Appearing on America’s Morning News, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) took issue with a story that appeared in the Daily Caller today. That DC story centers on a retreat that presumed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney is holding this weekend with a group that looks like a short list for vice president. Included in the group are major Republican names including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and South Dakota Sen. John Thune. The story says the retreat is called the “Romney Victory Founding Members Retreat” and takes place in Utah this weekend. But one person, according to the Daily Caller, has been “excluded” from the event who, like the other names mentioned, has been frequently mentioned as a possible Romney running mate: Sen. Marco Rubio.
Sen. Rubio said this morning that he was not excluded at all. Click to listen to the exclusive audio.
AMERICA’S MORNING NEWS HOST JOHN McCASLIN: It’s been a very very newsy week surrounding you sir…the exclusion comes after reports that your campaign was not being vetted, or the campaign of Mitt Romney was not vetting you as a potential vice presidential pick and now we’ve got word from the Daily Caller this morning that Mitt Romney is going to be holding a weekend retreat with vice presidential potentials and they’re excluding you. What’s your reaction to that?
SEN. MARCO RUBIO: Well, I don’t comment on the vice presidential process. I’ll be more than happy about this weekend’s issue, I can only say that that report’s not accurate. I’m not excluded, we were certainly invited to come. Unfortunately I have a speech tomorrow in Orlando, I have an appearance on Meet the Press Sunday, I have book events…and if you read my book, American Son, what I think people will take from it is I have four little kids and one of the things I talk about in the book is the balance between work and family. So, if I head out to Utah this weekend I won’t see my kids.
Sen. Rubio also previewed Mitt Romney’s speech to the National Coalition of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials today. Rubio took a direct shot at President Obama’s immigration policy shift announced on Friday. The senator said that it is clear that Mitt Romney is pro-legal immigration, as is the Republican Party. Saying that we have to be a nation of laws, Rubio asked a pointed question: “What do we say to these people that are abroad waiting to emigrate to the US legally, who are doing everything right, they’ve paid their fees, they waited in line, what do we say to them? Come here illegally because it’s cheaper and quicker? That can’t be our position. And no one talks about that.” Rubio accused President Obama of “injecting election year politics” into immigration after “seeing reports in poll after poll among Hispanic voters…because of how much Hispanics are suffering under this president’s economic policy, intensity of support for the president was down, and he was looking for something to change that.”
Rubio also said that “everything is political with this White House” including “our national security, that’s why they leak all kinds of stuff to make themselves look big and tough, to this immigration policy.” Sen. Rubio said that the president never tried to find a way to work with anyone on immigration before pulling “this election year stunt,” which will hurt the young illegal aliens in the process.
Gov. Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and South Dakota Sen. John Thune.
Clearly, an A Team assemblage, also clearly one that Marco Rubio fits within to a tee.
Names that I personally would like to see included, along with Rubio’s, would be Nikki Haley, Kristi Noem, Eric Cantor, Haley Barbour, Allen West, Mitch Daniels, and Susanna Martinez.
That would round out the A team field from my perspective, avoid any unnecessary revisits to the destructiveness of the primary season, put the most articulate and most attractive face on the “loyal resistance” to the Marxist overthrow crowd.
It would cover all key regions, several swing states, have international/foreign affairs, CBO/budget, military, black, hispanic, Jewish and independent voters covered.
A team this large will be necessary to fight the unfair disadvantage of the Propaganda and Lies Ministry. THIS is who needs to be visible and on stage from now until November, hitting all the right notes…and saving this country from the Marxist soft coup.
I dissected the term “The Hispanic Vote” here: http://clarespark.com/2012/06/21/the-hispanic-vote/, and further wonder if we are not all ignoring the very serious problem of exploited labor, wherever it may be found. The unions are notoriously corrupt. What to do? Only the communist left addresses labor as such and it too has no answers that convince.
Clare, you are right and I was taking a lazy shortcut…something I complain about when others use the terms “liberal” and “Mainstream” and “progressive”…so, I have no defense.
If I’m going to ask others to be precise, because words DO matter, I should hold myself to the same standard.
I stand corrected.
The Cubans who have come here by and large have their heads on straight and are an enormous benefit to the dialogue and principles needed to stave off the Marxist. Treating them as faceless blend of “one group that speaks Spanish” is just plain dumb and counter-productive.
You are completely right and I appreciate your comments.
I like Rubio a lot, I really do. I really think he has the potential of being the next Ronald Reagan. He’s a great communicator and if you listen to some of his speeches they sound like they were written by Reagan. But (and there’s always a “but”), I still think he’s too inexperienced for the job of Vice President. Rubio is 41 and has not even completed one term as a senator. That makes me more than a little nervous if anything happens to Romney. My vote (for whatever it’s worth) still goes to Bobby Jindal. Even though Jindal is also only 41, he’s in his second successful term as governor of Louisiana, he is incredibly popular in his state, he is as honest as they come, AND he is a tough conservative voice coming from the deep south. He would also help with getting minority votes from Florida and some of the larger cities from around the country. I think Jindal would be a great pick who has solid executive experience running a tough state. I think Jindal would make a fine vice president.
I really hate do not intend on offending anybody, but Rubio is establishment and is a phony. Research this, and then you will see!
The 14 Senators Who Voted Against NDAA (D-MD), Coburn (R-OK), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Durbin (D-IL), Franken (D-MN), Harkin (D-IA), Lee (R-UT), Merkley (D-OR), Paul (R-KY), Risch (R-ID), Sanders (I-VT), Wyden (D-OR)
(14 American Heroes)
I’m supporting Condi Rice for VP. I’d say I was praying for Rice as VP, but I don’t think she really has a prayer.
I have heard that Mitt Romney doesn’t want his VP choice to upstage him. This creates a problem. Romney is not the most exciting candidate I’ve ever seen so if he wants a VP candidate less exciting than he is it’s going to be hard to find one.
As I said, I think Rice would clean Biden’s clock in a debate and we all know she can deal with a hostile press. But if Romney wants boring it looks like Pawlenty, Thune or Portman have the inside track.
Bush has the wrong name. Jindal doesn’t impress me and some question his eligibility. Ryan has too much to do in the House to take the job.
What I would like to hear is somebody say “I’d love to be the VP candidate. If Mitt Romney asks, I’ll say yes in a second.” I’m sick of coy politicians. If anybody says they want the job I’ll give them a second look.
Seconding Condi. (tee hee, I also can’t help conjuring the prospect of Hillary replacing Biden on the Dem ticket only to find herself squaring off against another Black opponent — one who moreover would be immune to the sexism charge)
Condi is in no way conservative. She’s a female Colin Powell. And I’m not referring to skin color. When Israel came to Bush in the waning months of his last term with a finished plan to attack Iran’s nuke sites, Cheney wanted to greenlight and Condi and Powell kiboshed it out of fear that Iran would interfere in Iraq as retribution (making the US look bad). Bush was leaning towards Cheney’s view, but Condi’s disagreement swayed him and they told Israel that no greenlight would be forthcoming.
What’s this about Sen. Rubio’s children?
Wow! Fulgencio Battista is known to have invoked his mother, family and children, too. Must be a cultural thing. OH! And look at what invoking family, mother, children and grandchildren got Cuba.Yep! the Master… Fidel. Funny thing, Fidel is known to have invoked exactly the same thing; his mother, family, children and grandchildren…then hauls citizens off to the “shooting walls.”
Probably symptoms of Latin America’s, Central America’s, and Carribean Nation’s swing to communist/socialist forms of government…darn, Rubio aligning himself with all these new “fellow travelers?”
Actions speak louder than words. On April 25, Sen. Rubio met with Reps, Grijalva (co-chair of Congressional Progressive Caucus-CPC), Gutierrez (active member of CPC) remember Rep. Allen West having denounced “82 communists” in the House of Representatives? These were two of the really “heavies.” Well, this meeting was for what has now been publically acknowledged as “Dream Act – No.3.” We The People now know results of this meeting were forwarded to Ms. Napolitano for inclusion on some other regulation DHS was outlining for Mr. Obama, rushed to Obama and an “Executive Privilege” decree (just like a true King).
Sen. Rubio is also known to have tharted, through gerrymandering and erroneous advertising,, a candidate for Florida State’s Governance.
A McCain Progressive? A Latino Socialist? A RINO Progressive? A RINO Socialist? Sen. Rubios’s “stripes” are multifaceted and have almost a “rainbow” color and design to it. Geez! Seems like both Mr. Rubio and President Obama are aiming at exactly the same electorate: Latinos, Gay’s, Unemployed and Welfare Recipients!!! Question is, what’s different? Socialist lite (Rubio) or Socialist heavy duty (Obama)? Tough choice, no? God Bless America. Amen.
I live in Louisiana obviously, and like Bobby Jindal. I voted for him three times. (He lost to Gov. Kathleen Blanco.) Jindal has done a lot of good things and I hate to say this, but a lot of what he has done has been with an eye to a future move up politically. He’s also been very secretive as a governor. See Forgotston.com for some interesting insight.
its got to be West, Rubio or Rice, Portman no thanks
Senator Marco Rubio is not eligible to run for Vice President. He is an American Citizen, but his parents were resident aliens when he was born. Rubio’s parents became American citizens four years after his birth, therefore Senator is not a natural born citizen.
We cannot give the Republican Party a pass on this issue simply because Obama is not eligible to be President because he is not a natural born citizen.
If Rubio is not eligable because his parents were resident aliens then neither is Jindal.
Jindal was born in the US to resident aliens after he was conceived in India.
But I’m not a constitutional expert so I might be wrong. Perhaps this would all have to be threshed out in court.
Romney needs a wow-type choice for VP! Rubio, Rice, West, Jindal or Martinez would be that type of candidate. Being from Ohio, Portman would be a real drag to the Republicans. He is not respected in his own state, is one of the “good old boys” of the Republican National Committee and is an Obama-lite Bildeberger, Council on Foreign Relations, liberal Eastern-establishment Republican. He could even force conservative Republicans to sit at home as they were planning to do if Romney was nominated, but wanting him to be bold with a true conservative. NO PORTMAN. He does not even answer (with form letters) when Republicans like myself write him on issues. At least Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown does that even though I do not like what he says. Portman hides in his office doing nothing for Ohio nor its citizens!
I am not and have never been impressed by Conda Rice, What did she ever do for the USA on George Bush team, except being able to fill two slots , she is Female and she is Black, and she is silly, with all her Piano Talent, education, all looks good on paper. But it did not come through in person. I like Allen West, I like his telling it like it is, reminds me of a young Newt, but I can not see him being told what to do as a VP has to, speaking of BORING Jindel is so Boring I almost feel sorry for him. Jed Bush is not my cup of tea never has been, he doesn’t have a personality. Rubio, is a young man and knows how to be HUMBLE and work under someone else, he is not full of himself, like an Obama, He is truly a breath of fresh air to Washington. So that would be my pick, Some one said he did not have enough experiance , he has more now, than King Obama had when he became President.
Perhaps Romney’s choice of a running mate will enlighten the Republican and independant voters.
The Democratic party liberal faithful will undoubtably encourage the mainstream media to demonize the selected candidate in any case.
There seems to be quite a few candidates being talked about.
Executive experience would seem to me to be very important along with some significant name recognition and a political track record.
Hopefully Romney will make the “great decision” Senator Rubio has forecast.