Sen. Maro Rubio: “I am not going to be the VP nominee”

abc news ^ | October 5, 2011 | Sunlen Miller

[Drrdot]

When asked at the Washington Ideas Forum at the Newseum in Washington DC, Rubio repeated twice for emphasis, “I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee. I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee.”

Asked during the forum if he would turn down an offer if the Republican presidential nominee asks him to, Rubio responded, “Yea, I believe so,” adding again, “the answer is gonna be no.”

...

As he has in the past when asked, today Rubio spoke about the seriousness with which he takes his job as a U.S. Senator, held up as his reason why he is not considering the Vice Presidential position.

“I’m not focused on that,” he said. “I don’t crave it. I wanted to be a United States Senator. I didn’t run for the Senate as an opportunity to have a launching pad for some other job. I think one of the things that I lament is that people somehow come to the conclusion that United States Senator is not enough. Listen, the United States Senate is still an important, I think very important institution.”

[Sacajaweau]

We do need his vote in the Senate.

I personally had hopes for a Perry/Rubio ticket....back to the drawing board!!!

[unkus]

Marco Rubio might be POTUS one day.

[plain talk]

That’s OK. My preference is the VP be one of the people currently running for President. Perry/Cain or the reverse

[org.whodat]

Yes and frogs may fly, actually I would be on the frog.

[Mr. Jeeves]

He’ll be Jeb’s VP pick in 2016. :)

[org.whodat]

Yes and frogs may fly, actually I would be on the frog.

[ilgipper]

IMO, Rubio will be the next Republican President not elected in 2012. If we win this one, he’ll be the next. If we lose this one, he’ll be our candidate in 2016.

He is without comparison the most talented and gifted conservative voice today in elected office. I recently rewatched his debate against Crist in the early primaries in FL, and he simply has the gift of incredible political instinct, and equally important...deep convictions. Rubio could be the next generation’s Reagan.

[tirednvirginia]

At least we know Perry will never team up with Romney. Can’t say the same for Cain and Bachmann.

[Soul Seeker]

Good. I see no reason for him to be wasted on Romney.

But I suspect now that Christie is gone we’ll have to hear whispering campaigns from people that he really will be the VP up until someone else is chosen.

[mylife]

That is a shame.
The man is a rising star.
But I am glad he recognizes that he is new to the game.

Rubio will be back.

[org.whodat]

Early halloween joke!!

[unkus]

He’ll be Jeb’s VP pick in 2016. :)

---

BS. No more Bushes. Rubio will tell Jeb Bush where to go in 2016.

[nathanbedford]

The remarks were not Sherman-esque.

A prospective candidate for the office can say no other especially 16 months away from the event. Rubio must continue to publicly decline the office until he is privately asked if he would accept.

My maximum for the presidential electoral college is that Obama cannot win without Pennsylvania and we cannot win without Florida. Rubio brings Florida together with a portion of the Hispanic vote even though he is Cuban and not Mexican. Nevertheless, any inroads into Obama share of the Hispanic vote dooms his reelection.

I share the conventional wisdom that Marco Rubio is the ideal candidate for vice president.

His body language was not emphatic in the rejection.

[shield]

Good now the GOP will not fall into the trap set by the left. Rubio’s parents were not US Citizens when he was born in Florida and doesn’t qualify to run for VP.

[Rudder]

Making Rubio VP nominee at this point in time ties a millstone around his political leg.

[JimSEA]

Well, I don’t understand that! Everyone can see how vitally important the VP is from Joe Biden and Al Gore for that matter.

[Soul Seeker]

I hate to break bubbles but the Bush family sponsered rubio.

Sure the Tea Party helped too but Rubio didn’t get past the guard of the establishment without JeB and family running some interference.

It’s another reason I don’t want him as VP right now. I don’t entirely trust him because of those connections. The guy has also enlisted several retreads in WA to run his office and the way everyone whines about Perry and illegal imigration Rubio is hardly as strong on it as people may want to believe.

Let him spend a few terms in office first to see just how conservative he remains when he’s spent some time in DC and run a few competitive re-election campaigns in a swing state.

[goseminoles]

Dude. You aren’t from Florida are you. He’s young and has a lot of dirt. Give him some time. He isn’t ready yet...

[NautiNurse]

ping