Rubio has been a stellar performer in an administration comprised of many impressive people. If he has competent folks supporting him, he can oversee these various portfolios quite well.
Plus, his past as part of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has given him a close view of where the various bodies are/were buried by the Deep State. I suspect that helps him manage his broad portfolio.
One of the bright young people of DOGE ("Big balz") noted that actions are motivated by incentives, which he and his fellow DOGE team members have experienced first hand as they delve into the corruption of our bureaucracy and the money flows. Seems to me that grasping the incentives for foreign actors, whose governments are long time adversaries of ours, will help sort out those messes. First off, STOP sending taxpayer $$ to Ukraine. Likewise, limit Iran's receipts from oil (major customer is China). Lopping off funds to NGOs and addressing anti-semitism in U.S. universities (grown rich from foreign students, many of whom are no longer studying but overstaying student visas to rabble rouse) also helps.
Seems to me that Trump's team understands these interrelationships and acting accordingly.
“…how important that on these foreign policy issues Americans downgrade their partisanship for a moment and line up behind Mr. Rubio and the President. If they fail, there will be plenty of time to remonstrate with them later.”
The Marxist/Democrat/Hate America Party will never downgrade their partisanship because it does not help them in their jihad against DJT and the Republicans.
Rubio is a first-class act. And he is getting very appropriate (and useful) experience for someone who might like to live in the White House for one or two terms. I wish him well.
And I share your skepticism of Steve Witkoff's background or skills to be running the most important negotiations we have had in years. I would even question how careful he is about observing operational security, but Mike Walz and Pete Hegseth have both exhibited unbelievable laxness on this front.
As for the Chinese showing willingness to negotiate on trade, that's small potatoes for a government that hopes to replace the USA as the lone world power. They'll negotiate regarding trade, but find some way to turn that to their advantage and continue to lie, cheat and steal in all aspects of international relations. They have not learned how to be a trustworthy and reliable member of the family of nations, even a little.
I first became familiar with Sec. Rubio when he became a candidate for president in 2015-16. I was very impressed with him as candidate, senator, and most importantly as a human being. In fact, I actually donated to his campaign . The first and last time I have donated to a candidate ( although the RNC has not forgotten). While there are certainly no perfect individuals in Washington, Mr. Rubio comes close. He would make a great president. I thought so in 2016 and I think even more so now. Americans of all persuasion should pray for this man’s success.
"I first became familiar with Sec. Rubio when he became a candidate for president in 2015-16. I was very impressed with him as candidate, senator, and most importantly as a human being. In fact, I actually donated to his campaign"
As a longtime Floridian, 74 years, I have paid close attention to the politicians to whom I give my vote. Voting for Rubio was a given, but I stayed on his case because I think, in his first years, he “skated” a little and missed opportunities to do the right things for his constituents. When he ran against Trump, I was so disappointed that he bought into the Miami GOP’s rhetoric. I let him know how I felt and never got an answer. But after his unsuccessful bid for president, I was happy to write him about the great work he was doing for Americans. I heard back a couple of times. As a retired public high school teacher, I was most alarmed when I discovered that classroom teachers were encouraging their students to use tictok as the teachers used this site quite a bit in classrooms. I wrote to Rubio, and he was the one brave Senator who tried to get a bill to the floor about banning tictok. I always felt that he listened to all of us and tried to do something about tictok in classrooms. He tried again either the next year or later. I think he realized he needed to show a great work ethic which he did and why he’s popular today—and not just in Florida. We moved to a small town in SC over 2 years ago, and the people hear like what Rubio is doing. Many friends around the country are also impressed with his calmness, firmness, and grasp of the jobs he’s doing. We are most lucky to have Rubio working for us. So glad Trump recognized his worth as he did with DeSantis. These two men are really good for our Republican team. Thanks again for your important insights. They are most appreciated.
I hope Rubio keeps the pressure on Iran. O'Bama and John Kerry sold out the US public and the world for personal adulation during the bogus Iran Nuclear Deal of 2015. A deal that the US Congress didn't endorse. Nuclear test samples couldn't be directly taken by the IAEA inspectors (the UN's not-so-transparent test agency) but rather provided by Iran. What could go wrong with that? Then Kerry got a call from Iran, in 2016, confirming that they had filled the core of their under-construction and highly controversial Arak reactor with cement. That requirement was one of the key centerpieces of the 2015 Deal! The French labelled the Arak reactor as nothing more than a nuclear bomb making factory. High fives all around! But wait! In 2021, the world learned that Iran lied. " https://jcpa.org/iranian-official-admits-lying-about-filling-arak-plutonium-reactor-with-cement/ "
Roger, thank you for this clear concise perspective. I miss you on the days you’re absent. This is indeed a very good day. Thank you for agreeing with me. We do need to get behind Marco Rubio and Donald Trump. As well as all the rest of the president’s men. And women. And we need to be courageous and vocal in that support. The haters are certainly willing to speak out for their points of view. They are emboldened by a certainty that they will never be held accountable. We are challenged by the risks of standing up for our righteous perspectives. You are an Ideological hero. We need to stand up.
In the words of the Sundance Kid, “Keep thinking Butch. It’s what you’re good at”
Glad to see someone giving Marco Rubio the recognition he deserves. He provides calm and thoughtful leadership in an administration that can sometimes (often) feel . . . not calm and not thoughtful.
On quibble though: Describing the Russian-Ukraine war as “mutual insanity” - as if the country defending itself from a violent, illegal, and wholly unjustified invasion from a thuggish, imperialistic neighbor has the same level of culpability as said neightbor.
I really hate this narrative that has emerged on the right and can only be thankful such voices were not dominant in 1941-45, when we would have been lectured on the insanity of continuing to fight a two front war against the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
Yes. His (very long) statement announcing and justifying the invasion goes into hundreds of years of Russia-Ukrainian history. Putin, always a KGB thug at heart who longs for the halcyon days of the USSR and Cold War spy craft, wanted to known as the guy who put the Soviet Union band back together. Add to that his annexation of Crimea in 2014 with nary a word from the Obama administration and Biden’s bizarre pre-invasion statements intimating that it would be okay if Russia took just a little of Ukraine, and you have a road map for where we are. The NATO membership issue is all pretext.
JT…Do you think Putin would have invaded Ukraine if he had been given guarantees by all members of NATO that Ukraine would not be allowed to join the Pact?
Yes. His (very long) statement announcing and justifying the invasion goes into hundreds of years of Russia-Ukrainian history. Putin, always a KGB thug at heart who longs for the halcyon days of the USSR and Cold War spy craft, wanted to known as the guy who put the Soviet Union band back together. Add to that his annexation of Crimea in 2014 with nary a word from the Obama administration and Biden’s bizarre pre-invasion statements intimating that it would be okay if Russia took just a little of Ukraine, and you have a road map for where we are. The NATO membership issue is all pretext.
As a fullhearted supported of DJT I hope he adds study of 'The art of war', to " The art of the deal".
Remember McNamara and the Edsel? the DMZ? Business leaders are different than war leaders.
Business leaders lose money-which can be replaced from then bank. War leaders lose lives. We are dealing with a enemy that has made 'the art of the lie' their study. 'Intransigence' can lead to your enemy offering the illusion of 'appeasement' , ie Chamberlin and Hitler. Eventually your choices come down to Chamberlin or 'Charles the Hammer' or surrender.
Your observation about how Rubio was with his kids brings to mind a similar observation I made in 2018 about Donald Trump -- that his kids turned out well and seemed to support him constantly and effectively in his first campaign. And in subsequent ones, too, as it turned out.
I take it as the sign of a decent and often successful human being that s/he raises kids that are respectful, successful, and love their country.
I know, that's a huge generalization an there are exceptions. But the exceptions don't totally negate the observation that a person's offspring often turn out like them, and when a busy man raises good children, it is likely he gave them time and direction that played a role in their own success. I take that as a meaningful measure of a man's ability to lead.
I will admit I was troubled by Trump's three marriages. Two is probably understandable if one marries young and can be acknowledged not to have been a good judge of himself or his intended spouse because of youth. But to have divorced twice diminishes that exemption, as it were.
So I'm glad to hear Rubio was good with his kids, especially during a stressful moment when he was not "on". It enhances my respect for the man. I hope he can go on to better things.
I hope he speaks up about Israel giving the Chinese the keys to their major port and a front row seat to our naval activities. Sometimes you have to wonder why?
Rubio has been a stellar performer in an administration comprised of many impressive people. If he has competent folks supporting him, he can oversee these various portfolios quite well.
Plus, his past as part of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has given him a close view of where the various bodies are/were buried by the Deep State. I suspect that helps him manage his broad portfolio.
One of the bright young people of DOGE ("Big balz") noted that actions are motivated by incentives, which he and his fellow DOGE team members have experienced first hand as they delve into the corruption of our bureaucracy and the money flows. Seems to me that grasping the incentives for foreign actors, whose governments are long time adversaries of ours, will help sort out those messes. First off, STOP sending taxpayer $$ to Ukraine. Likewise, limit Iran's receipts from oil (major customer is China). Lopping off funds to NGOs and addressing anti-semitism in U.S. universities (grown rich from foreign students, many of whom are no longer studying but overstaying student visas to rabble rouse) also helps.
Seems to me that Trump's team understands these interrelationships and acting accordingly.
“…how important that on these foreign policy issues Americans downgrade their partisanship for a moment and line up behind Mr. Rubio and the President. If they fail, there will be plenty of time to remonstrate with them later.”
The Marxist/Democrat/Hate America Party will never downgrade their partisanship because it does not help them in their jihad against DJT and the Republicans.
Rubio is a first-class act. And he is getting very appropriate (and useful) experience for someone who might like to live in the White House for one or two terms. I wish him well.
And I share your skepticism of Steve Witkoff's background or skills to be running the most important negotiations we have had in years. I would even question how careful he is about observing operational security, but Mike Walz and Pete Hegseth have both exhibited unbelievable laxness on this front.
As for the Chinese showing willingness to negotiate on trade, that's small potatoes for a government that hopes to replace the USA as the lone world power. They'll negotiate regarding trade, but find some way to turn that to their advantage and continue to lie, cheat and steal in all aspects of international relations. They have not learned how to be a trustworthy and reliable member of the family of nations, even a little.
I first became familiar with Sec. Rubio when he became a candidate for president in 2015-16. I was very impressed with him as candidate, senator, and most importantly as a human being. In fact, I actually donated to his campaign . The first and last time I have donated to a candidate ( although the RNC has not forgotten). While there are certainly no perfect individuals in Washington, Mr. Rubio comes close. He would make a great president. I thought so in 2016 and I think even more so now. Americans of all persuasion should pray for this man’s success.
Thanks Roger for another great article,
"I first became familiar with Sec. Rubio when he became a candidate for president in 2015-16. I was very impressed with him as candidate, senator, and most importantly as a human being. In fact, I actually donated to his campaign"
You to?
Right on, Roger!!!
As a longtime Floridian, 74 years, I have paid close attention to the politicians to whom I give my vote. Voting for Rubio was a given, but I stayed on his case because I think, in his first years, he “skated” a little and missed opportunities to do the right things for his constituents. When he ran against Trump, I was so disappointed that he bought into the Miami GOP’s rhetoric. I let him know how I felt and never got an answer. But after his unsuccessful bid for president, I was happy to write him about the great work he was doing for Americans. I heard back a couple of times. As a retired public high school teacher, I was most alarmed when I discovered that classroom teachers were encouraging their students to use tictok as the teachers used this site quite a bit in classrooms. I wrote to Rubio, and he was the one brave Senator who tried to get a bill to the floor about banning tictok. I always felt that he listened to all of us and tried to do something about tictok in classrooms. He tried again either the next year or later. I think he realized he needed to show a great work ethic which he did and why he’s popular today—and not just in Florida. We moved to a small town in SC over 2 years ago, and the people hear like what Rubio is doing. Many friends around the country are also impressed with his calmness, firmness, and grasp of the jobs he’s doing. We are most lucky to have Rubio working for us. So glad Trump recognized his worth as he did with DeSantis. These two men are really good for our Republican team. Thanks again for your important insights. They are most appreciated.
I hope Rubio keeps the pressure on Iran. O'Bama and John Kerry sold out the US public and the world for personal adulation during the bogus Iran Nuclear Deal of 2015. A deal that the US Congress didn't endorse. Nuclear test samples couldn't be directly taken by the IAEA inspectors (the UN's not-so-transparent test agency) but rather provided by Iran. What could go wrong with that? Then Kerry got a call from Iran, in 2016, confirming that they had filled the core of their under-construction and highly controversial Arak reactor with cement. That requirement was one of the key centerpieces of the 2015 Deal! The French labelled the Arak reactor as nothing more than a nuclear bomb making factory. High fives all around! But wait! In 2021, the world learned that Iran lied. " https://jcpa.org/iranian-official-admits-lying-about-filling-arak-plutonium-reactor-with-cement/ "
Roger, thank you for this clear concise perspective. I miss you on the days you’re absent. This is indeed a very good day. Thank you for agreeing with me. We do need to get behind Marco Rubio and Donald Trump. As well as all the rest of the president’s men. And women. And we need to be courageous and vocal in that support. The haters are certainly willing to speak out for their points of view. They are emboldened by a certainty that they will never be held accountable. We are challenged by the risks of standing up for our righteous perspectives. You are an Ideological hero. We need to stand up.
In the words of the Sundance Kid, “Keep thinking Butch. It’s what you’re good at”
Never really paid much attention to him. pleasantly surprised to see how well he's doing. Impressed far more then I expected to be.
Glad to see someone giving Marco Rubio the recognition he deserves. He provides calm and thoughtful leadership in an administration that can sometimes (often) feel . . . not calm and not thoughtful.
On quibble though: Describing the Russian-Ukraine war as “mutual insanity” - as if the country defending itself from a violent, illegal, and wholly unjustified invasion from a thuggish, imperialistic neighbor has the same level of culpability as said neightbor.
I really hate this narrative that has emerged on the right and can only be thankful such voices were not dominant in 1941-45, when we would have been lectured on the insanity of continuing to fight a two front war against the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
Yes. His (very long) statement announcing and justifying the invasion goes into hundreds of years of Russia-Ukrainian history. Putin, always a KGB thug at heart who longs for the halcyon days of the USSR and Cold War spy craft, wanted to known as the guy who put the Soviet Union band back together. Add to that his annexation of Crimea in 2014 with nary a word from the Obama administration and Biden’s bizarre pre-invasion statements intimating that it would be okay if Russia took just a little of Ukraine, and you have a road map for where we are. The NATO membership issue is all pretext.
JT…Do you think Putin would have invaded Ukraine if he had been given guarantees by all members of NATO that Ukraine would not be allowed to join the Pact?
Yes. His (very long) statement announcing and justifying the invasion goes into hundreds of years of Russia-Ukrainian history. Putin, always a KGB thug at heart who longs for the halcyon days of the USSR and Cold War spy craft, wanted to known as the guy who put the Soviet Union band back together. Add to that his annexation of Crimea in 2014 with nary a word from the Obama administration and Biden’s bizarre pre-invasion statements intimating that it would be okay if Russia took just a little of Ukraine, and you have a road map for where we are. The NATO membership issue is all pretext.
+10
Absolutely correct.
Very well presented.
As a fullhearted supported of DJT I hope he adds study of 'The art of war', to " The art of the deal".
Remember McNamara and the Edsel? the DMZ? Business leaders are different than war leaders.
Business leaders lose money-which can be replaced from then bank. War leaders lose lives. We are dealing with a enemy that has made 'the art of the lie' their study. 'Intransigence' can lead to your enemy offering the illusion of 'appeasement' , ie Chamberlin and Hitler. Eventually your choices come down to Chamberlin or 'Charles the Hammer' or surrender.
Your observation about how Rubio was with his kids brings to mind a similar observation I made in 2018 about Donald Trump -- that his kids turned out well and seemed to support him constantly and effectively in his first campaign. And in subsequent ones, too, as it turned out.
I take it as the sign of a decent and often successful human being that s/he raises kids that are respectful, successful, and love their country.
I know, that's a huge generalization an there are exceptions. But the exceptions don't totally negate the observation that a person's offspring often turn out like them, and when a busy man raises good children, it is likely he gave them time and direction that played a role in their own success. I take that as a meaningful measure of a man's ability to lead.
I will admit I was troubled by Trump's three marriages. Two is probably understandable if one marries young and can be acknowledged not to have been a good judge of himself or his intended spouse because of youth. But to have divorced twice diminishes that exemption, as it were.
So I'm glad to hear Rubio was good with his kids, especially during a stressful moment when he was not "on". It enhances my respect for the man. I hope he can go on to better things.
Just saying this.
The day after the inauguration, I predicted the Rubio 2028 hype train would soon start.
I sometimes look at the Brit books, and I can confirm that it has started.
You COULD say one of the things we are seeing inside The WH is the start of the 2028 GOP Presidential Primary.
I hope he speaks up about Israel giving the Chinese the keys to their major port and a front row seat to our naval activities. Sometimes you have to wonder why?