Marco Rubio

[Kung Wu]

Go go go go!!

@SBShock what are the polls saying overall at this point for Rubio?

[SB Shock]

Go go go go!!

@SBShock what are the polls saying overall at this point for Rubio?

Marco Rubio stole Ted Cruz bounce out of Iowa. Just need all the drift wood to clear out and clear the way.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/marco-rubio-stole-ted-cruzs-iowa-bounce/

[tropicalshox]

I didn't watch the debate after our game started. Early on Chris Christie made Rubio look bad pointing out Rubio's canned responses. Rubio still repeated his memorized index card two more times. Trump had practically no audience support.

[Ta Town Shocker]

I haven't heard anything out of Rubio that particularly impresses me. I thought it was interesting to hear Rubio's three core values of conservatism with one being building the military. Pointing out there are far fewer soldiers and ships than there were back at the time of the Persian Gulf War seems silly to me. Warfare has changed drastically since then. I'm all for protecting the nation but I'm not sure why being a conservative has to equate with increasing spending on the military. Now that Rand Paul has dropped out, I'm hoping Kasich can catch some momentum as I'm not sure I can get too excited for Rubio, Trump, or Cruz.

[tropicalshox]

Kasich just might be the most electable.

[shock]

As was McCain and Romney. That worked out well for the Republican Party.

[wu_shizzle]

Kasich just might be the most electable.

You have to turn out your base to actually win an election.

[shocka khan]

You have to turn out your base to actually win an election.

And that's why the republicans will lose again this year. When 20 percent of the population constantly belches RINO and the optics, rightly or wrongly, make it look like you're obstructionist, the 20 percent of independents will vote against your candidate (see Cruz, Ted).

I actually would vote for Kasich and Christie, and have consistently said I would vote for Christie if he got through.

Problem is if he got through, all the Fiorina/Cruz/Santorum folks would castigate him as a RINO and sit the election out.

So the conundrum for republicans is do they nominate someone like Kasich or Christie and try to get the independents (which has not worked), thus losing the far right in the process, or do they nominate an extremist like Cruz who appeals to the far right and lose the independent vote because of it (which will not work).

They should have listened to the consultants they hired. Reach out to Latinos and other minorities. Tone down the Stepford wives chatter and try to move more to the middle.

It will be interesting to see if they can make the change they need to make but did not have the guts to make after Obama's re-election.

[shocka khan]

I haven't heard anything out of Rubio that particularly impresses me. I thought it was interesting to hear Rubio's three core values of conservatism with one being building the military. Pointing out there are far fewer soldiers and ships than there were back at the time of the Persian Gulf War seems silly to me. Warfare has changed drastically since then. I'm all for protecting the nation but I'm not sure why being a conservative has to equate with increasing spending on the military. Now that Rand Paul has dropped out, I'm hoping Kasich can catch some momentum as I'm not sure I can get too excited for Rubio, Trump, or Cruz.

Don't forget that Rubio is bought and paid for by casino magnate and Florida billionaire Sheldon Adelson. The same guy who bought the Las Vegas daily newspaper and then started hiring friends to ghost write editorials to intimidate the Nevada gambling commission.

I think Rubio's performance in the debate was dismal. For Christie to take him to the woodshed like he did will hurt him in the future. He showed everyone he is not ready to be president. He may, though, be the future of the republican party.

[Play Angry]

Adelson poured tens of millions of dollars into the super-PAC supporting Jeb Bush which is actually attacking Rubio more aggressively than any other organization.

The Las Vegas paper he just bought endorsed Rubio for the upcoming Nevada caucus. That's been the extent of his support so far, although if Rubio continues gaining traction I am sure Adelson will toss some nickels in the coffer like he would for any other Republican sans Trump. That is not really how you define "bought and paid for."

[shocka khan]

Adelson poured tens of millions of dollars into the super-PAC supporting Jeb Bush which is actually attacking Rubio more aggressively than any other organization.

The Las Vegas paper he just bought endorsed Rubio for the upcoming Nevada caucus. That's been the extent of his support so far, although if Rubio continues gaining traction I am sure Adelson will toss some nickels in the coffer like he would for any other Republican sans Trump. That is not really how you define "bought and paid for."

You're correct on Adelson not fully supporting Rubio as yet. But he has not contributed in the 'tens of millions' to Jeb (I saw something around $8 million) and he's given $5 million (both these figures are from late last year, I could not find a more current reference) to Rubio.

Given the fact that Jeb's candidacy is on life support, I think he probably regrets spending the $8 million on Jeb and will support Rubio, provided he can survive as the field narrows, provided Rubio is one of the people at or near the top.

[Play Angry]

Nvmd.

[engrshock]

As long as Republicans that don't toe the far right line are labeled as RINO's the republican voting base will be limited.