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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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As A tree hugging lefty, I must say that a lot of these post do sound very racist. Not saying the opposition sounds any better, but come on people,you can do better than this.He's an ideologue of bad ideas. Doesn't that say enough?
Beware of Rubio for he is said to be the fourth horseman of the apocalypse by many who know him - he is a pallid, wannabe despot that will bring forth death and destruction to America and perdition to the people who do not cower before him.
Wait. Isn't that supposed to be Obama? lol.
Did you actually laugh out loud when you submitted this inane post? What a tool.
I'm guessing he will have all the fixes to all the problems that they blame on the president. Almost sounds too good to be true!
Not to get all racist and ethnic, I would like to see his birth certificate, grades, and taxes for the last 10 years :)
You mean Rubio's REAL ones? Trump has seen them, so it's ok.
This ought to be as delusional as Jindal's mindless rant a few years ago.
Wrong..Marco Rubio influential? Not with Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, Central and South Americans. Not with Puerto Ricans, for one.
Then, he should clarify something he has never done...Are the Rubio's immigrants or refugees? That's is something still not clear. Mr. Rubio has always back out of that question.
"In Florida, Rubio captured 55% of the Latino vote in his race for the Senate–"
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2010/11/03/the-latino-vote-in-the-2010-elections/
"Hispanic eligible voters in Florida have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. One-third (32%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Florida are of Cuban origin, 28% are of Puerto Rican origin, 9% are of Mexican origin, and 30% claim other Hispanic origin. "
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/10/01/latinos-in-the-2012-election-florida-2/
I'd like to know that too. His grandfather was illegal, was detained in 1962, and ordered deported by a judge, but seemed to slip the noose only to reappear in 1966 to apply for residency - the AP says he was most likely illegal in the intervening years. Why was his grandfather allowed to stay if he was ordered deported? So did Marco's parents come here legally, or illegally? How does that affect him if he was born in 1971 before they were naturalized in 1975?
Chesty Puller: I absolutely love your handle. Chesty was a favorite of mine. I liked him better than his cousin George. Even though we don't see eye to eye politically, I do admire a man that can freak out the Japanese during WW2. (Incidentally, I scored well over 1000 on my SATs, although I'm not a registered Democrat.)
Ah, that explains it, debnran, your smarts. "not a registered Democrat"
As long as the Republicans WANT a response, they might as well make it entertaining! How about Clint Eastwood and his empty chair? Ted Nugent and a dead moose? (The GOP loves them props!)
If Marco Rubio was born in 1971 in Miami, and his parents were not citizens until 1975, is he eligible to hold the office of President? Seriously? In 1971 when he was born, his parents were both citizens of Cuba. I don't see anywhere if they came here legally or not. His grandfather was supposed to be deported, but it looks like INS let him slide and he applied for citizenship in 1966, 4 years after he was detained.
I don't have a problem with him giving the SOTU response as long as he sticks to the facts as EVERYONE knows them, and doesn't try to make up his own "facts".
GOP = Bless their little hearts.
Really?...Republicans...really? So this is the all important re branding of the party...Rubio (the same Rubio who couldn't even get the Latino vote out in the 2012 election. Soon as he even tries to go abit centrist to win votes ..the rabid far right wing neonuts will eat his #$$!! for dinner at the "Primaries" and then throw his dead carcass over the southern strategy wall LMAAO
Ah yes. What was his name? Oh yes, Mitt Romney. What a shining diamond he was. So sad he was compared to GWB, Tom Delay, Jack Abrimove, The anti christ, not to mention many others. Why was was he he not elected? I think that maybe we didn't like his ideas or those of his do nothing party.
Somebody had better give a good response the bullsh*T we've been getting from this White House and their Media Machine! What a SAD day 11/6/2012 was! We'll be paying for this incompetance for years to come! Obamacare has already caused most company health care premiums to increase by about 25% due to the uncertainty and taxes that are coming down the line! I just can't believe that people with any sort of education would have voted the way they did in November. So Sad!
Any intelligent person on this planet can see that Rubio is more competent than Flip Flopney and the Caribou Barbie disgrace that the GOP has pissed on the electorate with.
So it takes 5 out of 6 years of losing the popular vote for the radical right wing in this country to parade a man of color for the presidency?
Desperate?
Hhahahhaaahahahhahahhahaha
Sorry rube-e-o. Most Americans rejected your laughable ideological mantras less than 3 months ago..
We know what "limited govt.", and "free enterprise" really entails...
Massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, and deregulation for your corporate masters...
I mean ,.. seriously,.. we've heard all this crap before... It's nothing new...
""“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.""
Obamacare has already caused many company health plans to increase their premiums by nearly 25% as they are reacting to the massive taxation that will begin in 2014. My company CEO has agreed to absorb the cost this year, but I'm sure they won't in subsequent years! This past election will go down into history as one that will require the total collective national head be examined! Blame the Media, partially, but I believe the misinformation is coming from many other outlets, including many universities!
Many?? Really...
Considering that health insurance premiums have been rising at a rate greater than the rate of inflation for many years... Your cause and effect here is questionable...
They started raising them BEFORE Obamacare, and even hired Sarah Palin to stump for them (she quit being the Governor of Alaska to go work for them as a spokesperson). The day it was announced that Obama would seek to have the Affordable Care Act pushed through, the Health Care Industry announced their highest premium raise. Yes, Obamacare caused them to rise, BUT it wasn't because of what Obamacare was, it was because they were trying to get the maximum increase in before Obamacare stopped them from increasing. The actualy reason for the increase was just plain GREED of the industry to get the most money it could get - and there isn't anything we can do about it.
Wow! The Media has PISSED on the electorate twice, and you bought it twice, and now all of us and my 11 year old Son will pay the price for this "BRAND" of a presidency! The Golden Shower is the power grab of the Left which began with all the 60's style Anti WAR crap that won them power in 2006! Then the Housing Bubble Burst! Thanks to 3 decades of Democratic legislation that promoted home ownership to those that had no business buying the homes that they were in! Thanks to all those that voted in November. The downward spiral will continue!
You're into golden showers eh?? LOL!!!
Basically, you're just too stupid to waste time with..
Ignore...
3 decades of Democratic legislation? Golden showers? Downward spirals? You are really something there dude. Can't even take credit for your own party's work during the Bush years. Honestly, you aren't even worth hitting the "ignore author" tab - there really needs to be a "mark this author STUPID" button for THAT post.
@ theeightiesruled1
Wow! that was some hypocritical BS you just posted there. Hmmm..isn't it the Repubs the ones crying about The President destroying the American dream (you know the one where you can make it on your own...buy a house ...open your own business) you guys crack me up with your exaggerated over the top false bitching. But I really think your wires are crossed or your brain is fried from Fox overload. Have you even been listening to the hissy fit rants of your party?
The man is going to give a response. Thats it. A response. And look at the nonsense that it brings out in some people. To blindly just follow one party or the other is ridiculous, left or right. There are tangible policies on both sides. Just sitting and waiting for some article to hurry up and post on and attack each other......................yea and there is nothing wrong with the country.
well this proves the republicans couldn't possibly be racist. look at how well they treat their one pet latino. between this and making priebus rnc chair, they're doing a better job with the window dressing. too bad the party is still a couple dozen billionaires pulling the levers, a propaganda dept (fox) and an army of inbred hicks tricked into voting against their self interest
Pet Latino.
hhahahahahahhahaha
Funny that many in the GOP hadn't thought to call him a pet.......Token is likely the adjective of choice.
Palin was the "Pet" woman.............I have pets with better intelligence than that waste of an insult to American voters.
So it will be so funny to see the radical right wingers parade their boy out to voters hoping that the brown person means they aren't the party of hate and fear.
Hhahahahhhaahhahahah
Common, you and the rest of the pathetic liberal pukes are such hypocrites. You sound like a bunch of little high school girls bashing someone. This is just more proof that you libs suffer from a brain disorder that makes you act childish, irrational and delusional. The shooters involved in the last three tragedies came from liberal families.
Is this the GOP new idea of getting latinos to vote for them. I am a latina and I woud never vote for a candidate just bc he/she is latino. The GOP can groom their new puppet as much as they want, but Rubio isn't and will never be a leader of anything, except for the GOP nuts until their attention is turned to somebody else.
shanti, why not vote for him, 95% of blacks voted for Obama only because he looked black. And we know Obama is far from being any kind of a leader. Fact is, he has never held a real job as an adult.
Romney got 100% of the racists!
Shanti I'm Proud you would never vote for a man because of his skin color. To bad we can't say that for 95% of the blacks in this nation!!!
K1200RS The stupidity is affecting my company, our employees, and their families! AND MY SON! I thought people on the LEFT had a heart! I voted for Clinton because he saved your Party! NOW you have a total LEFTIST Moron, who is actually half white and half black, which is a NON ISSUE, that has taken a once great Party back to it's downfall in the 60's & 70's! I was there... I saw it! Reagan Democrats voted in droves, and it will happen again! These are SAD times indeed when people buy into a Media Branding of a President instead of actually looking at his/her resume! PATHETIC! Thanks for Obama Care! I look forward to higher taxation to take care of those without insurance!
FYI Obama was raised a Muslim and he says he is for gay marraige and gay boyscouts............Right! All Muslims believe this way..........Right again!
And Flip Flopney was your messiah?
Hhahahahhahahahahahahhahahhahahah
Yeah....And Muslims are compassionate for right of anyone........Like gays.
How stupid do you look?
Richard Reimer: First you guys go off on Obama and say he's Muslim, then you go off on him about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. You can't have it both ways. He isn't a Muslim, and never was. You say he was raised Muslim - for about 6 months before he was sent back to Honolulu to be RAISED by his Grandmother who was a Christian from Kansas living in Honolulu. When he lived with his mother in Indonesia, he went to a CATHOLIC school there, and then the second year, went to a public school for about 6 months when they had Islamic instruction for about 1 hour on one day a week. (Yes, NOW the school is totally an Islamic school, but it wasn't then.) He went to a mosque once in a while with his step-father, but he really wasn't living with them long before he was sent back to his grandparents in Hawaii, and was raised Christian with them.
If you are going to jump on Obama's past, it might be better to KNOW it first.
Obviously you weren't treating your employees right because if you were, it wouldn't even affect you. You must be just like Papa John's that complained about having to pay Obamacare to make things good for his employees that would cost him not much more than 25 cents on a pizza, and yet he's giving away 2 million free pizzas? That would have more than paid for his Obamacare for 3 or 4 years with what he's giving away. You want to know who to blame? Blame all the people taking manufacturing out of the US, and then those that dropped almost all their jobs to part time so that they didn't have to pay ANY benefits. So then they clogged the hospitals which had to write off their bills because they couldn't afford them, and then add in all the insurance companies who decided that they would start denying legitimate claims to save money - they even gave people bonuses for having the most denied claims.
You talk about YOUR SON... I know of one man who had his cardiac testing denied not just once, but THREE times by his insurance companies. He eventually got his cardiac testing done - AFTER he was admitted to the hospital for a MAJOR heart attack and almost died. I know people who HAVE died because they have been denied by insurance companies for testing and services that they needed, and their doctors said they needed - but the insurance company wanted to save money. I guess they figured that heart blockage would go away by itself.
I know one person who can't even GET a job because of the insurance companies. She has a pre-existing condition, and the insurance companies won't cover her because of it unless it's a big expensive coverage, and no company will touch that, yet she's a productive person and WANTS to work, and has very good skills. But you don't care about the PEOPLE, only the money it's going to cost you - and you don't even KNOW how much it's going to cost.
I may be a conservative but Marco Rubio scares me. I don't think he is going to be good for this country in the long run. He is too liberal on his immigration policies. We do not need more immigrants in this country to take our jobs away. They say that they take jobs that nobody wants but the real reason is that illegal immigrants take lower pay and that makes the jobs to be not wanted. I know of a lot of people that want to work in the construction business but builders who hire illegal workers get three for the price of one legal American worker. The illegal immigrant does NOT do better work if fact they do lousy work but it is done so cheaply that the builders can pay a legal American craftsman to fix the problem. I'm in the business and I know what is happening, not some idiot in the White House or Congress that has no idea of the real truth.
I agree.... lousy work. I discovered the Electric company's contractor out back butchering my back yard trees and when I asked him to spare my 30 year old Wisteria, he just looked at me and said "Que?" I thought I was in an episode of Fawlty Towers.
I am from South Florida and down here we all know that Rubio is a nut job. If the GOP runs him in 2016, they will lose. Big time. Is this the best the GOP can do? They ran McCain, nothing more than an angry old man who wants to fight everybody. They ran Romney, an out of touch, rich white guy who did not want to job to start with, according to his son. Come on GOP... Come up with somebody worth voting for. Not some wacko Teabagger.
Bpme come on do you really want the GOP to run some one who will kick your A$$. Who do you think you're fooling?
Scotty,
As a centrist Republican, I am sick of who the party is putting up as nominees. We need to get something going and Rubio is not it. He is a radical, narrow minded Cuban assclown. Always has been and always will be. He speaks to one group and says "this"... then he speaks to another group and says "that".
F-Rubio
The GOP has found their crutch for when they again lose the next big election. Boehner has his cutie pie Rubio who is living in lala land if he thinks he has any chance to go higher up in the GOP Fold.It is all he can do to win in Miami much less on the national scene.By the way ask him if he paid back all the questionable loot that came up missing while he was the Speaker here.his car,house massages and many other PERKS the State of Florida is on the hook for so cutie pie can try to advance. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reporting on the State of the Union was once one of the most important duties a president had at the beginning of each year! Until recently, it was taken for what it was. a report. However, with the advent of this extremist version of the Republican Party, they now wish to take it into the realm of a political duel! There NEVER used to be a GOP response! ONLY this version started to do so, giving them a platform for their politically extreme ideology!
From all indications, the the GOP hasnt learned a Thing from the past election. The American people want them to shut up and get to work! Cantor recently said that the GOP had to find a less extreme way for them to get their point across.In other words, the GOP must come up with prettier words to spread their unchanging lies and goals! Lower taxes for the rich will now become "tax reform"! Privatizing SS and Medicare will now become "entitlement reform". So they pick Rubio, in an obvious attempt to lure the Latino vote! I suspect most of them will want to know who the hell is this pretty face trying to tell them things they already know are not true.
Shanti-2198538... Wow! And you believe the Junior Senator from Illinois, who didn't have a resume that would qualify him for a Legal Job with my Company! He never practiced a DAY of law in his life. ONLY a career student! Harvard is impressive, but you need a record of success before you can be elected to the White House! People just bought into the "Branding" of our first 1/2 African President! So SAD! Rubio is smart, has a record, and will restore Latinos to a Work Ethic, which most already have, and certainly is NOT a platform of the DNC!
theeight, nice, libtards can't deal in the truth though. Obama is simply a lazy person, quite evident. All he likes to do is fly around on our jet and preach.