Marco Rubio for Vice President.

[BrainGlutton]

@Onomatopoeia

My wife is Hispanic as well, but not Cuban, and a naturalized American citizen, and agrees with you as does her Latino family and friends. They find the whole wet foot-dry foot policy to be extremely unfair and discriminatory, and would never vote for a Cubano, which is not a difficult feat as Cuban politicians tend to be Republican.

Of course, as we Yanquis tend to forget, “Hispanic” or “Latino” is not one monolithic thing. Apart from the Spanish or Portuguese language and Roman Catholicism, how much culturally and politically do all the various Latin American nations have in common with each other, anyway? (Serious question.)

[running_coach]

@BrainGlutton

He’ll have to get down on his knees for it.

No, he’ll remain standing. :eek:

[BrainGlutton]

@Jophiel

I’m channeling my wife here (Peruvian immigrant, lots of experience with Mexicans in the immigration system) rather than citing hard data but, according to her, “Cuban” doesn’t get you a lot of traction as a Hispanic. Many Hispanics regard Cubans as elitist and snooty (brain drain out of Cuba to Miami) and the whole “special refugee status” aspect to Cuban immigrants is a huge turn-off when you’re being told that your family is akin to rapist murderers for crossing the border and seeking a better life. Again, according to her, few Hispanics want to listen to a Cuban tell them how they should have immigrated while Cubans get to set one toe on US soil and get special treatment. Much like having a trust fund kid lecture you on how not to be poor.

Hey, Cruzy! You got some ‘splainin’ to do!

[Onomatopoeia]

@BrainGlutton

Of course, as we Yanquis tend to forget, “Hispanic” or “Latino” is not one monolithic thing. Apart from the Spanish or Portuguese language and Roman Catholicism, how much culturally and politically do all the various Latin American nations have in common with each other, anyway? (Serious question.)

I don’t have an answer to your questions but, purely anecdotally, Cubans are generally viewed by immigrants from Central and South America as having unearned privilege as relates to their status after arriving in the US. In that respect they are pretty monolithic if in no other way.

[Chronos]

Quoth BrainGlutton:

Of course, as we Yanquis tend to forget, “Hispanic” or “Latino” is not one monolithic thing. Apart from the Spanish or Portuguese language and Roman Catholicism, how much culturally and politically do all the various Latin American nations have in common with each other, anyway? (Serious question.)

And of course, neither of the Republican Cuban candidates is Roman Catholic. You’d probably appeal to Hispanics a lot more by running an Irish Catholic than by running a Cuban Baptist.

[BrainGlutton]

@Chronos

And of course, neither of the Republican Cuban candidates is Roman Catholic. You’d probably appeal to Hispanics a lot more by running an Irish Catholic than by running a Cuban Baptist.

Well, AFAICR, the only Irish Catholic who ran this year was Martin O’Malley. Think he could have gotten their vote?

[Lord_Feldon]

@Chronos

And of course, neither of the Republican Cuban candidates is Roman Catholic.

Rubio is. I think for the third time. (I believe he went Catholic-Mormon-Catholic-Baptist-Catholic.)

[Sputnikkk]

I’m a Democrat and if I could I would vote Trump, to keep Cruz from winning, and insure Hilary wins. Or would vote Kasich because he’s not so bad. Cruz is frightening.

[Sputnikkk]

I don’t think there’s any chance Rubio would run with Trump after this attack ad Trump made. This is the most damning attack ad I have seen. Trump ad calling Marco Rubio "corrupt" - YouTube

[PhillyGuy]

@pkbites

Trump can still be beat, and Hillary MUST be defeated. I think a Cruz-Rubio ticket could pull it off.

Maybe. I think we’re due for another one-term presidency, and a purist like Cruz seems a perfect fit.

In the United States, we have rotation in office. When one party gets in power for a while, the chances of the other one increases. Hillary Clinton winning makes it likely that the GOP makes congressional gains in 2018, and visa versa. The out-of-office party off-year congressional bounce is just one reason why the idea that anyone MUST be defeated is over the top. Another is that Hillary would, a little more likely than not, be a one-term president due to there having been twelve consecutive Democratic presidential years by the end of her first term.

I don’t even think that Trump, disgraceful as it would be if he won in November, MUST be defeated. As I suggested in another thread, he would be a weak leader hemmed in by a hostile Congress, Supreme Court, military top brass, bureaucracy, and World Trade Organization.

Where you should really want Rubio is as your standard-bearer in 2020. Second time around, he’ll be a better candidate, and the second President Clinton will be 73 on her final election day. Rubio’s youthful fling with the extremist tea party faction will be a distant memory. And it will be easier for someone running as a moderate to win after what it going to happen to your party in November 2016. Why waste such talent as the bottom half of your party’s weakest ticket since Goldwater?

[BrainGlutton]

@Sputnikkk

I’m a Democrat and if I could I would vote Trump, to keep Cruz from winning, and insure Hilary wins. Or would vote Kasich because he’s not so bad. Cruz is frightening.

This article calls him “the birthday clown with piles of bodies in the basement.”

[RTFirefly]

@Sputnikkk

I don’t think there’s any chance Rubio would run with Trump after this attack ad Trump made. This is the most damning attack ad I have seen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryPrRr8L21M

I think Rubio would lick the nominee’s ass for the opportunity to be veep, regardless of who the nominee turns out to be.

@PhillyGuy

Maybe. I think we’re due for another one-term presidency, and a purist like Cruz seems a perfect fit.

In the United States, we have rotation in office. When one party gets in power for a while, the chances of the other one increases.

True, but there have been reasons why that has happened. Here’s three that I can think of:

1. An Administration in its second term has a tendency towards scandals - Watergate, Iran-Contra, Monica Lewinsky, too many to list for GWB, and…well, nothing, really, for Obama.

2. Every Administration, and to a lesser extent each party, has a distinct mindset that positions itself to correct many of the failings of the other party, but the longer it’s in power, the more its own blind spots give rise to problems that it’s ill suited to correct.

3. The party out of power responds to its own shortcomings that kept it from winning recent elections.

Anyhow, (1) didn’t happen, the GOP has doubled down on its own shortcomings with respect to (3), and I don’t really see anything arising with (2) yet.

The Dems could manage to lose this election. But I don’t think the historical patterns apply here.

Hillary Clinton winning makes it likely that the GOP makes congressional gains in 2018, and visa versa. The out-of-office party off-year congressional bounce is just one reason why the idea that anyone MUST be defeated is over the top.

A Republican President and Congress can do enough damage in 2 years that it might take the rest of my lifetime to see it repaired. This is a party of true believers who want to fulfill the goals of their ideology, and damn the electoral consequences. If they want to repeal Obamacare, voucherize Medicare, privatize Social Security, pass a national right-to-work law, and repeal every environmental regulation we’ve got, they’ll do it, and worry about how to get re-elected later.

We have never seen a party like this in our lifetimes.

Why waste such talent [as Rubio] as the bottom half of your party’s weakest ticket since Goldwater?

I think we have very different views regarding Rubio’s talent as a politician.

[The_Other_Waldo_Pepper]

@RTFirefly

I think Rubio would lick the nominee’s ass for the opportunity to be veep, regardless of who the nominee turns out to be.

Picture buttons and posters and bumper stickers: BIG DONALD/LITTLE MARCO 2016!

[ElvisL1ves]

Would Trump make him crawl on all fours, wearing a leash, like Christie?

[Elendil_s_Heir]

Bumped.

Rubio will, despite past clashes, speak for Trump at the RNC: http://www.aol.com/article/2016/05/26/marco-rubio-willing-to-speak-on-trumps-behalf-at-convention/21384552/

[GIGObuster]

[Draggin in the iron maiden to unleash it on Rubio]

[Notices that Rubio was not pointed as the vice president candidate by Trump nor anyone]

[Drags Iron Maiden back]