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Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will deliver Republicans' response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, GOP leaders announced Wednesday.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., selected Rubio -- an influential Latino conservative who was first elected in 2010 -- to speak for Republicans in their official response to the president's speech.
The State of the Union response slot is often seen as a potential launching platform for politicians who harbor national ambitions; fittingly, Rubio is one of the most-hyped figures in the GOP, and is thought to have designs on the party's presidential nomination in 2016. The honor carries a degree of risk, however: many past figures to deliver their party's response have been panned for their performance.
Nicholas Kamm / AFP - Getty Images
Republican Sen. from Florida Marco Rubio speaks at the BuzzFeed Brews newsmaker event in Washington on February 5, 2013.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity to discuss how limited government and free enterprise have helped make my family’s dreams come true in America,” the Florida senator said in a statement. “Limited government and free enterprise are the very foundation of what makes America special and separates us from the world, particularly through our strong middle class. I look forward to laying out the Republican case of how our ideas can help people close the gap between their dreams and the opportunities to realize them.”
Rubio has also helped take the lead recently in working with a bipartisan group of senators to craft a comprehensive immigration reform bill that allows a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Rubio has worked to sell that legislation to conservatives, just as immigration is sure to figure prominently in Obama's yearly address on Tuesday.
"His speech will focus on the Republican Party's agenda to grow the middle class," a Rubio aide said. "Immigration will likely be mentioned as one way to grow the economy, but the speech really is about the Republican Party's commitment to limited government as the best way to help the middle class, and how it differs from the President's plans for bigger government."
"Marco Rubio is one of our party’s most dynamic and inspiring leaders. He carries our party’s banner of freedom, opportunity and prosperity in a way few others can. His family’s story is a testament to the promise and greatness of America,” Boehner said in a statement.
Added McConnell: "Marco Rubio embodies the optimism that lies at the heart of the Republican vision for America. On Tuesday, he will contrast the Republican approach to the challenges we face with President Obama’s vision of an ever-bigger government and the higher taxes that would be needed to pay for it."
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Rubio can make a speech without a telepromter and Obama still can't do this after thousands of speeches and four years of pretenting to be president. Rubio will be the next POTUS if the country will survive Obama's second term. We will be over 20 trillion in debt by then and will take major cuts to the 47%ers, but it will probably be 57%ers by 2016. Obama will speak of his great achievements like increasing the food stamp roles from 30 million to 47 million, over 23 million unemployed or underemployed, borrowing 44 cents of every federal dollar spent, sending women into combat, including gays openly in the military, turning a blind eye to 15 million illegals, allowing Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, catering to every muslim country, turning his back on Israel, dismantling the military, and the list goes on and on.
Rubio is worthless. A piece of crap. Another Tea Party crybaby.
I have not seen one rubio speech where he WASN'T using a teleprompter... and I've seen 37 to date.
Obama is a failure.
no one has even given obama a chance to be anything else. I may vote green and think both big 2 parties are full of crap, but obama has not been given a chance to lead YET.
@Patrick...what??? Go Google how many executive orders Obama has issued....than get back to me.
well done
Hopeless:
Per Factcheck.org:
Q: Has President Barack Obama signed 900 executive orders, some of which create martial law?
A: No. Obama’s executive orders do not create martial law. And so far he has signed 139 executive orders — not 900.
139!!!???? ...I bet if he signed 900, your post would have asked if he signed a million.......you libs really have to wake the @!$%# up!!
@Say What...also, your count is way back from October....you don't include the 23 he signed in one day back in January, do you? ...or the multiple ones in November, December, and February. ...Why do you try to defend him by skewing the facts????????
wait....he didn't talk about the government taking over management of healthcare.....even though they still can't manage a mail service? ....he didn't talk about taking away our 2nd amendment rights, or of how he has trouble with budgets? .....he didn't talk about the failures of benghazi or how drones are now killing U.S> citizens? .....he didn't talk about the still horrible deficits and unemployment?? ...or of the ever increasing entitlements, welfare and food stamps? ...how about the huge amount of current small business bankruptcies?? Wait......that is the other guy...that's his current union...........
Um, 3 bengazi references, plans to strengthen ACA and close loopholes, direct jabs at unemployment numbers...yup, republican. Better yet, a tea.
right on the mark
Hopeless...
See 127.7...another of your lies - proven to be a lie. You are a liar, a hypocrite, and a mor0n.
Hopey......is that you? Still stupid after all these months? Yeah, thought so.
Keepin' you on "Ignore" and lovin' it.
This is the repuke's main man now? A wet-behind-the-ears little puppy dog TPer? Good luck beating Hillary with this chump.
For the record, rubio can't run for POTUS. He's not a natural born citizen.
he was born here in the states his parents are immigrants so pat you better check you facts a liberal birther how real.
Rubio was born in Kenya....he's a Muslim....a Nazi....a Socialist!
Not true? Not true about Obama either! LOL!
Sorry JustFedUP. We are following the Republican examples.. If they are not white, then they must here illegally (at all times) and are not american citizens in anyway :)
This is something everyone here is likely to appreciate. Its an important reminder.
https://bay002.mail.live.com/default.aspx?id=64855&rru=inbox#n=961676630&rru=inbox&fid=1&mid=0bd08598-70b3-11e2-86c2-001e0bcb6fc0&fv=1
Rubio may well be a star for the party of NO, but the policies and the political machine remains the same, the overwhelming majority of the citizens in the USA have rejected these fringe elements and the republican party will continue to lose where they can not cheat and steal their way into power.
True patriots defend this nation because it guarantees the same rights and freedoms to all citizens, not just the well heeled white boys born to privilege or property. Until the policies of the republican party become progressive and equal for all people, they will continue to diminish.
Voiceinmyhead
Voiceinmyhead
I wouldn't be proud to be the face of LIARS; if I were Rubio.
Maybe they ought to have Rubio pay off his student loans before they let him speak for them.
what a no nothing punk he will embarrass himself like the rest of the right wing morons before him, they do not have a chance critiquing President Obama
How long is it before one of those losers will be in the White House? A very long time.
Neanderthals they are. Stupid.
I just can't wait until every last one of these worthless republican and teabag politicians get voted completely out of politics. They have proven themselves totally worthless. Start a new and worthy party.
Rubio lost my respect when he announced his support for the recent immigration bill and he read it in spanish. What countries politicans speak in another countries language. Do the french speak english at their announcements? Do the mexicans speak english when they read a new bill introduced in their senate? Rubio , tell the new immigrants to learn english and tell them in spanish.
ray you dont use the phone much and call for service and hear for english press 1 in spanish press 2
The only embarrassment there is, is barry o. Still campaigning after all these years, lmao. What's up with that? By the time obamacare take full effect Jan.1 of next year, there will be no hope for demos again, lmao
Do you have these delusions often???
Maybe Obamacare might cover the treatment..
Good luck...
it so funny that the liberals think that they have all of the answer to all of the nations problems. but the president promised these things that he would close git mo, cut the deficit by half by the end of his first term. that his administration would transparent. he would change how lobbyist would work in DC. if you made less than 250000 dollars you taxes would not go up. yes think all of this sounded real good too but what has he no not a damn thing but lied. not he has orderd that undocumented people can not be deported even if they commit crimes. wont even enforce the laws that are on the books. so you mock someone like Rubio who is differnt and make fun of him . to the leftist who siad they didnt do stuff to veitnam vet maybe you didn't but when my broth cam home they thew @!$%# on him ouside the airport and called him baby killer and other nice stuff a person wants to hear. he did not want to go he was drafted he went did his job . but that all cool because the dem and lib have the market of what is best for everybody. so for all you enlighten folks go pound salt.
@Just:
Rather than pick your post apart...I will use just one of your talking points:
"he would close git mo,"
You are aware that the closing of Gitmo was BLOCKED BY THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS?
The House blocked every effort to get a bill passed, yet voted 33 times to repeal the Healthcare act. Oh, yes, let's not forget the 386 filibusters in the Senate, including the filibuster by McConnell...against HIS OWN BILL!
"you mock someone like Rubio who is differnt and make fun of him"
--------------Good thing no one on the right did that to Obama, right?
Here's hoping Rubio gives a better performance than Jindal did with his laughable "Cat in the Hat" response.
Ahh but Jindal called it out best about the republican party here recently. "They need to stop being the DUMB Party"
I guess I should " YAWN " listen to this. O'well, if I miss it no big deal. Probably just more of the same old Tea-Republican Propaganda. I wonder what Bauchman is going to dribble on about in her " State of the Mindless Address " this year.
Let's see, so far, it's been Jindal, McDonnell, Mitch Daniels, and last year's dynamic duo of Paul Ryan reprising the role of Eddie Munster, black backdrop, low lights, gloomy dark clothes....and the rebuttal to Ryan by Michele Bachmann looking at some unknown spot high up on the wall!
Rubio was born in Kenya....he is a Nazi! A Communist! He wants to destroy the USA! He's a socialist! Not true? Not true about Obama either!!!!
For some reason it doesn't surprise me that the Republicans picked the guy who lied about his family history to get elected. (Remember his family "escaping" Cuba - 2-1/2 years before Castro took over?)
He must be here illegally. The GOP Mantra is any hispanic is here illegally and probably on public welfare.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio presents himself as a clone of Sarah Palin. Did any of these Wannabe Republican Candidates for the Presidency in 2016 actual attend a credible university? If they did, did they actually attend classes? After watching a recent interview with Rubio, I recommend that he write notes on his hands if he plans to grant Katie Couric an interview. Republicans better pray that his teleprompter does not fail because this man appears to have read very little regarding world affairs, and his approach to answer a question with a question, sure seems like he was programmed by the same team that prepped Palin during the 2008 Campaign.
That's what we're afraid of.
He might as well give it today. It was written months ago.
bill you think threre are no dems stashing money
The kiss of political death... I love it! I wonder which Brady kid he'll say he took his name from. What, no Marco? Ahh... he'll try to identify with Alice the maid.
I don't recall a single republican or democrat who gave the SOTU rebuttal. For some, it has been the political kiss of death. You just can't compete with a President standing in front of a packed House with live people responding to the speech. You could give the speech of your life and it will be flat in comparison. If I were a politician with any aspirations to higher office, I would refuse to be put in that spot.
thats why it will be christie