tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post5808723342002732459..comments2023-10-24T09:06:30.200-04:00Comments on No More Mister Nice Blog: MARCO RUBIO IS PHONING IT INSteve M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11963290427258439242noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post-62041436086271880682015-12-13T23:33:52.473-05:002015-12-13T23:33:52.473-05:00It could be framed as 'laziness', but I...It could be framed as 'laziness', but I'm calling it 'hubris'. Look at the rise of Rubio in Florida: we see first, at the state level, him going quickly from first elected to the state house in 2000, to speaker in 2006. All the stories and analysis I've read on that is consistent: he was able to CLAIM an IMPRESSION of charisma at the voter level, by manipulating intra-party relationships. <br /><br />If you know state politics you know how stale it can get; Florida's is far from exceptional. The Florida state house GOP in particular is a rats' nest of corrupt influence peddling by older pols for real estate developers. When a fresh face arrives, the rush is to corrupt it as quick as possible - but Rubio wasn't there to stay, so his moves more in the nature of a party activist/organizer. And the state house GOP desperately needed that given so much more actual power sits with the governor's office.<br /><br />That's what explains Rubio's meteoric rise in state politics: all presentation, fresh blood, youth, a robust state-wide effort at identifying with the Cuban emigre population, parlaying from that an IMPLICATION of being able to mobilize Hispanics more broadly, and being respectful enough of his elders in the state GOP apparatus that he was able to get a whole lot of 'respectful son' pieces out into the process political media that dropped names of GOP operators who, maybe were relevant at some point but by then were just flattered to see their names mentioned and their supposed 'power', 'influence', and 'stature' in print. It was, in large part, an illusion.<br /><br />That Rubio then was able to parlay all THAT to get from one statewide office, of state house speaker, to another, as U.S. Senator, isn't surprising: new face, fresh, Hispanic name, no known history of industry lobbying or pervasive corruption. But since 20110, what has Rubio been doing? Trying to do that same thing all over again in the Senate just doesn't work: the US Senate isn't 'just' an old boys' club, it's always been so and that's largely how it works (look at how Al Franken works the joint, Chuck Schumer, others: to be a stepping stone, you have to get out of the Senate FAST.). Rubio would have found ZERO hope of taking the Senate Leadership mantel from McConnell, or whoever, because that job's both a career ambition and a full-time job, not an kind of stepping stone.<br /><br />That pathway shut to Rubio, what he's been doing is working the party apparatus beyond the Senate; thus, he gets credited with being best placed among anyone, Jeb! included, to attract establishment help in gaming the nomination. Problem: the party's regular heirarchy is such terrible shape, it's severely weakened condition is WHY Trump in particular has been able to tromp all over it.<br /><br />I can see a certain laziness of PERSPECTIVE Rubio's fallen into; tho he's really not all that smart (See C. Pierce's ongoing series of casting Rubio as the Sideshow Bob of national politics.), nor does he has the connections or experience to readily view things any other way - which I call it more 'hubris' than 'laziness'.Feud Turgidsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05379322096770703017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post-56505862108626822512015-12-13T20:18:01.499-05:002015-12-13T20:18:01.499-05:00Methinks Unsalted has nailed it.Methinks Unsalted has nailed it.Never Ben Betterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17814767173601107270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post-38336675566197124252015-12-13T14:56:13.763-05:002015-12-13T14:56:13.763-05:00Isn't this pretty much how Rubio has approache...Isn't this pretty much how Rubio has approached his job as a senator as well? Maybe he's just lazy.Unsalted Sinnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07388516480935688151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post-89566847848166017202015-12-13T14:43:33.775-05:002015-12-13T14:43:33.775-05:00Rubio will think he's "New Age," unt...Rubio will think he's "New Age," until his old age.<br />And in his dotage, he might wonder why he didn't work harder, but instead, waited for the crown to be put on his head.<br /><br />The voters in those early primary states want to be stroked.<br />And being the gentleman that I am - LOL!- I won't mention what Marco's stroking instead.<br />All I'll say, is that it's far smaller than this empty-suit's ego...<br />Victorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06609452382111686086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3856837.post-15459624996463636812015-12-13T14:26:09.942-05:002015-12-13T14:26:09.942-05:00You've got that right, Steve. And if Cruz wins...You've got that right, Steve. And if Cruz wins in Iowa, New Hampshire will go for Trump to maintain the state's beloved relevance, much as it went for Hillary after Obama won Iowa in '08.AllieGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994768860067988405noreply@blogger.com