Rubio breaks fundraising record for Branstad with Iowa appearance
“I just think he’s the future,” Branstad told TheDC. “He’s the kind of leadership that we need, and I think he’s a very intelligent, articulate, and he is a great example of the American dream, and that’s exactly what we have to make available for more and more people.”…
“I have long said that when Marco Rubio speaks, he speaks to my heart in a way that’s, I think, unique,” said Rep. Steve King, who attended the fundraiser after a day spent duck hunting. “And that was true here tonight.”
“I was sitting next to our secretary of agriculture, Bill Northey, and he remarked on how when Marco Rubio talks about American exceptionalism, he does so in a way that we understand it, and it sweeps us up and makes us feel good and proud and also gives us a sense of goal and destiny,” King added…
Even before they heard him speak on Saturday, Iowans were attracted to Rubio. Branstad said the fundraiser generated more than $600,000, a total he said was greater than he had raised before in any single event.
Blowback
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Aye Caramba!
portlandon on November 18, 2012 at 1:28 PM
M’kay. Why don’t we just nominate Rubio already and get it over with? I’m interested to see if the Rs can win by putting up a fluffy candidate for President or if that is just a D thing.
Illinidiva on November 18, 2012 at 1:28 PM
The anointed one! Yay!
the_nile on November 18, 2012 at 1:28 PM
When does Rubio speak before a hundred thousand Germans in Berlin? Is that still a few years away?
steebo77 on November 18, 2012 at 1:31 PM
The D’s have kicked our butts since putting up their “fluffy” candidate.
M’kay.
portlandon on November 18, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Corrected for the Candidate
portlandon on November 18, 2012 at 1:33 PM
The Media Narrative is that republicans have gone away and are trying to fix themselves. Re Rubio, “he couldn’t deliver Florida.” Thus the foolish pander to the hispanics theme.
They will next be trying to marginalize Rubio as some kind of token, I would suggest that both the House and the Senate republicans, re write some rules so we can have OUR stars in the leadership. NOW. All representatives equal, no union seniority plan for our guys, everyone has a chance to shine. Committee assignments too, if they can figure that one out. I am not sure, with the DEMS really big into “seniority” how far we can go. Seniority is the corruption that makes people cry out for term limits, it’s the true entrenchment.
Perhaps freshman still should not be given the reins, but I would suggest that if you have been in congress before you are in the senate it should count, and for new people 9 months experience is enough to be given equal status with any other rep, and abolish seniority in the republican party. Even with office assignments. Even with perks. Even with staffing, no more pecking order.
We are tired of grimacing Boehner and lackluster, however nice, Grampa McConnell.
The media is saying our guys are all wrong and that Romney was all wrong, and of course they trick some of us here into joining in. They are saying our ideas were repudiated in the election. You know it was your ground game that was repudiated, you didn’t drag enough voters in the battleground states to the polls to do the right thing. The Unions did, they re elected their guy, and they were rewarded with the first meeting this week.
Resist the temptation to crown Rubio the candidate for 2016, I cannot take the media feeding frenzy on him for the next four years. I would especially like him to do his job in the Senate and have the opportunity to do a STELLAR job, not made to sit with his mouth shut and his hands folded.
Fleuries on November 18, 2012 at 1:41 PM
looks like hotair management has learned nothing. They are again breathlessly reporting on another GOP presidential candidate.
Yea, Rubio2016!
keep the change on November 18, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Questions: Can Marco win the white working/middle class that stayed home? And can Marco beat a Clinton/O’Malley or a Clinton/Warner ticket who could clean up with the white working/middle class vote?
Punchenko on November 18, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Can we Republicans agree for once that we will not hold a primary. Just give Rubio the nomination by acclamation.
Ask yourself this question. Do you know any Republican, anywhere’s who is sane of mind, who would oppose Marco Rubio as our nominee?
If not, than why waste the money on a primary.
ericdondero on November 18, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Kind of like every minute that a pot is set on the stove is the hottest the pot has ever been? Well, until the pot reaches the maximum temperature the stove can create. Point being, every year the amount of money in politics typically increases, as money becomes much less valuable and the politics of the government become much more powerful and thus worthy of being controlled by money.
Particularly, I do not see the increase in money into politics as the best possible future, nor a determination that a candidate is super awesome. If I am not mistaken, Romney got a record amount of money for the 2012 election cycle, what exactly did that billion dollars buy us?
astonerii on November 18, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Long Live Rubio Chavez Putin!
astonerii on November 18, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Dear Marco,
Can you please hold off until after the holidays with your campaign commercials?
JPeterman on November 18, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Quite. He’s the great conservative hope for conservative dopes.
He will let you down. Massively.
As with Mitt, the best you can say about him is he seems to make the right noises sometimes, he’s not white, and he’s not a commie.
Doesn’t mean people won’t stop regarding him as the reincarnatio of Desi Arnez.
CorporatePiggy on November 18, 2012 at 2:09 PM
At least he has one accomplishment on his record.
conservative pilgrim on November 18, 2012 at 2:12 PM
What makes Rubio the preferred nominee for 2016? I don’t want to hear about he can best pander to Hispanics or that he makes great speeches!! That would make him nothing more than the Republican version of Obama
What has he actually done that anybody else hasn’t already done before?
journeymike on November 18, 2012 at 3:02 PM
That’s really the central strategic question.
I personally think that Rubio’s the best communicator in the GOP — by far. And the middle class messaging I saw during his Iowa talk last night was promising. However, he still needs to prove that he can win back the white working class because, for 2016, that’s our highest priority. Winning the latino vote is a long-term generational challenge that likely won’t be solved in a single presidential campaign cycle. However, we can win back the white working class with slightly new messaging, a new messenger, and some organizational tweaks.
Robert_Paulson on November 18, 2012 at 3:03 PM
portlondon Don’t you have to tell us about how great the Bushies are and what an awesome candidate Jeb will be in 2016? Or did the Bushies tell you that even they don’t drink the Koolaid and to start shilling for Rubio?
As for the Rubio nomination, I’m intrigued by the whole notion that the Rs could beat the Ds at their own game, but don’t think that Rubio will be given a pass on being fluffy.
Illinidiva on November 18, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Rubio really is a great speaker who just radiates charisma on the stage. On TV I caught a rally in Florida with multiple speakers preceding Romney, and both Rubio and Ryan spoke before Romney. Ryan was good, he looked good, but then the slightly pudgy Rubio took the stage and I had to stop what I was doing to listen to the rest of his speech. He spoke my language, he articulated and personalized the message so well, and he did it with both confidence and a feistiness that Obama had in 2008.
I have no idea if he would actually make a good President, he hasn’t been in office that long. In this celebrity obsessed nation however, he could make a damn good nominee. He will definitely be vetted/smeared by the media unlike Obama, but hopefully by then we’ll learn to get dirty and personal and not run another McCain/Romney campaign. The Democrats learned a lot from Kerry getting swift boated, we need to learn the same lessons.
Daemonocracy on November 18, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Rubio, another romney in he making. Good at getting money. Just like a Bushie lite!
God, can the GOP stop picking our candidates!
Danielvito on November 18, 2012 at 3:47 PM
The issue with Rubio as a speaker is he has one speech.. Gorgeous the first time but loses impact after the seventh time. Also, people are really stupid and need others to tell them what is cool. No vapid Hollywood starlet is going to say Rubio is cool or sing creepy songs about him.
Illinidiva on November 18, 2012 at 3:48 PM
The only speech I remember from the guy is the one where he said that America has two equally valid directions for voters to pick. One of socialism and one of capitalism. If he can say those are two equally valid choices, he is not likely someone I am willing to back for anything higher than deputy sheriff.
astonerii on November 18, 2012 at 4:15 PM
I wish him and others luck in transforming the Republican Party into an entity that can bring back some sanity to this country. After four more years of Obama, I don’t know if this country will be able to rebound from his idiotic economic and defense policies.
SC.Charlie on November 18, 2012 at 4:18 PM
2010 Florida Senate
Marco Rubio – 2,645,743 – 48.9%
Charlie Crist – 1,607,549 – 29.7%
Kendrick B. Meek – 1,092,936 – 20.2%
2012 Florida Senate
Bill Nelson – 4,521,534 – 55.2%
Connie Mack – 3,457,254 – 42.2%
Remind me again why Marco Rubio is a savior GOP all-star. He won statewide election against a slimeball and a token Dem candidate.
Bill Nelson is more popular in Florida. Seriously folks.
BocaJuniors on November 18, 2012 at 4:33 PM