. We're going to have cross dressers in the military. That's what sucky countries do. Americans are great but they aren't allowed to define the culture anymore.
26 posted on 08/26/2015 3:13:05 PM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

but but but...we ARE an angry nation.

It was anger that carried Rubio over Christ, a popular sitting governor. Where is that Marco Rubio? No one’s seen him for several years.


27 posted on 08/26/2015 3:13:13 PM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We are a very,very angry nation.


28 posted on 08/26/2015 3:13:38 PM PDT by GilGil
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To: C. Edmund Wright
 photo undocumentdDemoncrps_zpsyf617q78.jpg
29 posted on 08/26/2015 3:13:38 PM PDT by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Rubio, you don’t know shit. We have been fed lies by BOTH parties for so long that we are eager for a non-politician to rise to the top.


30 posted on 08/26/2015 3:13:49 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (There's a right to gay marriage in the Constitution but there is no right of an unborn baby to life.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
In his stump speech to fewer than 100 people

Case closed.
31 posted on 08/26/2015 3:14:01 PM PDT by nhwingut (Trump-Cruz 2016 - Blow Up The GOP)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
 
 
Dumbass completely de-legitimized himself and his campaign as well with that utterance.
 
 

32 posted on 08/26/2015 3:14:01 PM PDT by lapsus calami (What's that stink? Code Pink ! ! And their buddy Murtha, too!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
We have GOP leadership that acts at complete odds with what their voters clearly want. Because of corruption and greed.

And as a consequence the country is slipping ever more rapidly down the commode.

Yet they persist in ignoring us. Worse, they lie to us and take us for granted.

Whats to be angry about?

33 posted on 08/26/2015 3:14:13 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: timestax

now THATS funny......


34 posted on 08/26/2015 3:15:15 PM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Hey Mario - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIY5Vyj4YM

Yes we are MAD, and you are a Wimp, and as a big problem as hard core liberals.

Quite wasting your money, you won’t be the candidate either.


35 posted on 08/26/2015 3:15:27 PM PDT by FreedomGuru (Oil is as organic as Tofu and daffodils.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Make America great again
vs
Open the borders and legalize all the illegals


One represents us. The other represents them. Which is which?

==

Fewer than 100 listening to Rubio's stump speech. {snicker}

==

The next debate may turn out to be the Big Cleanser -- forcing those at 0% to 2% or so to bow out because the money will be going elsewhere.


36 posted on 08/26/2015 3:16:05 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

AND, we should make friends with Mexican gangs and ISIS.


37 posted on 08/26/2015 3:16:46 PM PDT by donna (Pray for Revival.)
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To: Hotlanta Mike

Angry? - why yes.


38 posted on 08/26/2015 3:17:18 PM PDT by Triple (Socialism denies people the right to the fruits of their labor, and is as abhorrent as slavery)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Mr gang of 8 has learned nothing. Begone, loser.


39 posted on 08/26/2015 3:17:24 PM PDT by VRWC For Truth (Roberts has perverted the Constitution)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Where was Senator Rubio when Cruz and Mike Lee took a stand against Mitch McConnell?


40 posted on 08/26/2015 3:17:25 PM PDT by Calpublican (Republican Party Now Stands for Nothing!!!!!(Except Conniving))
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