Marco Rubio courting wealthy Wall Street donors ahead of 2016
In recent weeks, the rising GOP star and possible 2016 hopeful has quietly met with some of the most powerful GOP backers in the world of high finance. The roster includes Blackstone Group Chief Executive Officer Stephen Schwarzman, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. CEO Henry Kravis and senior executives at Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital, among others…
“It was a first date. And he’s doing lot of them,” said a person familiar with Rubio’s meeting with Schwarzman, who heads one of the biggest private equity firms on Wall Street. The person, who asked not to be identified because the meeting was private, said Schwarzman was “favorably impressed” with Rubio but remains uncommitted for 2016. “Rubio has a very strong sense of himself and positioned himself very early on immigration reform, which Republicans desperately need,” this person said.
Rubio’s early trips to Manhattan are only logical, campaign finance experts say. And they are likely to continue over the next three years.
“I cannot see any downside to Rubio moving this early. I can only see the pitfalls of not moving fast enough and having people moving ahead of you,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. “And this is the first big stop on the fundraising trail. Support in the financial industry is key for any viable run for the White House.”
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Rubio is smart to do this, never too early.
VegasRick on February 27, 2013 at 11:42 AM
This is how Romney sewed it up and became the frontrunner almost immediately after 2008. This will also help to shut out serious competitors and leave us with only “joke” and “vanity” candidates.
If Rand Paul is serious about running he had better have alternative sources of funding ready.
Doomberg on February 27, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Bought and paid for, in other words. People are crying out for something different.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Yep, exactly. A grassroots candidate with real strength wouldn’t have to go whoring hat in hand to the money men.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Taking a break from his 24/7 push of obama’s amnesty plan and pro-illegal agenda …
So exactly how is Rubio selling himself – by praising obama’s agenda and trashing traditional Republicans and conservatives? It’s time to accept the fact the Rubio is just a typical “progressive” opportunist – and abandon him, before it’s too late.
Pork-Chop on February 27, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Bad move.
Start with the people, make the donors come to you.
Rubio really is becoming the Bush candidate.
budfox on February 27, 2013 at 11:52 AM
cannot learnfrom history, doomed to repeat it.
renalin on February 27, 2013 at 11:53 AM
The only hope for the GOP ever to win another presidential election for the next few decades is to run an anti-establishment candidate. Which, being an impossibility, means prepare for Dem presidents as far as the eye can see.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 11:53 AM
Tim Pawlenty began campaigning in 2009 too.
Logus on February 27, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Unfortunately you have to have money. If businesses haven’t figured out that Obama isn’t good for them by now, shame on them.
Cindy Munford on February 27, 2013 at 11:55 AM
It’s deja vu all over again…
Fallon on February 27, 2013 at 11:56 AM
If Rubio’s so strong, let him build on a bunch of individual grassroots contributions.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Looks like that water bottle thingy didn’t work out very well, so now Rubio is begging for money from some Wall Street cronies. Typical establishment move.
idesign on February 27, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Politics as usual.
UltimateBob on February 27, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Which spells relatively smooth sailing through the primaries, disaster on Election Day. Again.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Yeah, it worked beautifully for Romney up until the Moment of Truth.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 12:03 PM
>this thread
Wow, some of the comments are so delusional
Flapjackmaka on February 27, 2013 at 12:04 PM
What’s delusional is to think that Rubio’s anything other than the establishment pony this time around. Told ya so.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Hey he sold 5000 water bottles so we’re supposed to pretend he’s brilliant at turning lemons into lemonade.
sauldalinsky on February 27, 2013 at 12:08 PM
It is a requirement…that is where the money is. I still remember barry’s visit…early, very early. Remember the pix of barry on the staircase with Soro sitting at the bottom?
IIRC he first met with Soros and then with the groups of WS $$$$$$$$ men as a group.
r keller on February 27, 2013 at 12:11 PM
DOOM DOOM DOOM
Geez guys, if Rubio is so poor a candidate, he won’t make it.
If there’s someone better, they will beat him at this game.
thebrokenrattle on February 27, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Unfortunately, the GOP has decided that pushing obama’s destructive agenda is the way to win in 2016, and, they appear to have pre-selected Rubio as their nominee. Ultimately, BETTER doesn’t necessarily mean a better chance at winning the nomination – QUALITY no longer matters to the GOP.
Pork-Chop on February 27, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Um, that’s not how politics work anymore.
Fallon on February 27, 2013 at 12:24 PM
Unlike my name, I don’t think it is broken. The ’08 and ’12 cycles simply weren’t an environment for the GOP to win nor were the ’00 and ’04 cycles favorable for the Dems. 2016 will be a time for Obama-fatigue and the Dems will find it more difficult. The only thing that could help them is the biased MSM. If you think it’s so bad, what’s a feasible solution?
thebrokenrattle on February 27, 2013 at 12:43 PM
LOL. Are you above 12?
Maybe he should forgo hundreds of millions of dollars and do “Dancing With the Stars” to get his face out there, too. Or “Marco Rubio’s South Florida” on E! Or “Cooking With Mrs Rubio!” On Food Network.
Marcus on February 27, 2013 at 12:43 PM
The butthurt in this thread is strong. Big deal.
crrr6 on February 27, 2013 at 12:53 PM
Rubio is a non-starter. The left will be all over his “natural born” status like flies on crap.
Dr. Frank Enstine on February 27, 2013 at 1:07 PM
GOP power broker: Will you do what I tell you for a dollar?
Rubio: Absolutely not!
GOP power broker: Will you do what I tell you for a million dollars?
Rubio: Yes, I will.
GOP power broker: How about for a hundred bucks?
Rubio: What kind of a candidate do you think I am?”
GOP power borker: We settled that, now we are just negotiating the price.
Panther on February 27, 2013 at 1:19 PM
LOL, talk about mindless spin. Yeah, 2008 was going to be tough for the GOP. But 2012??? Come on. You can’t really believe that. The GOP was going up against the wackiest moonbat the Dems have ever out in the WH; real unemployment has been in the teens throughout his incompetent tenure; the Middle East is a powder keg on fire; and yet 2012 was not an environment in which the GOP could win.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 1:43 PM
It certainly is.
The socons are already falling all over this Carson guy as their latest celebrity savior, and he would get the fifth place finish the socon candidate always gets in primaries.
Never mind the fact that he doesn’t have a day’s worth of political experience. Just stay at the hospital, Doctor.
Cue, all the same stuff that liberals yell about anyone that doesn’t fall all over Obama now.
Moesart on February 27, 2013 at 1:43 PM
Oh, look. It’s Bradky Jr with the same old tired obsessive anti-Palin snark.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 1:45 PM
Yeah, and the squish will get first place in the primaries and then for all intents and purposes finish 17th in the general election. You guys are SUCH whizzes at that winning thing.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Sorry, you’re wrong. We had plenty of warning signals that Romney was a disaster waiting for a place to happen (the polls, his massive struggle with a series of joke/vanity candidates, terrible primary turnout) and the GOP pushed ahead with him anyway. No confidence at all that Rubio won’t be more of the same.
Doomberg on February 27, 2013 at 1:48 PM
But actually, though, Brady Jr, come to think I’d rather have a candidate who’s gone through those venues than have another Wall Street Muppet. Or one who’s made a bundle on iffy real estate and Big Pharma deals like Ranger Rick.
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 1:48 PM
* Bradky Jr, that is
ddrintn on February 27, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Watch Rubio kiss up to the Wall St crowd.
Watch him not be interested in what little you cares about.
Money has poisoned politics.
Seven Seas on February 27, 2013 at 2:05 PM
Saying he sucked without offering an alternative is just idle b*tching. Go ahead and tell me whom we should have selected instead, so I can laugh at you.
crrr6 on February 27, 2013 at 2:24 PM
Could be the reality. RINOs fear anti establishment more than they fear being owned by the DEMs. They will spend their capital trying to destroy the credibility of the Tea Party dissidents. The DEMs, of course, will help the RINOs hang themselves
Rubio has a lot of talent. He did everyone a favor by publishing his amnesty manifestos. Is there any doubt the guy would sign an amnesty bill if he were President? If they run him, he can get there without my vote, which I am assuming is the new plan
entagor on February 27, 2013 at 2:31 PM
IMHO the Club is working both Christie, and Rubio to suck up winner take all delegates in the primary. I expect more candidates to join the junta. Power to be shared later, when writing the scripts for the convention
entagor on February 27, 2013 at 2:32 PM