Marco Rubio’s absurd “comeback” story: Watch what a tough guy he is!

Comprehensive what reform? Rubio's comeback campaign is all about being tough on other countries

ALEX PAREENE

Marco Rubio is back! To learn how he returned, you need to know where he went in the first place. Rubio arrived in the Senate as essentially a blank slate. He was Hispanic, which helped to quickly place him in the top tier of 2016 candidates among lazy pundits. Conservatives thought him conservative enough to get through a GOP primary campaign, but not too conservative to scare the norms. Then, he made a fatal error: He constructively involved himself in the legislative process.

Rubio was a member of the Senate’s “gang of eight” committed to developing a comprehensive immigration reform package. Senior Republicans were on board because corporations like cheap labor and open borders, and also because America is getting less white and the Republican Party would like to continue winning elections in the future. Right-wingers were opposed, because America is getting less white and they would like to make that not be the case through the power of tantrums or, failing that, the widespread suppression of suffrage and restriction of citizenship. Rubio sided with the senior Republicans. That basically destroyed his conservative cred in an instant. He plummeted in polls of Republican voters. He spent most of the rest of 2013 pathetically trying to win conservatives back. Nothing seemed to help.

Now, though, BuzzFeed’s McKay Coppins can proudly announce the official commencement of the Marco Rubio Comeback Narrative. It all happened because of one little speech — one he didn’t even plan to give — that rocketed around the world (or at least got a Drudge link). For 14 minutes, Rubio delivered impassioned, off-the-cuff remarks on the subject of how Cuba’s government is bad. He said America should oppose Cuba’s government, because it is bad.

Then something magical happened:

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/07/marco_rubios_absurd_comeback_story_watch_what_a_tough_guy_he_is/