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Subscribe to RSSLAKE BUENA VISTA, FL -- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Friday critiqued President Obama and Congress for using the issue of immigration for their own political gain -- and for putting politics ahead of true efforts for reform.
But while doing so, he also showed that he was not above using the hot button issue as an opportunity to take some political jabs himself.
Speaking at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference here, Rubio told the crowd, "I was tempted to come here today and rip open the policies of the administration."
He added, "I was tempted to come here and tell you 'Hey, [Obama] hasn't been here in three years, what a coincidence it's an election year....but that's not the direction I want to go with my speech. Because if I did, if that's what I came here to talk to you about, then I would be doing the exact same thing that I just criticized."
Rubio spoke to the conference just hours before the president -- exactly one week since he announced an executive action that granted some young undocumented immigrants the ability to gain legal status. It is a concept similar to what Rubio was proposing but had never drafted into legislation.
"Of course, a few months later, a president takes a similar idea and implements it through executive action and now its the greatest idea in the world," Rubio said of last week's announcement. "I don't care who gets the credit; I don't. But it exposes the fact that this issue is all about politics for some people," said Rubio.
A day earlier in front of this same conference, Republican nominee Mitt Romney outlined his most specific immigration policy to date. But it still left major questions, like whether or not Romney would repeal the Obama order that gave refuge to some children brought to the United States illegally. Rubio has said he is in favor of such a measure, but the president's actions have made it more difficult to form a lasting long term solution.
Both Rubio and Romney received polite applause from the crowd of nearly 1,000, but neither generated a noticeable amount of excitement. The main draw for this crowd, comprised of many Latino legislators from around the country, is the president.
In his address, the Florida senator expressed optimism for achieving lasting immigration reform. "Perhaps we are as close as we've ever been to a critical turning point in the debate about immigration," he said at the top of his speech.
Yet while Rubio expressed optimism about the prospect of achieving a long-term solution to immigration, he warned that there are still major questions that remain unsolved.
"It's complicated. If we are able to reform and modernize our legal immigration system, if we can win the confidence of the American people back, were left with the issue of millions of people that are still undocumented and then the great answer, the quick question then is: What do you do about them?" Rubio asked. "I've talked about what you do about the kids. What about everybody else?"
"Here's the truth, if were honest with ourselves: We don't know yet."
Rubio, of course, is a rising star in the Republican Party and considered a VP possibility for Romney.
Even some Democrats at the conference said they could understand Rubio's appeal. "Very impressive individual," said Utah state senate Democratic leader Ross Romero. "I think he recognized that immigration has been used as a political football, which is unfortunate. But ultimately, it's a tough issue and you're trying to accommodate many different views on immigration."
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"Of course, a few months later, a president takes a similar idea and implements it through executive action and now its the greatest idea in the world," Rubio said of last week's announcement.
That's the difference Marco. Obama has actually done something about it, and you have only bitched and whined, and used it as a talking point....
Obama/Biden 2012
Executive orders have been used by many presidents to solve gridlock in Congress, and President Bush signed 291 executive orders over two terms. Notably for many Americans, Executive Order 13303 represents the foreshadowing of President Bush's approach to the Iraq war.
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ADMINISTRATION OF GEORGE W. BUSH (2001 - 2009)
Disposition of Executive orders signed by President George W. Bush:
291 Total Executive orders Issued
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President Obama's directive to change immigration policy will affect 800,000 individuals younger than 30, who came to the U.S. before they were 16 years old, lived here at least five years, are without criminal or security threat, and have served in the military/or who are good students.
They'll be permitted to defer deportation for 2 years and get a work permit. No amnesty/pathway to citizenship is involved. However, it will give a measure of safety and peace to young people who came here due to their parents' decisions. For many this country and its language, may the only one they've ever known. These folks can work legally, pay taxes, and may start businesses of their own.
For many reasons this move is good for the economy, as well as increasing America's potential for new ideas and innovation in the 21st century. It's a win-win all the way around. Bravo to President Obama and this Administration, for taking positive action!
Pls see following references: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/wbush.html
http://www.dhs.gov/files/enforcement/deferred-action-process-for-young-people-who-are-low-enforcement-priorities.shtm
Rubio should be grateful that his parents were able to obtain citizenship because he would be an illegal right now.
What has Rubio done for immigration to have the right to criticize anyway?
Hey, Rubio Willard kicked you to the curb. What a rat!!! He did even invite you to his little sleepover.
Let's see - the Republicans had a plan for immigration - never put it forward.
Had a better Healthcare plan - never put it forward.
Have a plan for jobs - where the hell is it?
Seems the Republicans think they have lots of plans that NEVER materialize.
It takes the Democratic party to get things moving!
Obama/Biden 2012
Rubio - you had a chance but you never wrote the darn legislation. What do you do all day????
Obama/Biden 2012
All they do is talk.
Never solutions.
Just talk.
Obama might be wrong. He might be right. But at least he did something.
The Republican party have become sissies, too scared to act.
Without a legitimate enemy for the republicans to get riled up about, they are turning the rest of the nation into their enemies.
Good luck with that plan of action.
WTF are you to question this man's heart about his heritage?
Nolimit - I don't care what's in his @!$%#ing heart, or his ethnicity. I was talking about the little @!$%#s politics!
Rubio would do well to let folks forget about his failure to get bipartisan support for his DREAM Act Lite as one of Romney's henchmen. (Oh and don't say the economy is doing better either all you Romney henchmen). After Teapublicans filibustered the real DREAM Act, anyone with half a brain knows Rubio and the GOP are just stalling and grandstanding as usual.
But let's back up a bit in regard to what the president has actually done, which was to issue a memo:
It's so much easier for Rubio/rightwingers to attack the president and not attack DREAM Act students, isn't it? Talk about the specifics of this memo, we challenge you.
Rubio is not in the position of President so he can't be faulted for not reimplementing his plan. The great Obama is the idea thief that now reaps all the rewards !
Isn't he special !
Romney / 2012 !!!!
Repubs have wasted more of our time and treasure in the last decade than any other entity worldwide. The shameful disgrace of being one must make one so proud. Rubio is simply ANOTHER of the dime a dozen unhonorable Koch bros lap boys. Nothing more, nothing less.
Rubio may have taken a
sucker punchjab at President Obama...But, President Obama just landed an upper-cut on Willard... who is down for the count!
This story is trending all over the place:
Think Progress:
Ray Walser, a co-chair of Mitt Romney's campaign for issues pertaining to Latin America, finally spilled the beans:
…Mr. Walser told The Daily Telegraph: "My anticipation is that he would probably rescind this directive were he to be elected in November."
Mr. Walser, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation and veteran US diplomat, said such a decision would be in line with the "very tough" stance taken on illegal migration by Mr Romney so far.
After Walser's comments to The Daily Telegraph, the reporter followed up with the Romney campaign. It refused to repond to his inquiry. But Walser got back in touch with the reporter and begged not to be quoted: "I've now had a little conversation with people from the campaign and they are concerned… They would really prefer that if you're going to quote the Romney position, you get it from someone other than me."
So much for 1st amendment rights..only the Gospel according to Mitt - written with invisble ink.
As long as Willard isn't talking, it is safe to assume his position is the same as he took in the Republican primaries. After all, he has the guy who drafted the Arizona "papers please" law on his staff as his adviser on immigration.
The only count that Romney is down for, is the countdown till when he takes the oath of office as the President of the United States !
Politicans using an issue as a "political football".
Hmm... THAT's not something only being done against the immigration issue.
So Rubio recognizes the obvious? I think all of America recognize this fact as well.
The question is as a legislator - someone with a VOTE that can effect change; who can write and sponsor bills that may become laws -WHAT HAS HE DONE?
Rubio instead has treated immigration as a political issue as well. He's spoken about it; floated ideas, etc., the same stuff we normal folks do around the breakfast table.
Understand that as a person with Cuban heritage, Cubans have no immigration issue here in the States. Once they get here - they are not 'illegal'
Pablo, well said.
Twice in 2010, the GOP Senators filibustered the DREAM Act. It had been passed by Nancy Pelosi's democratic House. It isn't that democrats did not try but when republicans refuse to allow majority rule by filibustering, there isn't much that any President can do. Thus, President Obama took the action he could.
That's stupid.
Why wouldn't 4-5 Republicans jump on board with an obviously humane, and well-spirited, act? Why is that? why do we need to convince you to do anything at all? Why aren't Republicans doing ANYTHING AT ALL?
All they have is hate and obstructionism.
You should be all sorts of willing to try to fix things.
Instead, a 'big name Republican' is spending his time decrying obama's Executive Order, when he could be MAKING LEGISLATION for what he perceives is the correct fix to the problem.
But he has nothing.
Just piss and vinegar, all over self-inflicted wounds.
Let them all rot.
rubio lies. Just like the most of the right wing of the republican party. If I had a nickel for every lie they tell, I would be as rich as willard.
Obama Biden 2012 to save America from the right. How could the right be so wrong!!
"Rubio told the crowd, "I was tempted to come here today and rip open the policies of the administration."
He added, "I was tempted to come here and tell you 'Hey, [Obama] hasn't been here in three years, what a coincidence it's an election year....but that's not the direction I want to go with my speech. Because if I did, if that's what I came here to talk to you about, then I would be doing the exact same thing that I just criticized."
Excuse me? "I was tempted to say what I just said, but if I did say what I just said, then I'd be doing the exact same thing that I just criticized myself for saying about what I was tempted to say but didn't really say, because that would be wrong for me to say what I just said anyway".
Okay, you made your point, Senator Rubio. Next time grow up and just say what you mean in the first place!
You and Romney were made for each other.....
Boo hoo, poor Marco Rubio, he's been telling everyone he has his version of the DREAM Act which is anything but a dream for young people but, well, he just has not gotten around to putting it in writing. Talk is cheap Marco. Never mind that the GOP filibustered the real bi-partisan DREAM Act, the one urged by President Bush and co-written by McCain and Kennedy. Now Rubio whines like a little kid because President Obama took the only measure he could because GOPers in Congress, thanks to their obstruction for 3 1/2 years, sat on their hands doing nothing while earning a tax payer funded, "gubmint" pay check. Well, Senator Rubio, let's just say tough stuff.
I'm really getting sick of Marco Rubio taking credit for legislation that Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch have been working on since 2001. I'd say that waiting 11 years for Congress to act is more than sufficent, particularly since the last version passed the House and received votes from 55 Senators. So put a sock in it Rubio, that watered down piece of crap version of the original Dream Act that you are out there pimping isn't worth the toilet paper it was written on. Of course, the real Dream Act is also the one your beloved Willard threatened to veto.
Me, too, Al in Visalia. And I'll add Durbin and Hatch working with McCain and Ted Kennedy prior to his death. It was the GOP which prevented a vote prior to 2008 and which again filibustered it in 2010.
Guess you have to put a sock in Obama for stealing Rubio's watered down piece of crap version and pimping it out there as if he some savior that came to save they day. The Obamanure from Obama is about worth the toilet paper to wipe it with.
Rocco, what Obama did was put in a stop gap in hopes that Congress will finally get off their @$$es and pass a real bill. Not likely to happen with all the teabaggers in that body but at least innocent kids won't be getting deported while the obstructionists pander to the mouth breathers and knuckle draggers.
bulletstopper - and the GOP is - as usual - sitting on their hands doing absolutely not one damned thing! Most ineffective groups of idiots on the planet!
What's the matter Rubio, your scheme backfired on you? How many months have you had to come up with your DREAM ACT, part 2? Romney was waiting for it so he could con the Hispanic into voting for him. Sorry but you failed your first quiz and now want to pretend that the dog ate your homework. The big dog Obama did it baby!!! Let's see how you squirm on MTP.
Go ahead and BASH HIM Marco. Make yourself look more Stupid and the HACK you already are for the Republican Party.
Make yourself look EVEN MORE OUT OF TOUCH with the Latino Community to Bash a President who is Trying to help the Young Latino Community hold their heads up in a Country that is really their Country too, just to give an OUT OF TOUCH REPUBLICAN PARTY COVER for their Bigotry and BIG LIE about the Dream Act.
It was a Republican in the Senate who decided to FILIBUSTER the Dream Act there by causing it NOT TO PASS. You know this better than anyone since you were there. Yet you, Marco choose to KEEP THE BIG LIE GOING that the President is the one who Stopped it from becoming law and the Press helps you keep this LIE GOING By not Publishing in BOLD PRINT THAT REPUBLICANS caused the Dream Act not to be passed.
So Keep being the MISGUIDED Minority that you are, Marco, and help the Republican Party to Continue to Crush the Latinos in this Country who play by the rules, except when the Republicans need minorities to try to drive other Minorities into their BIG TENT LIE.
Since Rubio said this:
"He added, "I was tempted to come here and tell you 'Hey, [Obama] hasn't been here in three years, what a coincidence it's an election year....but that's not the direction I want to go with my speech. Because if I did, if that's what I came here to talk to you about, then I would be doing the exact same thing that I just criticized."
He inadvertently made it the direction of his speech. No wonder Romney might pick him as his running mate, Rubio can stick his foot in his mouth, just as well as Romney can.
Fuuny how people say that those who break our laws have the right to remain here and this is their country too! If an American breaks a State or Federal law, they pay a price for that, but we are supposed to accept that anyone, not only hispanics, but anyone who breaks our federal laws, is above those laws, no matter what? Sounds like a contradiction to me! What other laws will they break if they find no problem in breaking our Federal laws? So why bother having any laws at all, why not just let everyone do as they want too and what would our country become then?
Laws are supposed to be approved by Congress first, then be sent to the President for his approval.
Not the case when you have a two bit, peg-legged dictator wannabe !
Who cares about the ones that actually go the legal route to citizenship? The ones that are care for laws, want to learn english and is proud to be an American instead of an I.D. stealing, lieing, law breakers, that want to force their language, laws and heritage onto us! Look at the so called santuary cities and states and see what dire straits they are in! Only so many people can pull the cart and when you get way more people that want to ride on it,,,,what is going to happen?
I am hoping Obammy's hotline gets flooded with calls from all the white folks he is discriminating against.