Cruz: Rubio Attacked by Dems Because He's Hispanic

'He is a smart, intelligent, conservative Hispanic'

Republican Senator and Tea Party alum Ted Cruz is accusing his political opponents of lashing out at ally Marcio Rubio for fear he'll set a good example: a conservative, Republican and Hispanic one.

Chastising Democrats for over-hyping the now infamous water bottle faux pas in Rubio's SOTU speech rebuttal, Cruz claims they're motivated by the threat Rubio represents to traditionally left-wing territory, reports The Hill.

"I think Democrats and the media are afraid of Marco Rubio because he is a smart, intelligent, conservative Hispanic," stated Cruz. "Look, he took a drink of water in a speech, and it dominated the news for days."

But while Cruz maintains that Democrats are fearful of Rubio's challenge to their relative monopoly on the Hispanic vote, even some conservatives are suspicious of the idea that appealing to that particular demographic will yield much politically for Republicans. Unless, that is, the GOP is willing to entirely reorient its philosophy. National Review contributor Heather Mac Donald wrote late last year:

A 2011 poll found that Republican economic policies were a stronger turn-off for Hispanic voters than Republican positions on immigration. Twenty-nine percent of Hispanic voters were suspicious of the Republican party on class-warfare grounds - 'it favors only the rich' - compared with seven percent who objected to Republican immigration stances.

Via The Hill and National Review.

Does Rubio represent a threat to the Democrats?

[thatgirl]

Cruz is tilting at windmills.

[Rocker]

@thatgirl - Just think how bad he would be attacked if his name was Marco "Bubba" Mohammed Schwartz.

[PNWest]

As a liberal I encourage the GOP to run Marco Rubio. I won't say a bad thing about him now. I hope that he and Sarah Palin are the GOP ticket in 2016. I don't even care which one is at the top. I am perfectly happy to let the electorate decide if he is qualified to be President.

[bsking]

And I suppose in your unique world you have a different opinion of those who oppose Barack Obama.

[texas_cutie75]

The MSM has just gotten started, let's see where this all goes. I have liked most everything about Rubio thus far though.

[drpeeper]

Rubio is Number one on the left's list to take out. He's young, Hispanic, popular, smart, not afraid to take on idiots like Pelosi or Obama.

But number 1 reason- he's a minority and not Democrat. That is the ultimate sin to the intolerant left.

[zachsquatch]

It overloads their brains knowing that a Hispanic, Black, Asian, or homosexual is conservative. They think they own them and when one gets the sense to leave the plantation, they retaliate. Case in Point, do you think that Obama will have Dr. Carson speak at anything else?

[mimi57]

No...he doesn't 'fit' the Liberal Left's "blame the white man for everything" mentality.
The movie about his life story was amazing and so inspirational. His mom couldn't
read, but never let her kids know it. They watched no TV., she pushed education and reading, and though she was illiterate she put a check mark on their papers to
make them think she checked their homework. He is one of the best pediatric neuro
surgeons in the country. What an intelligent mom, who raised an amazing family...
Too bad that is almost a thing of the past. I would love to see him run for President.
Imagine, someone who actually has integrity, intelligence and is humble...WOW

[Dan_Tien]

@mimi57 "though she was illiterate she put a check mark on their papers to
make them think she checked their homework" So he learned that deception is a good thing at an early age? No wonder he is in politics!

[culinary]

@Dan_Tien really? Thats what you got out of that?? How sad for you...

[Dan_Tien]

@culinary How can you not see it? Do you still believe in Santa Claus too?

[culinary]

@Dan_Tien whatever his race, party affiliation, et.c, that is very uplifting. I think it is fantastic that his mother was willing to do this.

[mimi57]

More hypocrisy from the Left...Big surprise. LOL. Yes, he is a threat, he's smart, charismatic,very nice looking, has a sense of humor and is even an entrepenuer!
What's not to like...Oh, and he drinks water, so he's probably healthy too!

[thatgirl]

He's Tea Party 2.0, I dont believe Floridians will put up with that for too much longer.

[MissMostly]

So what you're trying to say is that he's nothing like Obama!! LOL (thank GOD)

[mimi57]

@MissMostly Exactly !( ;

[Drgeezer]

@thatgirl I know fiscal responsiblity limited government and liberty is hard for liberals to understand

[thatgirl]

@Drgeezer this, coming from someone in Cali? Bahahahahaha-draws breath-bahahahahahahaha!!!!

[zachsquatch]

Who would have thought, a drink of water would be a stake through a liberals heart.

[Dan_Tien]

Weak argument. No one made fun of Gerald Ford's clumsiness because he was Caucasian.

[InjusticeSucks]

Hahahha But Ford was not part of the Tea belly's...And the Baggers would love to find something other then themselves for their Epic Collapse & Overwhelming Stupidity.

[falco_alba]

He is Hispanic, but he doesn't have any new ideas. He is just a pretty poster boy. They tried it with women and Sarah Palin, they're trying it with Hispanics, and I'm sure Ben Carson will be lauded to get the black vote. It's called pandering, and Republicans are a little behind the curve on that one.

[mudzangandoro]

Good point! He is one in a million.

[metre]

@mudzangandoro So, you mean there is 1350 just like him in China? LOL

[PoliticalSpice]

Exactly. Rubio has little in common with most hispanic voters. It is pure tokenism, unless his charisma overcomes voter intelligence he will flop like a wet noodle.

[frigginhell]

He's this week's Herman Cain. Democrats aren't attacking him because he's hispanic. At most they're calling out the GOP for the obvious attempts at pandering they're making. "Hey I'm not racist, I work with a (insert ethnicity here)."
I don't care. I want to see them run Rubio. I want to see what happens to the hispanic vote when they decide to run a Cuban to appeal to the latinos in this country.(call me racist but from my own personal experience I've come to the conclusion most latinos don't like cubans because they told me that hate fckn cubans) Not that it will matter anyway. They'll let their chosen one bury him in the primaries the same way they did Cain. Who was another transparent attempt at pandering to a demographic who failed.(blacks largely vote democrat they don't vote black, something the gop seem to have missed) Cain was never a legitimate candidate. He pulled in the lead and he was smacked down and it wasn't even a left leaning news source that did it. It was politico.com and they're more right than left in their slant. This information was around for a long time and just waiting to be used to slap him down if he got to far in front. Just like happened to each and every single guy who was ahead of Mittens.

[Real4WheelDrv]

@PoliticalSpice It worked for Clinton and Obama :p Yeah that was a cheap shot but I couldn't resist, Democrats do just as much pandering to minorities as Republicans, the only reason no one sees it is because their identity is already tied up in the "being white is evil, and we're sorry" mantra. No question there are some Mensa level idiots on the other side, but in the end they're ALL politicians and will do whatever they can to stay in power.

[tomincali]

thing about the dems with all the special treatment and the push of a/a they may not say it yet are showing they think the folks getting that little extra step up with their help are not smart enough to make it in life without it and most do not even see it.

[ctc]

Rubio represents about the same threat that Dan Quayle and Sara Palin did.....and it has nothing to do with being Hispanic.

[jessejaymes]

You know it remains to be seen whether the GOP can "sell" Rubio to the American Majority of voters. But what I'm pretty certain of is that Cruz is not helping Rubio. Cruz is a loose cannon and it's not someone needs to put a muzzle on him.

[NTBFW]

The more they attack him shows how big of a threat they see him to be.

[thatgirl]

Meh, the Tea Party is pretty much done in FL.

[mimi57]

LOL...apparently, some people think Florida is the only state in the union...

[NTBFW]

@thatgirl if he didn't represent a threat why the attack? If he is not he would be ignored.

[thatgirl]

Apparently, some folks are not aware what state Rubio was elected in. Oy vey.

[thatgirl]

@NTBFW Wasnt it PT Barnum that said "The only bad publicity is no publicity"? I would say that applies here.

[Grubby]

Yes, they feel threatened by anyone who will not agree with them, especially someone smart enough to be a viable candidate who could really help this country. The Liberals want to do everything to tear the country apart, so someone like Rubio who could actually unite Americans is a serious threat. They can't call him a racist like they do every white man, so the have to grasp at straws (or water bottles). I still can't wait for the Democratic attack commercial that comes out and says "he drinks WATER!!!!".

[CassyMonroe]

Oh please! He's no threat

[DrFunkenstein]

Irony, thy name is Rubio

[Chromalord]

yeah that makes a lot of sense. NOT! Dems wouldnt dream of rocking the hispanic boat.

[BossTweed]

I think most people are comfortable with a proud American husband and father regardless of their Race. Wild eyed Leftwings don't like anyone but themselves. Wild eyed Righties don't like anyone but themselves. The rest of us fair minded and will give anyone a chance.

[harold_lloyd]

Rubio looks good until he speaks, and you realize that he's a teabagger toady who can't seem to find an original idea.

[thatgirl]

According to some posters, he's cute, and thats enough for them.....I just threw up a little in my mouth as I typed that. -shudders-

[AntiPorcheria]

In reality, isn't that exactly how Obama came to be elected. Good looking, minority short term senator with few original ideas and a poor voting record. But put the right publicity machine to promote him and voila, "Hope and Change" became the call of the land - a Nobel prize was soon at hand and nothing much else of any real value got done. You gotta love the polarized, two-party gridlock system and all the fun that comes with it.

[BossTweed]

As long as we escape the death grip of the social engineers who call themselves "progressives' we will be better off than we are today.

[KyleMFb]

Republicans are going to need a better poster boy if they want to win elections the fair way. They picked Mitt Romney bc of his appearance how'd that work out for them??? Not so good....Republicans need to stop worrying about what they look like and start worrying about what and how they practice their bigotry....

[AlexMIA]

Dems are beating Reps in class warfare polls mostly because of low information and lazy voters (not necsessarily one in the same).

[Bobolinsky]

It's similar to how Gov. Palin was and still is attacked by Dems because she's a woman and Justice Thomas was and still is attacked by Dems because he's black...

It has to do with Identity Groups and the hatred of Identity Group Traitors.