Whichever way Rubio goes has pitfalls for the prominent GOP senator, who turned into a vicious Trump critic when the two were battling for the GOP nomination but then endorsed and stood by Trump throughout his tumultuous general election campaign. If he votes for Tillerson after Wednesday’s confrontation, all of Rubio’s criticisms of the would-be secretary of state could come off as grandstanding rather than political courage. But if Rubio votes against Trump’s pick, he could very well draw the ire of Trump and national security stalwarts like Condoleezza Rice and Bob Gates.
“Classic Rubio,” said one Republican senator who believes Rubio will support Tillerson. Voting against him “will be a tough thing to do.”…
Privately, though, senators and aides said they can’t figure out what Rubio’s endgame is. Perhaps he wants to make a show of needling Tillerson publicly, in hopes of securing enough concessions from the nominee later to allow him to vote yes. Or maybe Rubio just wants to send a message that he isn’t going to reflexively fall in line behind Trump.
Regardless, senators said that Rubio put Tillerson in an impossible spot when he asked the secretary of state-designate if he thought Putin is a “war criminal.” Tillerson, after all, is chummy with Putin and received Russia’s Order of Friendship in 2013…
“I wouldn’t want any secretary of state backed into a corner, calling him names and putting labels. They’re going to make it impossible to start a conversation in the future,” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). “We’re going to have deal with Vladimir Putin. I don’t like Vladimir Putin.”
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