Great Jim Newell piece at Salon about Marco Rubio, nowhere man:
Rubio spent the first half of the year determined to move a comprehensive immigration reform package through Congress, putting his neck on the line in the process. It’s fascinating to watch a Republican give a shit about something. When the typical right-wing media stories would begin circulating about, say, provisions in the immigration law giving free cell phones to “illegals,” there was Marco Rubio going on the Laura Ingraham show walking through the legislative language, explaining away the myths. In parallel circumstances on issues like Obamacare or the stimulus that Rubio wouldn’t support, he would’ve been right there, promoting the myths for personal gain. What you learn about someone like Rubio when they do have an interest in an issue and are willing to explain it rather than just pander is that they know better, if only they choose to.
Which makes Rubio’s performance in the second half of the year all the more pathetic. And funny, really. It’s funny watching someone do exactly what you know they’re doing. In Rubio’s case, this meant taking every hardline stance offered his way on everything to salvage his conservative cred, even though, as his performance negotiating the immigration bill proved, he knew better. When Ted Cruz and Mike Lee first started circulating the idea of shutting down the government if it didn’t get its way on Obamacare — the dumbest of all strategies, and one that played out in all its prophesied dumbness when, impossibly enough, it was actualized — Rubio signed right up, to prove he was a Tuff Guy. He, too, voted against reopening the government and averting default.
The whole thing is excellent.
His Eyes Were Clear and Bright But He’s Not TherePost + Comments (32)