McCain: 'Foolish' to write off Rubio as 2016 contender

The Hill ^ | July 23, 2013 | Justin Sink

[maggief]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it would be "foolish" to write of Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) presidential chances, despite the hit absorbed by the Florida lawmaker from conservatives upset with his championing of a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Rubio and McCain served as two of the primary GOP negotiators in the Senate's "Gang of Eight," which crafted the upper chamber's bipartisan reform bill.

“I think it’s just foolish,” McCain told The Arizona Republic in an interview Friday. “I’m not endorsing anyone, but I can tell you Marco Rubio is an articulate spokesperson for what conservatives believe in, in principle. And if we pass immigration reform, which is certainly not clear, he would get enormous credit for it.”

[Terry L Smith]

Rubio kissed the puppy’s butt, when he began with his ‘immigration reform’ nonsense.

[Beagle8U]

This is the moron McCain that said a coup;e days ago that we need to get rid of ‘stand your ground’ laws.

I wish whatever that growth is that is eating his head would hurry up and finish the job. It is obvious that it already ate his brain.

[onyx]

"Marco Rubio is an articulate spokesperson for what conservatives believe in, in principle."

"And if we pass immigration reform, which is certainly not clear, he would get enormous credit BLAME for it.”

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[Lakeshark]

I agree, we need to encourage him to run....

Along with Jeb, Christie, Paul Ryan, and any other RINO who thinks it's their turn: Get them to run all the way to the end, dividing the RINO vote until we get a conservative nominee.

Works for me.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Will someone please point out to me what benefits McCain provides to the Republican party, and to conservatives? Maybe he votes ‘conservative’ on issues with little overall impact (e.g. voting for a conservative-type measure that has little to no chance of passing; or voting for a conservative bill that was going to pass no matter what he did), and this provides him with some measure of ‘conservative’ voting relevance.

Seems to me, however, that every really important big issue in which the outcome is unclear McCain thwarts the Republicans and particularly the conservatives.

[cotton1706]

Translation: We’re grooming him to be the next me or Mitt Romney, and as a backup in case our preferred Jeb Bush or Chris Christie don’t get traction.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A McCain endorsement is the kiss of death.

[Beagle8U]

I wouldn’t put Paul Ryan in that group.

[Mr. K]

We were ‘foolish’ to run you for President, McLame

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I agree.

Ryan may be a good guy.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Well, we hated McLame even more than Rubio, and yet the elites were able to rig a nomination for him. So he may have a point.

[fortheDeclaration]

McCain killed Rubio’s chances!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

An anti-endorsement from McCain. He doesn’t care who the next POTUS is, as long as it is a liberal RINO or a Democrat.

[MissTed]

If McLame had a son, he'd look like Rubio....

I'll pass, thanks.

[fortheDeclaration]

I haven’t seen Ryan make the correct stand on anything!

[txrefugee]

As though the moribund GOP should take the advice of this loser.

[chris37]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

**** you and him, John.

[Lakeshark]

Oh really?

The House version of Marco Rubio, the one pushing amnesty as a good thing, the one who holds out hope for democrats of passing this bill? The one who says the bill will help our economy? That Paul Ryan?

He's so severely conservative I wouldn't think of it....

:-)

[chris37]

I would.

Paul Ryan is a treacherous, little worm just like almost every single other republicrap.

[swamprebel]

McCain...Foolish. The first two words in that headline say it all!