The Context
One of the more intense battles this primary season has been over illegal immigration. Marco Rubio, who helped author the the Gang-of-Eight bill that would have granted amnesty to millions of illegals, has been hammering Ted Cruz for supporting legalization because he proposed an amendment to the bill that would have taken citizenship off the table. In fact, the amendment was meant to be a "poison pill," stopping the legislation in its tracks. Unfortunately, it's the one thing that has come back to bite Cruz during the debates.
The Lie
Despite unrelenting support for Cruz from conservative champions such as Jeff Sessions, Steve King and Mike Lee, Rubio keeps accusing Cruz of supporting the bill at every opportunity --- during debates, in the media and at his rallies. Now, suddenly, Rubio is saying that his entire Gang-of-Eight bill was intended as a "poison pill."
Pat, filling in for Glenn Wednesday on The Glenn Beck Program, scratched his head in disbelief on this one.
“The other guy --- who is lying about Ted Cruz every single day and has just hammered Cruz on the amendment to the Gang-of-Eight bill that he helped write and then worked with Schumer and McCain to get passed --- Marco Rubio now said on Monday, 'The immigration reform bill he helped spearhead through the Senate was never intended to become law, and that the authors of the bill expected conservatives in the House to make it even better.' What?” Pat said.
The Strategy
Rubio is taking a calculated risk by coming out with this new narrative, whether it’s a lie or the truth. He either lied to the American people, wasted time and taxpayer money on his bipartisan Gang-of-Eight coalition, trying to craft legislation he never intended to pass --- or he is lying now out of political expediency.
“I think this is the same philosophy with Rubio, same philosophy with Bush, same philosophy with Carson,” Stu said. “All of them think that if we can get everybody out of the way, except for Trump, we can beat Trump one-on-one. But [Trump] is on his merry old way unchallenged.”
The Effect
It’s too soon to tell if Rubio's new position will hurt him at the polls, but it's sure not to help. If this were Donald Trump, it would be another in a long line of flip-flops, but Rubio is a serious candidate who has made several blunders of late that not served him well. He may not be able to shake this one off.
Common Sense Bottom Line
Rubio is displaying the worst kind of hypocrisy. He has knowingly attacked and damaged Ted Cruz's integrity on the issue of immigration only to alter course and drop the bomb that his entire bill was a "poison pill." Is there no integrity or honor left?
Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:
PAT: The other guy who is lying about Ted Cruz every single day. And has just hammered Cruz on the amendment to the Gang of Eight bill that he helped right and then worked with Schumer and McCain to get passed. Marco Rubio now says -- said on Monday, the immigration reform bill he helped spearhead through the Senate was never intended to become law and that the authors of the bill expected conservatives in the House to make it even better."
"The Senate immigration law was not headed towards becoming law. Ideally, it was headed towards the House, where conservative members of the House were going to make it even better."
What?
STU: Wow. Yeah, Rubio is hurting himself here. He really is.
PAT: What is the matter with you?
STU: Yeah. And I think Rubio -- this is the same philosophy with Rubio. Same philosophy with Bush. Same philosophy with Carson. All of them think that if we can get everybody out of the way, except Trump, we can beat Trump one-on-one. So they're attacking Ted Cruz all the time and letting Donald Trump just walk down his merry old way unchallenged.
PAT: Yeah.
STU: And, you know, it's not an effective strategy. You know, you need to go after the guy who has -- there's a new poll. And we'll go into a little bit in-depth here at the top of next hour. In Nevada, where Trump has 45 percent of the vote. And I think mark Rubio is in second with 19. Ted Cruz at 17, something like that. We'll go into kind of the --
PAT: Hmm.
STU: You're going to elect this guy --
JEFFY: Okay.
STU: Without him being challenged. Walk to the nomination and then watch him get destroyed by the media and Democrats. I mean, it is so -- just as a strategy -- forget the fact that he's terrible on policy. Just as a strategy, an awful, awful decision.
Featured Image: Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks to voters during a campaign event February 15, 2016 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Rubio continued to campaign in the Palmetto State for the upcoming GOP primary. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)