Rubio is Done with Government
Will retire when his Senate term is over
Tuesday night, a tearful Senator Rubio quoted Proverbs 16:9 and then announced he would be ending his presidential campaign.
In the days that followed, Sen. Rubio revealed he wouldn’t pursue another government post.
TIME reports:
Marco Rubio said Thursday that he plans to leave the government after the end of his Senate term, and that he’s not interested in being anyone’s Vice President.
“I’m not going to be Vice President,” the Florida Senator told reporters Thursday. “I’m not running for governor of Florida, I’m going to finish out my term in the Senate over the next 10 months… and then I’ll be a private citizen in January.”
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Comments
Uh. KK Do you really mean that Rubio is reveling? Jus sayin.
Getting out while the getting is good and before they can kick him out.
In a way it is a shame what happened to him. They should make a short film of his career to show freshman representatives as a warning of what happens when you tie yourself to the GOPe. Like those movies the military shows about VD.
He did this to himself. He didn’t have a core, and this was highlighted when he went to DC and made some career-destroying choices (choices he arguably made on the campaign trail when he ran not only for Senate but for “campaign conservative” of the year).
He was not going to be reelected; this is an attempt at a graceful exit.
Prediction: Early next year (maybe even sooner), Rubio suddenly decides that the GOP “left him”, hops on the Democrat side and becomes a rock star. Democrats love former GOP pols and will love that he’s young, handsome, smarmy, malleable, and without any principles or values. Oh, and Hispanic. They will really love that.
He most certainly did have a core. And he sure wasn’t donating to Hillary; Chuck Schumer; Rahm Emanuel; Anthony Weiner and Harry Reid hand over fist, as Trump has.
Rubio’s March 12 press conference was fierce, ferocious and human. No wonder it has more than 700,000 hits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztdzg5kssXk
Countdown to Marco announcing he has (and his “core” have) switched parties . . .
And I suppose all those supporting a former Hillary donor and “good friend” will be what remains of “consevatives” in the GOP.
Well, Rubio was only conservative when he was campaigning, and that’s the case with a LOT of pols in the GOP. That’s also the problem and why they have been so hostile toward Ted Cruz (who is an actual conservative and tells stories about his being urged not to stand by his campaign promises because voters don’t matter. They do to Cruz, as do his core conservative principles–principles he didn’t don like a cheap–or in Trump’s case the smartest, bestest, most expensivest suit evah!–when it came time to campaign). Rubio would be no loss; in fact, I’d be okay with him taking a pile of his like-minded buddies with him to the Dems. I don’t think Rubio aspired to be king or anything, so he’s not as bad as Trump in that regard.
Trump, of course, is not a conservative. Never has been, never will be. If he ends up winning the WH and thus becomes figurehead of the GOP, there will be a mass voter and pol exodus from the GOP. It can become the Progressive Totalitarian Trump Party; that at least would sum up his worldview just fine.
Conservative review’s scorecard of Rubio completely disagrees with your analysis. No he doesn’t have a Ted Cruz voting record, but stop trying to act like Rubio is a younger, hispanic McCain.
I actually love that McCain analogy, but it’s really not worth further discussing what Rubio did or didn’t do, what he did or didn’t think, believe, etc. He’s done. He’s been done since 2011 for most of us and since New Hampshire for most others. I’m happy to defend Cruz, though, since he’s not a walking has been, also ran.
“Marco, baby, how many more times do I gotta click this YouTube button?”
— Frank Putz
he and Chucky S. sure seem to be good buddies
when it came to trying to force an amnesty law
down our throats … (is that what was meant by
“full throated conservative”?
This is my analysis for whatever it is worth…
Powers that be dismissed/ignored/underestimated the magnitude of Rubio’s rejection by Florida voters, perhaps believing campaign advertising would put him past that. It didn’t. He never had a chance of reelection to the Senate, let alone make it to the top in the presidential primary cycle.
Those engaged in wishful thinking apparently chose to ignore the depths of his problems with Florida voters.
Precisely. Once he won his Senate seat, Rubio snubbed the TEA Party who essentially won it for him and the faux values and stances he took to win. He lied on the campaign trail, showed his true colors almost immediately upon taking office, and was never going to win another Senate term in Florida. Voters are sick to death of being lied to until the election is over, and Rubio learned that the hard way.
He won’t be the last.
Rubio wasn’t the first, either.
Ask Scott Brown who lost his reelection and a second attempt in New Hampshire.
Ask Joe Walsh who back stabbed Sarah Palin publicly after she lead the Tea Party support his run achieving victory the 2010 Alaska Senate GOP primary.
Little did Joe know Lisa Murkowski & the Establishment would push her to a win over Joe via write-in.
His next attempt, as memory serves, was a failure.
People in the Tea Party do not forgive and forget a back stabber.
First Term Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will have to face this problem if he runs for a second term.
I called Rubio for the fake that he was before he ever made it to DC; I also knew that Scott Brown would play ball in Congress, but went all-in for him because he would be the 41st vote against ObamaCare and stop it in its tracks–at that time, Reid hadn’t changed the Senate rules, and Brown’s vote would have mattered. As it turned out, of course, his vote didn’t matter.
Anyway, I’m also calling Trump as a fake and poser. I’m not sure, though, that the Trump fans will ever acknowledge that (much as Obama’s worshippers fail to acknowledge his dismal failures and objectionable actions). Trump people are so vested in, and have performed the most amazing mental gymnastics to support, him that they’ll never admit he’s not what he’s saying he is. Oh, they’ll be backstabbed to the welfare lines, but they probably won’t ever admit it. Heck, they may not even see it when it’s right there in front of their face. It’s really kind of odd. And tragic.
I certainly have a long memory and low tolerance for back stabbing. Rubio was a typical politician, a caricature of one, really, and he’ll not be missed by me. I actually didn’t support him too strongly in 2010, though I think I may have written a post supporting him over the crazed lunatics against whom he was running. I also know that I spelled out exactly why I didn’t trust him (that whole FL GOP credit card thing said a LOT to me about his character . . . or lack thereof.). People are who they are and who’ve they’ve always been. That’s true of Rubio. And it’s true of Trump.
Marco was known to be MIA while in the FL legislature. Seems (much like Obama) he didn’t care much for the grunt work involved. But as Speaker, wow, he sure appreciated the power to block votes for every bill intended to address illegal immigration in the state.
When he ran for the senate he swore up and down how he had changed, matured. He wasted no time in reverting to his prior nature. Marco stepped on a lot of people, used them as stepping stones, to get where he is. Many he kicked to the curb, others still retain him on their leash.
GOPe, or work with Chuck U Schumer. He’s toxic, and any even semi-reasonable proposal he pushes is bad (if you figure out the effects & consequences) , and probably a career killer for anyone on our side. I think Rubio was already leaning toward Gang of Eight way, but Schumer sucked him in. Bet on it
Um, if he was toxic, please tell me why he beat Hillary more than any other candidate in the polls- head and shoulders above them. It is Trump who is toxic, sport. He loses to Hillary by 15 points.
He was a lousy candidate. He was just there to do the bidding of the powerful money guys. Once they determined he had no magic, they discarded him. Oh someone will find him a cushy job, pay him lots of money to do nothing and he will show up on Fox News and trash Trump from time to time.
Look at Marco’s picture. This is what the new face of corruption looks like.
I wonder what he plans to do for a living. According to this, he isn’t going to get much of a pension:
Lobbying and yakking on teewee.
Anything that doesn’t require him to show up for work too much.
So, he coud be a big noise as a “tax attorney”…???
Rubio isn’t smart enough to be a tax lawyer. He wasn’t smart enough to get into a decent college out of high school, then when Tarkeo (who?) failed while he was a freshman, he wasn’t able to transfer into UF. Had to go to Santa Fe Community College in Alachua County in order to get an AA degree (which in Florida then gave him transfer rights into the university.) Then he apparently couldn’t get into UF or FSU (Tallahassee) law school, so landed back in Miami at the private UM, which is much easier to get into. Finally, as far as I can tell, he’s never done any real legal work. A la Obama.
He was not a lousy candidate; on many occasions by all accounts he did very well at the debates – far better than most of the others. However, he walked into a perfect storm, in part due to his own misjudgments.
First, his totally insane Gang of 8 which everyone tried to warn him of.
Second, Jeb Bush’s absurd attempt to re-establish the Bush dynasty…drawing some votes (and a lot of fire) onto Rubio.
Third, Donald Trump and his making immigration the most important polarizing and inflammatory issue of the GOP primary.
Four, the primary system that split votes among the more moderate.
The net result was a very divided vote in the Florida primary, and very polarized electorate between white identity voters and Latinos. This will not only damage the GOP in future Florida elections, it will likely give Hillary Florida in the general.
He made some good speech’s and a wonderful parting address during his withdrawal. BUT for the gang of 8, however, he might be still in the running.
Sad…
He was a lousy candidate. He was making these insane victory speeches after finishing 3rd. He’s a talker not a doer. He didn’t have a feel for his job. He was corrupt – took the money, lied to people about his intentions, then failed miserably and now runs away. Floridians quite rightly showed what they thought of him. Good riddance. No respect for people like that.
Are you describing Rubio here or Trump?
“Floridians”? HAHAHAHA! The same folks that elected Charlie Crist, Alan Grayson, Bill Nelson, Lawton Chiles, Bob Graham, Pam Bondi, Angela Corey and….shall I go on?
Rubio was a peach compared to most of the people the braindead Floridians elect…..’rats and RINOs in every corner.
An examination of Rubio’s voting record by Conservative Review scores him at 79 and ranks him 7th in conservatism of all senators (Cruz is at 97 and ranked 2nd with Mike Lee, who endorsed Cruz, ranked 1st).
Basically, even though he changed his position, he was punished by the voters over the gang of 8 even though, on the whole, he’s far more conservative than blowhard gadfly Trump is. The voters were egged on against him not only by Trump but much earlier by Jeb’s $30M worth of anti-Rubio ads because he and the establishment GOP didn’t want Rubio to run because Jeb was running and only one can carry the state. He’d have been a much more likeable and winning candidate than the Braggart King Who Never Grew Up we may well get stuck with.
#NEVERTRUMP
#PRAYFORTED
In addition to what Mark said, Rubio was a poor candidate —
— didn’t work hard on the retail side. Didn’t shake the hands and kiss the babies.
— didn’t build a ground campaign
— didn’t build a data mining machine to find and target voters
— didn’t adjust when things went pear-shaped in New Hampshire
He was a Johnny one-note of a candidate. People figured it out.
Going to be a lobbyist or an influence peddler
no great loss, you useless RINO douchebag…AMF!
Really sport? Why the anger? Republicans are myopic. In every single poll Rubio beats Hilary by a wide margin. and yet Trump loses to her by 15 points. There’s a reason this fierce and passionate press conference by Rubio on Trump on March 12 is closing in on one million views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztdzg5kssXk
Mercyneal,
Polls of people who may have heard Rubio speak but didn’t actually know him, don’t mean much. He speaks well. But people are made up of far more than how talented they are at speaking. Just look at all the idiots in Hollywood who can memorize and deliver great lines too.
There’s a reason why the people of Florida gave Rubio a resounding defeat.
And he has to “retire” from political office, because he would never again get elected to anything in this state.
“There’s a reason why the people of Florida gave Rubio a resounding defeat.”
Because the majority of GOP voters in FL are the same demographic that was targeted by Trump University?
after gang of 8 he was dead to me ….
Can we count on LI for monthly updates on the latest in Marcomentum from the Land of Squee!!!
You should hold your breath, mole troll…
Real staying power there …
I’d guess that the usual money taps have told him that there’s no more free re-election money in his future.
Rush Limbaugh said that Rubio’s speech the other night was the best he’d heard in a year.
I man does have…
1. skills, and
2. some core values
It’s a shame he could not get right on immigration.
Does he have a future in the “public sector”? Dunno. But he would make a fine appellate attorney, and that’s enough of a career for anyone.
Now how’s he supposed to get a job if it gets out that you recommend him?
In my experience an appellate attorney must be able to deal honestly with the facts and holdings of precedent. I’m not sure Rubio is up to that.
He was taking an honest approach to immigration. Trumps plans for immigration are about as realistic as Sanders’ plans for education. But those that support either of those candidates just don’t care.
Was Rubio taking an honest approach to immigration when he ran for the senate?
I live in Florida and work for a state representative. Rubio may be out for now but he could also work as a lobbyist in Tallahasee or even Washington DC. If that does not work he can go back to teach at FIU. No matter what he does he will be well off and still make very good money.
“you don’t have
NixonRubio to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”Oh God that brings back memories.
I’d retire too if I managed to screw up as badly as he has given his natural advantages (ethnic, handsome, articulate) … the only explanation is that he must he unusually stupid and wants to get out before its obvious to the last man on earth …
If that was his goal he should have dropped out BEFORE the Fla primaries.
Oh, I see… this is his play for a brokered convention..
Not gonna work Little Marco! Nice try though 🙂
What are you talking about? Explain.
Maybe he could become Jeb! ‘s valet?
Rubio did not have the support of the Floridian’s that worked to get him elected to Speaker of FL House, then US Senate. He was/is an opportunist who used those who shared their political knowledge and networks. There is a reason the former mayor of Hialeah, and Rubio kingmaker, sat outside an early voting site for two weeks with a Trump sign..”I wouldn’t support (him) for dogcatcher’. He was similarly used by GOPe to sell Amnesty to all of us gullible and hopeful conservatives. No personal platform – for sale. Conservative label was good product placement for young, handsome Cuban.
His PR team was expert as casting him as “bright, articulate, Foreign Policy expert”. Repeat it enough and it becomes truth. (not dissimilar to “constitutional conservative”). He is very clumsy without prepared speaking points. He had a 2.1GPA in HS – so no, not that bright. He looked good, had great support and “handlers” through every step. Always did what they advised – which is why he pivoted so fast to the failed “take it to Trump” strategy. He has been dumped, and will re-emerge only after he finds another connected, $$$ sponsor. My guess is a network, media company. Talking head is perfect role.
I agree, he has a pretty face and a nice voice. He has also shown that he can memorize talking points and repeat them fluently. Fox News?
I am a Cruz supporting, hoping my CA vote will matter, BUT I am sad that Rubio is leaving the Senate. He stands heads and shoulders above most other congressmen.