2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumProspect of Hillary Clinton-Marco Rubio Matchup Unnerves Democrats
WASHINGTON They use words like historic and charismatic, phrases like great potential and million-dollar smile. They notice audience members moved to tears by an American-dream-come-true success story. When they look at the cold, hard political math, they get uneasy.
An incipient sense of anxiety is tugging at some Democrats a feeling tersely captured in four words from a blog post written recently by a seasoned party strategist in Florida: Marco Rubio scares me.
What is so unnerving to them at this early phase of the 2016 presidential campaign still seems, at worst, a distant danger: the prospect of a head-to-head general-election contest between Mr. Rubio, the Republican senator from Florida, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Yet the worriers include some on Mrs. Clintons team. And even former President Bill Clinton is said to worry that Mr. Rubio could become the Republican nominee, whittle away at Mrs. Clintons support from Hispanics and jeopardize her chances of carrying Floridas vital 29 electoral votes.
Democrats express concerns not only about whether Mr. Rubio, 43, a son of Cuban immigrants, will win over Hispanic voters, a growing and increasingly important slice of the electorate. They also worry that he would offer a sharp generational contrast to Mrs. Clinton, a fixture in American politics for nearly a quarter-century who will turn 69 less than two weeks before the election.
MORE...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/us/politics/prospect-of-hillary-clinton-marco-rubio-matchup-unnerves-democrats.html?_r=0
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merrily
(45,251 posts)Listen, I've heard of grabass, but never of grabglass. One gif of that and I'll have to swear off water for a while so I don't wet my linen.
Other than that, my nerves are fine. He has precious little gravitas and this much depth ____________________________________ .
BeyondGeography
(39,379 posts)![](http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg107/canderer/rubio-water-2-1_zpsadce746f.jpg)
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)![](/emoticons/rofl.gif)
kimbutgar
(21,188 posts)Is this another one of those Karl Rove stories to unnerve democratic voters.? Rubio has flipped on immigration and the Latino community sees him as a phony panderer. They call him Falso Latino and he has a R next to his name. The only place pushing him will be Fox Latino network.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)Latinos that just want to see a 'Latino' President.
However, he has been pretty clownish for the last few years.
And the GOPNRAteahadist base has become older and more racist, so I don't think he'd make it to nomination.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)If all Rubio has is the Hispanic voter then he's dumber than already presumed.
Hillary is quite loved by the Hispanic population.
They are well aware of how the GOP has consistantly worked to diminish their value.
The Clinton Team is more likely ROFL at the NY Times article.
Reter
(2,188 posts)Age doesn't have much to do with it. I think she would beat him, but not because he's young.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Rubio is a child, a little toddler in comparison to Hilary's experience level in politics & world affairs. The people she knows & leaders she has dealt with globally as well as since her college days.
Rubio isn't even able to discuss Politics or World affairs from the same perspective as Sec of State, NY Senator, & First Lady of the State of Arkansas and the United States of America, Hillary Rodham Clinton
Reter
(2,188 posts)George HW Bush had tons of foreign policy experience, and young Bill Clinton at age 45 (for most of 1992) had none. Bill was a "toddler" compared to Poppy, "the people he knows & leaders he has dealt with globally as well as since his college days."
See where I'm going? That's how 1992 looked. Poppy still lost in a landslide. Like I said before, I don't think Hillary Clinton will have much trouble with Rubio, but it won't be because of experience. Voters don't care about that at all, as much as it's played up to be.
Response to Reter (Reply #16)
misterhighwasted This message was self-deleted by its author.
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)Plus...................... we have this guy
Plus....... he's Cuban Hispanic ( a minority of the Hispanic population, mostly found in Florida )
Plus he is a Republican
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)community, is as you say, Not a solid voting block. California Latinos/Tejanos are traditionally democratic. And young Latinos/Hispanics tend to be more liberal.
I think whoever gets the nomination, must take a very hard look at including this man. Obama brought him to Washington for more exposure...hope it's enough...his experience is a bit scarce in the land of Washington/national politics. But also he is reportedly scandal free, for the most part.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Thanks!!
Marco who???
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)He is the little Engine that couldn't.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Even a great number of Cuban-Americans don't care for this clown. He embarrasses them and don't want him near the White House.
Scared?
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts).article.
Some days all you can do is try.
I'd give it one-star just for effort, anyway.
DavidDvorkin
(19,485 posts)RBInMaine
(13,570 posts)Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)everyone loves to make shi* up about Clinton.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)I was the only non Cuban in a Cuban American study group at the University Of Central florida. They were super smart and uber motivated... They all went on to do well with three becoming lawyers.
That being said their American experience is sui generis. It's different than economic immigrants from other Latin American countries...
I lived in Orlando which had a large Puerto Rican/Dominican community. I lived in Miami which, of course, had a large Cuban community, and I now live in L A which has a large Mexican Community...To suggest they are a monolith is incorrect... A Latino will tell you this.
It is also unclear how much Mr. Rubio would appeal to Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and other voters with Latin American ancestry who may not feel much cultural affinity with a Cuban.
Also, Rubio supports the wet foot , dry foot policy which allows Cubans to be eligible for citizenship as soon as they touch American land, no other group has that privilege including other Latinos.
That will burn...
That being said I believe HRC beats all Republicans but Bush lll and Rubio will provide the biggest challenge.
Chan790
(20,176 posts)I worked for a few years in an office with 2 Salvadorians, a Guatemalan, a Bolivian, a Spaniard, a Cuban-American born in Miami and her Afro-Brazilian boyfriend. They all spoke Spanish as a first language except the Brazilian who spoke Spanish as a second language.
None of them considered themselves Latino or Hispanic as a primary identifier...they considered themselves respectively Salvadorian, Guatemalan, Bolivian, Spanish, American and black. More than that...they were often a lot more culturally-bigoted towards each other than one would expect. They were more different than alike culturally.
There is simply no Spanish-speaking unified cultural bloc no matter how much some pundits want to conceptualize a Latino monolith.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)My best friend growing up was 50% Puerto Rican, 25% Cuban, and 25% Irish , his last name was Kennedy. He said when he went back to Puerto Rico and someone was acting for lack of a better word, goofy, they would say "Cuban."
When I lived in Miami I was reading a comment section of the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel and the non Cuban Latinos were complaining at their place of business the Cuban bosses was giving the best job to other Cubans.
...
They do share a common language and that helps them communicate with each others but so do Americans, Australians, Canadians, and the British, et cetera and we certainly aren't all alike.
tavernier
(12,400 posts)I live and work in south Florida. Most of my colleagues are from Latin countries. Because the majority are Cuban, the others, whose primary language is Spanish, tend to be assumed to be Cuban. But not for long. They will quickly announce their nationality, and quite often act insulted when being called Cuban. I've heard several explanations as to why this is, and they range anywhere from pure racism to politics to age old rivalries amongst nations. But whatever the reason, we should not assume that simply being "Latino" will garner all the Latino votes.
FSogol
(45,525 posts)![](/emoticons/rofl.gif)
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Which in turn relies solely on "identity politics" (Obama won because African-Americans voted for him, yes, Steve Schale actually says that; "identity politics that galvanized African American voters behind Obama" .
Nevermind that African-Americans are the most consistent bloc voters for Democrats of all demographics.
Shallow analysis.
MaggieD
(7,393 posts)He's a complete idiot and it shows every time he opens his mouth. He will beat himself if he gets into the spotlight.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)There are plenty of scenarios (if she were the nominee) where she could win without Florida. In fact Rubio would have to try to pick off Ohio, Wisconsin, and Iowa (in addition to Florida) to get within striking distance of 270. All three have gone for us in the last two elections.
forthemiddle
(1,382 posts)Your right, no way He could ever become President.............
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Sorry, I don't see it...
As for "good-looking". To me the only good looking thing about him is his youth, nothing else.
Pisces
(5,602 posts)nominee. Hispanics are not monolithic and Cubans are not Mexican Americans. Cubans are more likely to be Republican
than Mexican Americans.Why is the NY Times trying to create some tension? Is it that the race is so boring? Rubio is a joke
and will not threaten Hillary. He is running for VP.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Jeb's main appeal is that he and only he can deliver Florida. if marco beats him out, The bushes will ensure revenge is taken. It also does not help that Rock Scpott has ambitions for the office, ambitions that would be help if Clinton wins and the current clown car of GOp crashes.
craigmatic
(4,510 posts)and he brings FL. Outside of these things Hillary would have an advantage.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,337 posts)BlueStater
(7,596 posts)I think I'll vote for slashing my own wrists as a third option.
quadrature
(2,049 posts)my suggestion is that the Party should
hire Bill Clinton to give speeches for HRC.
The only down side is that Bill charges $500K a pop.